Parent's Day in Sompovloun

Thal with her brothers and sisters washing their mom's feet.

I made a special trip to Sompovloun mid-April, with the idea of wanting to be a blessing to Sophan and his sister, as I knew they were keenly feeling the loss of their mom with the Parent's Day celebration.  The youth had invited their parents to come to the church for this celebration and a number did come.  Just as Sophan began to preach (from Eph 6:1-3) in walked an army man in full fatigues with a very serious unfriendly face.  He had his revolver in the holster, walkie-talkie, and various army paraphernalia on him.  He walked right up to the front and sat down.  I was thinking...Oh no.  What is this?  And just started praying... But Sophan was very cool about it...stopped his sermon that he had just started and told the man what we were doing and why, and welcomed him to join us.  Sophan then preached from Ephesians about children honoring their parents.  This was a wonderful message to share as Buddhists often say that Christians don't honor their parents.  At the end of the sermon, the older youth had a skit and the younger kids sang several songs.  As Sophan then started rearranging the front area I assumed we would have a snack and fellowship time.  But instead, he said we were going to have a foot washing time!!!  He talked about the loss of his own mom and how painful that has been for him...and shared how I was his mom in the Lord and asked me to come up to wash my feet!  I was stunned.  I had no idea this was going to happen.  Sophoan wept as she and Sophan washed my feet (oh how humbling that is to receive!!).  And then they presented me with a gift.  From there, Thal and her siblings washed their mom's feet - again with many tears and many words of endearment to her....and on it went as one by one the youth washed their parent's feet.  It was mostly moms that were there, but a few dads, too.  As it turned out, the army man was the dad of one of the youth...and the young man washed his mom's feet and gave her a gift...but the dad didn't participate.  There were many precious washings....and many tears.  It was such a God honoring time and I was just amazed at the service they had put together.  We have NEVER even talked about foot washing before so this came clear out of the blue for me.  After that came the snacks and fellowship time, and then as the parents went home, the kids all hung around and played Christian music and danced and danced and had such a good time....from little ones up to the 30 year old "youth".  It was just so wonderful to witness all this.....and as I told Sophan and Sophoan:  I had gone wanting to be a blessing to them, but instead they were a blessing to me!! 

Thu (the explosion boys' mom) and her children.

The youth having fun after the service.