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From Luke’s Journal February 2024 | Vol.29 No.1 | Missions and Sacrificial Service

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Rom 10:14-15)

Under the stars I scrub my feet in a tub of cool water, seeking to wash away the dust and dead skin cells. ‘Beautiful are the feet’, is the whisper in my spirit as I have a moment to pause after the day’s activity. But, my feet sure don’t look beautiful.

I have often pondered on the meaning of this passage. Why isn’t it ‘beautiful are the eyes’ – they bring the light of Christ and certainly are a more obviously captivating part of the body? Or why isn’t it ‘beautiful is the mouth’? Why not at least, ‘beautiful are the hands’? Surely the hands that touch and comfort and cradle are more beautiful. But in His upside-down wisdom our God chose to pay special attention to, and even call beautiful, the feet. That which treads the dusty paths He called beautiful.

It’s now almost twelve years since I met my husband in South Sudan. I remember sitting on the porch at the children’s home that first evening and hearing about his heart for this region and for serving in a place where there is extreme poverty. Twelve years later, his conviction to live amongst the poor and use his skills where they are most needed remains.

Twelve years ago, as I asked the Lord whether he was the man I was to marry, the gentle whisper from the Holy Spirit came that I must first say yes to this region of the world before I said yes to marrying him. Twelve years later, we are still here. Albeit with a few trips in and out in between.

“This region has been oppressed by decades of war and violence. The period that we have been in our current location has been the longest period of relative peace that this area has known in decades.”

This region has been oppressed by decades of war and violence. The period that we have been in our current location has been the longest period of relative peace that this area has known in decades. Yet this ‘peace’ is very fragile. We often say we try to have a soft footprint here. We focus on teaching and training – currently running a clinical school with almost fifty students. There are new buildings being constructed by a team that my husband has trained. The desire is to invest in the people and in the next generation of leaders. We don’t lead a church but attempt to support and strengthen the church that is already here and growing. We support a local school that we see already showing good local leadership and initiative. We want to tread carefully on this ravished land. Our desire is to gently come alongside these people with feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

A few weeks ago, I sat on the porch with a friend and missionary mama, Laura, who has been doing this ‘mission life’ for over forty years. She homeschooled her four children in rural Kenya. She now travels with her husband to the remotest regions of Africa and the Middle East and assists her husband doing plastic surgery – cleft palates, noma, difficult burn contractures. Her two sons are both surgeons and her two daughters are medical, married to doctors. All of her children have either returned to the mission field or are in training to return to use their skills in the most needed areas of this planet. As a medical mum, my burning question for Laura was, “How did you mother in such a way that your children not only are grateful for their childhood, but have returned or are preparing to return?”

Her answer, “We gave them a vision for the poor. My children say, ‘Mum we were there, we saw and we are now responsible too.’”

Laura asked me with sadness, “Why aren’t more medical workers coming out here? We were just visiting family in the United States and there are so many doctors and surgeons in the one town; and look at the situation here! Why aren’t more coming? I think many are waiting for an audible call from heaven before they come out here, but we never heard a call from heaven. We just read the Book.”

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I am often struck by the way people tend to their feet here in the mountains. They often scrub and clean their feet and then oil them before leaving the home. My practical self surfaces as I see them scrub… but they will be dirty again in a few minutes… why bother making them look beautiful? They are only feet.

Then we have the example of Mary. In preparing Jesus for His death, it was his feet she was led to anoint with the fragrant and costly nard.

A beautiful thing. That is what Jesus called Mary’s act of worship. A fragrant sacrifice, acceptable to God. A love offering for Him. “Why the waste?” were the accusations that met her radical act of worship. Why pour out something so precious on feet? I have heard similar accusations, “Why waste all the medical skills and talents you have out there? Most of it can’t be used properly. Why not just work and give the money to the poor?” But would I have? I ponder.

I certainly have dear medical friends who have sacrificially given to support our family out here. Only a few of us can truly do that though when faced with the pressures and temptations and expectations of Western life. Surrounded by more resources, many of us are a little too short-sighted like the rich man in the parable and just build bigger storehouses with the dream of a more pleasant future.

But Mary was so captivated by Christ and overwhelmed with love for Him that she chose a different radical way. How can we likewise be so compelled by the love of Christ that we pour out what is most precious at Jesus’ feet?

And how do we entrust to Him everything that is most precious to us? One example is our children. There have been accusations that this is not the best for them. But the longer we live out here, the more we are convinced that this is good for their souls. They might not have all the opportunities available in the West, but they are getting a vision and a love for the poor, the forgotten and the anonymous. Through choosing to live our lives as a family in a foreign land that needs the Hope of the gospel we are showing them that our faith is of greatest value to us. That our faith is something that has radically shaped the way in which we live our lives.

In the dry season here, our feet get calloused and are difficult to care for. My husband often ends up with deep painful cracks in his heels. He gets his razor blade to scrape away the dead hardened skin and I cringe. The feet are the part of the body that comes in contact with the broken dirty world each day. I think this is why Jesus intentionally spoke value upon the importance of caring for the feet.

Wanting to show the full extent of His love, Jesus knelt and washed the feet of his disciples. Grace and love poured out. This act was met with confusion. “Don’t wash my feet, Lord, that’s not your job!” stated Peter.

My paraphrase of Jesus’ reply, “Because you are already clean by the word that has been preached to you. But let me wash the grime of this day away. Let nothing from this world cling to any part of you. The unseen souls of your feet that have come in touch with this dusty earth more than any other part of your body today need attention and care. As you watch Me tend to the ordinary and often dirty feet, go and do likewise. Go to the least, to the forgotten, to those who cannot repay you. Go tend to the wounds of the dusty and neglected parts of the world and I will be with you.”

So, may I end with a prayer?

Jesus, today may we wash your feet. May we care for the hidden, forgotten and most humble parts of your body with your grace and love. May our lives be a beautiful act of fragrant worship poured out unto you. Where you send us may we go. Where you are let us be also. Amen.

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