Can Soap Change a Nation?

I had the awesome priveldge tonight of doing something that changed many lives.

As we've been drawing our study to a close these last two weeks, tonight we wanted to go out like the J-man went out. We went through some passages of promises He made and the call He gave to us, and discussed their heart and questions. Questions burning inside about those in rural China who have never heard the story. "Maybe you should go?" Josh asked. Then we asked one of the guys if he would read John 13...in Chinese. He flipped to the page and said "are you really...?" and the three of us walked outside.

We came back in with a tub of warm water, a bar of soap, and a towel. One by one we were able to get down on the floor and wash the feet of the men we've been walking along side for the past year. These are the guys we've seen each week in our study. These are the guys we've been meeting with at least one other time to talk about life and the Word and junk going on. I couldn't help but smile as I washed "Mr. President"'s feet. I was just filled with joy as a tear ran down my cheek.

 

Two of the four continued to wipe tears from their eyes as we washed their feet. It was as if J himself were doing it. They were so touched, so moved, so undone. I just watched in amazement of the reality I was seeing. I had the unmistakable passage rushing through my head "How can hear unless someone goes? How beautiful are the feet that bring good news." I think it was specific for them. It was a glimpse of what He was doing. We were commissioning. As He commissioned the 12, so we were now sending them out. One is going to France for the next few years to study and go to school, one will work with underprivileged teens this summer, one volunteers now at a Family coffee shop, and one confessed he wanted to share more, but didn't know what to say so He was going to spend the summer getting to know the Book and the Father more. I am so proud of them. We read it over them then lifted them up and sent them out. (Literally, their dorm closed at 9:40 and they left my apartment at 9:43.) 

As they left, one turned and said, "I'll never forget this night..." and I think neither will I. The course of China will be changed by these men, and I am proud to get to know them and serve them. Thank you for being part of what's going on here.