There are a lot of things on the race that we either take for granted or things that are second nature to us that we don’t realize people everywhere don’t do. One of these things is washing our hands.
One thing I have really struggled with on the race is going to places where they don’t have hand soap or towels. I always think, “what do these people do after they go to the bathroom, or after they prepare their food?” The truth and reality of it all is…they don’t.
Many people here are often sick, or others get sick because they do not wash their hands between activities. They can often carry many germs into their food or the food they are preparing for others. There are no health codes in third world countries, and honestly many don’t even know germs exist. When some people here get sick they don’t realize it is due to the lack of hand washing as well as dirty water.
This week we had the opportunity to observe one of our hosts teaching women and children in the village the importance of why they should wash their hands. Our hosts have already gone through the process of installing water filters, teaching how to use glass bottles and heat to purify their water, and hand washing is the next step.
Dante explained germs to the women, what illnesses they can cause, and how that can be harmful to them, their babies, and others around them. We then followed them to the water spicket and each of them practice washing their hands in clean water with soap. The best part was after the women all washed their hands the children wanted to do it as well!
Watching them wash their hands made me think about a few things. One is something we all think it is so simple many people around the world don’t do, and don’t know the importance of it. They don’t realize how beneficial it is for their health. Second, I saw a clear example of how important it is to set an example for your children.
How many times have we seen that happen with the children in our families? They want to help clean because they see mommy clean, or they start to say certain phrases because daddy says those phrases, but it mainly made me think about what example I want to set for my future children.
I want my children to follow in my footsteps on how I follow the Lord. To see me reading my bible, or praying, or worshiping the Lord and want to be like me in that aspect. I want my daughters to know they are beautiful because I have set an example of believing I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and they are too. So what do you want your children to remember you for? What example do you want to set for them?
Something as simple as hand washing has taught me a lot about something much more important: Being a Christ centered example for the younger children around me
