Anyone who knows me at all knows that when I came to Kalavai in December it was life changing for me. I never thought anything could top that experience, but this week I was proven wrong. I have never experienced such a wave of emotions in my entire life. Most of all, I have never been so humbled in my life. This week we focused on a few areas of the Bible that pertained to cleanliness and translated those verses into things that the villagers would also understand in the physical aspects of life (which will also improve their health and wellness). The message about clean hands was translated into them caring for their bodies and having a clean physical appearance. The message about a clean heart was translated into them caring better for their homes... because a person's home shows their heart. We also talked to them about cleanliness on the outside of their homes as well. All of this was very impactful, but the climax of this entire trip was this morning when we visited John 13:1-8. This is the area of the Bible that talks about Jesus washing the disciples' feet. Jesus did this to show his disciples that he did not come to this earth to be served, but to serve others. It also showed that although he was the son of God, he didn't think of himself as better than anybody else. Nothing was beneath him and he was there to serve. Today, the 12 of us from GCC had the privelage to wash the feet of the village people. I don't think I'll ever be so moved again in my life.
To put this into context, the people of Kalavai are considered to be untouchable. On the other hand, we as americans are nearly looked at as gods to these people. They hold us in such high esteem, but we are not worthy of praise like this. These people are the most amazing people I have ever met in my life. They are battered by life daily... most just trying to figure out how to survive the next day... yet they are so strong. They are shunned by everyone around them, yet they show so much love. I look at the way they have to live and it not only breaks my heart, but it makes me think about my own life and the things that I complain about... it makes me wonder if I would be so strong if I were in the same situation.
And then I look at the similarities within our completely different cultures. I saw a group of girls giggle and snicker when we talked about a boy that was visiting the village... just like teenage girls would do in America. I've met Indian women who just want to care for and love their children but struggle to do so... just like me. And this trip I was honored to become even closer to someone that I helped on the last trip. Last December, my team built houses for two widows in the village. One of them was Shanti... All I really knew of her in December was that she was a widow with two children and that she helped with a good portion of the cooking. This time was different. I learned things about Shanti on this trip that don't necessarily need to be shared with the entire internet, but I'll just say that other than the fact that she is a single mother with two children (just like me) I learned some of her struggles and was blown away by the fact that she stuggles with some of the very same things that I do. On Thursday after our community meeting in the village, Shanti came up to me and put her scarf over her head and placed my hand on her head (she wanted me to personally pray over her). This is one thing that on my first trip absolutely scared me to death - even if I'm praying in a language that the person I'm praying for doesn't understand... I'm not a pray out loud kind of person. When I realized what was happening it felt like time stopped and it was just the two of us. I stumbled for the words that I thought were best and was in tears and trembling by the time I was finished. I think God placed me on this team for many reasons, but this is by far a moment where he could use me the most. This woman who struggles, just like I do... asking ME for prayer. How humbling is that?
So, when the feet washing ceremony happened this morning, each team member had to choose 1 village person to demonstrate Christ's love for them and wash their feet... just like in John 13. There are many women in the village that I connected with, but my heart told me that if God placed me there to bless Shanti, that was who I should choose. She instantly burst into tears when I chose her and had her sit in my seat and kneeled at HER feet. I know that this completely blew her away but she deserved every bit of this attention and to be shown that she not only matters to me, she matters to God. At the end of the ceremony, I wanted to pray for Shanti again, but this time with an interpeter so she would know what I was saying. What an amazing day... what an amazing woman... WHAT AN AMAZING GOD!
To put this into context, the people of Kalavai are considered to be untouchable. On the other hand, we as americans are nearly looked at as gods to these people. They hold us in such high esteem, but we are not worthy of praise like this. These people are the most amazing people I have ever met in my life. They are battered by life daily... most just trying to figure out how to survive the next day... yet they are so strong. They are shunned by everyone around them, yet they show so much love. I look at the way they have to live and it not only breaks my heart, but it makes me think about my own life and the things that I complain about... it makes me wonder if I would be so strong if I were in the same situation.
And then I look at the similarities within our completely different cultures. I saw a group of girls giggle and snicker when we talked about a boy that was visiting the village... just like teenage girls would do in America. I've met Indian women who just want to care for and love their children but struggle to do so... just like me. And this trip I was honored to become even closer to someone that I helped on the last trip. Last December, my team built houses for two widows in the village. One of them was Shanti... All I really knew of her in December was that she was a widow with two children and that she helped with a good portion of the cooking. This time was different. I learned things about Shanti on this trip that don't necessarily need to be shared with the entire internet, but I'll just say that other than the fact that she is a single mother with two children (just like me) I learned some of her struggles and was blown away by the fact that she stuggles with some of the very same things that I do. On Thursday after our community meeting in the village, Shanti came up to me and put her scarf over her head and placed my hand on her head (she wanted me to personally pray over her). This is one thing that on my first trip absolutely scared me to death - even if I'm praying in a language that the person I'm praying for doesn't understand... I'm not a pray out loud kind of person. When I realized what was happening it felt like time stopped and it was just the two of us. I stumbled for the words that I thought were best and was in tears and trembling by the time I was finished. I think God placed me on this team for many reasons, but this is by far a moment where he could use me the most. This woman who struggles, just like I do... asking ME for prayer. How humbling is that?
So, when the feet washing ceremony happened this morning, each team member had to choose 1 village person to demonstrate Christ's love for them and wash their feet... just like in John 13. There are many women in the village that I connected with, but my heart told me that if God placed me there to bless Shanti, that was who I should choose. She instantly burst into tears when I chose her and had her sit in my seat and kneeled at HER feet. I know that this completely blew her away but she deserved every bit of this attention and to be shown that she not only matters to me, she matters to God. At the end of the ceremony, I wanted to pray for Shanti again, but this time with an interpeter so she would know what I was saying. What an amazing day... what an amazing woman... WHAT AN AMAZING GOD!
Jennifer Archer
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