I'm not a religious guy, but...

            I’m not a religious guy, but I am open to religious experiences. This past Thursday night I had a very moving and powerful one. I got home after a long day of training and sent Deb a text that said, “I’m lonely, bored, and unmotivated.” Training is going well, but it is a process with many built in frustrations. I have to work hard to keep up and sometimes I just run out of steam.

Thursday afternoon I looked around for a couple of people I was hoping to chat with, but couldn’t find anyone. I was just moping around, not doing much of anything so I decided to go to church with Reyna, the mother of the family I’m living with. I live in a compound that consists of several houses where members of the extended family live. One of the houses is also an Evangelical church and the home of the pastor and his family. They are not related to Reyna’s family, but she and her husband Pedro are very involved in the church. They attend services two or three times a week and Pedro is active in church affairs, including constructing a new, larger building.

Going to church consists of crossing the patio and going in the back gate of the pastor’s house. Services are held on a covered patio where there are two keyboards, large speakers, a pulpit and forty plastic chairs. I’ve only attended services one other time, but I hear the music four nights a week. When I entered last Thursday the place was rocking, two of the pastor’s sons were playing the keyboards and a third young man had his guitar plugged in. The pastor was singing loud and well. The congregation was on its feet, swaying, sometimes clapping to the music and sometimes waving their arms in the air. After about a half hour of song, the sermon began. The text was John:13. The pastor spoke clearly and loudly. He repeated key phrases several times for emphasis. I had a Spanish bible where I could follow along. I’m pretty sure I got it all. Later, I Googled John:13 and read the chapter in English.

Here is the way I understand the story: Jesus knows he has been betrayed and that his time is running out. He is gathered with his students to eat one last meal together. He knows he is leaving them, but as their teacher he has one more lesson to impart. He loves his students and he wants to leave them with a lesson of love. He takes off his outer robe and wraps a towel around his waist. He fills a basin with water, gets down on his knees and one by one begins to wash and dry his students’ feet. One says, “What are you doing, master?” Jesus replies, “You’re not going to understand this now, but later you’ll get it. The important part is that what I’m doing for you, you will do for others.” Jesus is demonstrating to them, in a very powerful and personal way, that what it is all about is service. Out of love, as he departs, he tells his students to live a life of service.

Then the pastor had the congregation pair up. He supplied us with basins and warm water and towels. I got down on the floor and took a young man’s large foot in my hands. I washed it and dried it. Then I did the other. Then he did mine. Here is where the religious experience flowed in: I felt full of love, for the young man, for the pastor, for the congregation, for being in Nicaragua, for my life.

Later, I talked to Reyna and said I was wondering why I had attended that service. Why had my boredom and lack of motivation left me with nothing to do so that I ended up hearing that particular sermon and having that particular experience?  

(The above image of feet has been appearing in my artwork in various forms for at least fifteen years. Originally it was a photo of a friend's feet (Till Schwantez). Most recently, I did a print version that was part of my show 100 Ways An Old Artist Can Die. The picture above is a photo of a silk screen my son in law Andrew Youngren made of the print.)