This afternoon, we spent time shopping. As I sat outside Manuram Silks waiting for the others, I started looking at the feet of those walking by. I was moved to reprise this posting from last year's trip over here...

This is from June 2008--

One thing I have noticed more than anything while in Chennai have been feet. The first day we were working, it struck me that a couple of the women working with us were barefoot--and not because they took their shoes off. They were barefoot because they wore no shoes. Since that day, my tennis shoes have been permanently stained red and layered thick with the gunk and glue we encountered while tearing out the carpet and tile floor. My shoes are stained and gunk-covered. Their feet were bare and were walking through the same stuff.

First off, it struck me how amazing and durable and tough their feet are. Walking barefoot through one day, let alone a lifetime, is truly a feat. I think how soft and pampered my feet are from always being protected in clean socks and whatever pair of shoes I choose to wear at that moment.

A second observation that struck me was how beautiful their feet were. My pampered feet have three ugly nails filled with fungus. Their bare feet have toes pointing properly with no obvious problems. I would have expected cuts or toes all splayed out at wrong angles from old breaks incurred while stubbing them or tripping over things. Yet none of that was evident.

Finally, it really hit me how amazing Jesus actions were when He washed His disciples feet during the Last Supper. The nastiness of walking through the day barefoot or sandal-footed takes on a new level of meaning when you see the streets and ground over here. Jesus' love also takes on a nev level of meaning when you realize He cleaned His disciples' feet with joy and love.