Go Beyond

Kolkata, India

In addition to serving at New Hope School in the slums and at the aftercare home that we fund for young girls rescued from sex trafficking, our students have spent the last two afternoons serving at three of Mother Teresa’s homes. Mother Teresa’s influence and example continues to draw thousands of volunteers annually from around the world. They come here to serve the least of these for a variety of reasons. Many who come are searching for greater significance in life and are realizing that the path to significance is paved with service. Others come because, like Mother Teresa, they want to follow the example of Jesus and obey His words to care for the least of these. Some come out of curiosity and leave convicted about selfish living. But regardless of the reason why people come … they come by the thousands to serve and to care for the poorest of the poor, Kolkata’s outcasts.

I have been deeply moved by the tender and compassionate hearts of our students. On their first day at their assigned home, several silently wept at what they saw. But, within minutes, our students fell into the rhythm of serving and caring for the physical needs of the residents. It’s amazing to watch kids who may not take the initiative to clean their rooms at home so quickly take the initiative to help a broken man or woman to make their way to the toilet or to bring them a cup of water. But, what always amazes me most when I bring volunteers to serve at Mother Teresa’s homes is how they react when I hand them a bottle of lotion and then ask them to rub lotion into the dry, calloused, and broken feet of those we have come to serve. Our students did not hesitate for a second. It’s hard to find the words to describe what I felt as I watched our students tenderly massage the tired feet of the least of these, many of whom have never owned a pair of shoes.

Touching and washing the feet of the least of these is a profound and humbling experience. You cannot touch or wash the feet of others unless you are willing to bend low — both inside and out. When Jesus and His disciples gathered to eat the Passover meal in the upper room, Jesus got up from the table and washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17). Jesus then explained to them that He had set an example of service He expected them to follow. Jesus did not institute foot washing as a church ordinance but rather set an example of the kind of humble service His followers should show to others. No other world view has a theology of feet or a leader who stooped to wash the feet of his disciples. We are most like Jesus when we compassionately and humbly bend low to serve others, expecting nothing in return. When I look at the hands of our students, I see beautiful hands — the hands of Jesus. They have used their hands to do for the least of these what Jesus would do.