A Servant's Uniform

Katie and I are in Zambia right now with two of our kids and ten students from the IL/IN region. We're living in host homes and working together with the Zambian Navigators.

Charles and Priscilla Mpundu are our host parents. They live in a spacious house with more quarters -- and more people living in those quarters -- than I have counted. Nieces, nephews, kids, in-laws, dogs, guards, etc. are all around this place. It's a great kind of bustle.

This morning, when I came out of my bedroom, I noticed the new housemaid cleaning the floors. She had on a purple vest, and I assumed she worked for a cleaning service of some sort. It wasn't until later on that I took the time to read the logo on the back of her vest. It read, "To Know Christ and To Make Him Known."

Those in the know realize this motto has been with The Navigators from the organization's earliest days, and sure enough, the new housemaid was wearing a Navigators shirt. (She probably got it from Priscilla.)

Once again, a metaphor jumped me. Here we are, 14 Americans, on a missions trip in Zambia. How are we to make Christ known? Perhaps by getting on the floor and serving the families we live with.

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

As I've thought about this metaphor, I've been thinking about our team. Just last night, Stacy and Lindsey finished dinner and washed all the dishes for our (sizeable) family. (They are living with the Mpundus, too.) Just this morning, Kyle told me that he and Andrew did the dishes for their host family and the young boy in the family joined them. "This is my first time washing the dishes," he announced to Kyle.

Imagine that, our team is serving and it's already making a difference. Tomorrow, we leave for the bush for three days (four nights) to dig a septic system for a village 100KM to the west of Lusaka. Why? To know Christ and to make Him known.

When we get back, we'll be meeting students at the Ridgeway Medical Campus, sharing the gospel where there is interest, sharing our lives no matter what. Why? To know Christ and to make Him known.

In short, we're putting on our purple vests and serving as best we're able. That's what it means to be a Navigator. At least, that's what the morning metaphor from the housemaid told me.