The title of my sermon is: "You're Kissing My Feet?" because I don't know if any of you were here or remember a few short stories Stark told the Sunday after we got back from Nicaragua. One of them was when we had all been walking, like usual, in the red dust of Nicaragua, so obviously all of our feet were stained with dust every day. Kathi walks on the bus, dust-stained feet, and Miguel, one of the people who helped with Bridges To Community brushes her feet accidentally while walking by. He felt so bad and wanted to express how sorry he was, so he bent down, kissed his hand, and placed it on her foot. Kathi's response was how touched she was through tears, because she never would have touched those things.

That was one of the many stories that we could all talk your ear off about. All of the people we met, and then some, shared that trait as well - humility - which is probably why after leaving there, I felt so full but so empty at the same time.

And that's how God's presence is. The more we receive of him, the more we want. We can't seem to get enough of his greatness. I had been filled over and over again, from dawn til dusk, with complete compassion, grace and humility - and still - I want more to be with them. And as much as my body was ready to run the other way at the airport - my heart and mind kept reminding me I had to go back because I need to share this humbleness with others. If I can't go to Nicaragua right now, but I reassure you I will as soon as possible; I have to bring it to myself and others. In the same way, even though I'm not in heaven, I still need to share God's mercy with this lost and dying world.

Humility can be defined as not thinking too highly of yourself, childlikeness, gentleness, willingness to confess sin, not having to prove yourself. It allows us to take advice, comes from developing sympathetic and tender hearts toward each other, my eyes had been opened to see God's work, my character was strengthened. I had realized that how humble they were wore off on me - it was contagious and I caught it. It caused me to fall to my knees in front of God and give myself up - my selfishness, pride, jealousy, loneliness. I had seen God work in a way I've never seen him move before. I could see the face of God in people like Jose, Anicia, and the others we met, even just by their eyes. They tell a story. And every time I look into them, I find something new.

I came back home, I walked up to my room - I don't even remember what time it must've been - 2:30 or 3am. And I walked up to my room and looked around at just stuff. Stuff was everywhere and I didn't really need any of it. Most of it just sits there and doesn't really serve much purpose. Zechariah 9:9 tells how Jesus was the King of Kings, yet in his royal procession he rode on a donkey. It's amazing how much I take for granted. I always knew I did - but until meeting and sharing in a life with those people, and we only experienced the half of it. A majority of our everyday material things were taken away from us. And yet, we had the time of our lives. I've never had so much fun in all my life.

I was forced to realize the beauty and meaning of life. I'll be the first to admit that I'm guilty of dragging myself to church, wondering when the sermon will be done. But sitting in a church pew isn't a ticket into heaven. Whatever Stark says is a true message straight from God, the creator of heaven and earth, of my life and your life. I can't believe sometimes I sit there and choose to ignore it. I don't want to be content just sitting in his house. I want to be in his lap. I want to know him more and his plan for my life. I can't know his plan if all I want is to go out to eat at coffee hour, or to go home and watch the big game, or whatever. We become more time sensitive than spirit sensitive. What happened to waiting on God? What we need are burning lips and a hot heart.

Have you ever been with a friend of someone who was hurting so bad and you felt completely helpless? This is how it is when God tries to help us but we don't let him. God isn't just going to appear to us because we say we want his presence in our lives. We need to work for it. He would take a trip in time just to spend a brief moment with humanity. He thinks it's worth it to actually be with us. He doesn't hide himself so he can't be found - he hides himself so he can be found. He hides to be discovered. Just like a Dad playing hide 'n' seek with his children. He is always careful to leave a piece of him showing to be found just to see the sheer joy and smile on their hearts.

This is how God works. We need to have a deep desire and burning passion to want him in our lives. We have to swallow our pride before we can expect God to move in us. It's hard, but God never said life would be easy - only that it would be worth it. It forces us to realize that God rarely works in a straight path. Too often we try to understand or figure out his plan.

Journal entry: April 21, 2003
It's about 5:30am and we're waiting in the Newark airport to Miami. It still feels weird that this trip came alive. I remember back when it started with Free The Children. We began making care packages. Then, at a Youth Group meeting, Sue gave a presentation about child poverty. It was one of Stark's first
meetings. He said, ". . . and a possibility would actually be going to Nicaragua . . . ." with my eyebrows raised, it still seemed like just a figment of my imagination, but now I realize that God does everything for a reason. Cliché, I know - but who doesn't need to be reminded of that? It evolved from preparing to actually going to live amongst poverty. God totally really does know what he's doing - even the little details. We also get so wrapped in this that we forget how to have fun . . . just because we're having fun doesn't mean we're not living in Christ. He loves to see us smile.

Journal entry: April 23, 2003
So I just about had the funnest day of my life. We did the norm - woke up at 6:30 for a 7:00 breakfast. Then we got on the bus and headed into Bilwi to see a drug commissioner. It was then we learned that in Nicaragua your plans are never actually plans until they happen. The drug commissioner got helped up somewhere, but we made do . . . with Nicaraguan dance lessons called the Punta. It was very, very awesome in so many different ways. It was really fast and maybe even a little out there, but it's really not the more you do it and see it. We probably looked like complete idiots, but it was such a good time. You only live once, so we let loose and gave it a shot. Or swallowing our pride sometimes helps us to not be so judgmental.

Journal entry: April 23, 2003
We got on the bus to head to our rooms to get changed into our swim gear and head to the beach. We swam for a long time, then went back to our rooms to get ready for dinner. After dinner the real punta dancers gave us a show. They're incredible. After, the dance teacher wanted to see what we remembered, so the dancers came in and got each one of us as a partner. I must say, my partner was extremely good looking, but not really my type - maybe a little arrogant. The dance teacher wasn't so bad as well if I do say so myself, but it was very funny anyway.

Journal entry follow-up: April 24, 2003
One night at dinner, Oscar (the dancer guy) was there. Unfortunately he doesn't speak any English, so Aurtoro translated. He told me a lot about himself and that because he was Christian and I was Christian, he was happy, how he was a boxer, and when he saw me he knew I had a good heart. Then he walked me back to Dulces Suenos. I am so glad I got to see him again because at first, I thought he was cocky - but he's really such a gentleman, extraordinarily nice. While we walked, Sue used her never-failing Spanish skills to translate. I never thought anything like this would happen - it exceeds anything I thought imaginable. I am just letting loose, not letting the stress of home get to me and having a great time with staying in the lines. Had I continued to let my judgment get the best of me, I wouldn't still be keeping in touch with Oscar today. But them other times, swallowing your pride causes you to just lose all sense around you and fall in love at first sight realizing the presence of God.

Journal entry: April 25, 2003
. . . then we went to the orphanage. It was amazing. We got off the bus and immediately the kids just grabbed our hands without even giving it a second thought. And the contentness on their faces was severely priceless. I was broken just being with them amongst their smiles. A little girl who I was playing with sang a song teaching me my body parts, but I don't remember it. I wish I did because she was adorable. Looking into their eyes I can see the face of God. Humility is childlikeness - people are attracted to it. It makes us who we are. Don't forget the words that touched you one Sunday because God wants you to
remember them for a reason. God is omniscient, omnipresent. It's our times of need that God is there to always, always, always pick us up. We can't ever forget that.