I just need to take a moment to brag on the Z Squad men. They plotted for a long time to bring all of us ladies the best Valentine’s Day EVER!
It started off with the men announcing they were taking over all of our water fetching and kitchen duties, which meant none of us had to wake up at 5am! Woo! Then they wouldn’t let us move a muscle at breakfast and hand delivered each plate to us where we sat.
After breakfast it was announced that the day was also some Malawian holiday so all the places we’d normally go to for ministry were closed. All that was left to do for the day were physical labor jobs and the men were going to take over. Let me put this into perspective. There are 10 men and 33 women. That’s a lot of work for only 10 men to be doing all day. They are awesome.
The reason they took over our duties in the morning was so we could spend time ministering to each other as women. It was so great. Hearts were shared. We did some 5-minute speed dating to get to know each other better on different levels. I learned new things about a lot of the girls.
After they served us lunch we had the afternoon off. Most of us left the compound and then we came back to more surprises.
They brought the Winter Olympics to us! After an amazing passing of the torch ceremony which involved matches and a coal burning stove, many sports were recreated for us right there inside the bible school. We got to see bobsledding, cross country skiing, pairs figure skating, curling and hockey. There were commercials for Doxycycline vs Malarone and for foot cleaning.
After dinner things got a bit more serious. They sat all of us women in a circle and told us to close our eyes for an awkwardly long time. When we opened them there was a mound of chocolate candies and cookies. Oh happy day! There were also personalized sweet Valentine’s cards in front of us. Mine was from Logan. He drew a picture of me. It’s hilarious.
But then they had us close our eyes again for a long time and when we opened them this time they had 5 foot washing stations prepared for us. The men washed our feet and prayed over each of us. I know for a lot of people that seems weird, but it’s something Jesus did for his disciples as an example of humility and servant hood:
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.” So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:3-17 NKJV)
So it was a really sweet moment. Not to mention our feet are disgusting and permanently black thanks to the nasty sand all over this place. Best Valentine’s Day EVER!
