I’m a calculated risk-taker. I like to think of myself as adventurous and spontaneous, but the truth is, I plan for that. As we prepared for our Uganda trip this spring, our team discussed how to mitigate risk, especially regarding health and safety. One of the guidelines we talked about was footwear. I reminded everyone that traveling to other countries can expose us to different risks, so it’s important to wear appropriate shoes.
When our friends at KIBO (kibogroup.org) told us we would be visiting a village to observe a stove being built, I was excited. These stoves are made from local materials and allow for safer, more efficient cooking. The village chooses which family will receive the next stove, and the process becomes a celebration. When one of the staff tentatively asked if we would help stomp the mud as part of the process, we gave an enthusiastic yes.
When we arrived, we were warmly welcomed with cheers, applause, music, and dancing. After a few formalities, the villagers began preparing the clay for the stove. They mixed the materials, added water, and invited us to take off our shoes and stomp in the mud. So we did, even though it wasn’t part of the plan.
When we finished, someone took my hand, led me to a chair, and said, “Now we will wash your feet.” My first response was, “No, I’ll do it. I don’t want you to have to wash my feet.” But the KIBO staff gently told me they were going to wash my feet—and that I was going to be okay with it.
I don’t have adequate words to describe the beauty of that moment. The women went to the well, bringing back jugs of water and a basin. Someone else brought a bar of soap. With quiet humility, they washed every speck of dirt from my feet and dried them with a towel. Even now, as I tell this story, it moves me deeply.
This trip required us to have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to respond. It’s easy to distract ourselves with busyness, checklists, and plans—things outside of us. But Christ desires to work deep within us and within others. He reminds us that we can do nothing good on our own. Our greatest witness is not simply in what we accomplish, but in how we love.