Maundy Thursday.  Jesus said, “Do this, and remember me.”  Sometime our minds translate that to mean shiny plates with crackers and tiny cups of juice.  I don’t think that’s it.  Jesus the Teacher had a quick review session before the final exam.

“Do you understand what I have done for you?  Now that I have washed your feet (served you), you must do the same.  I’ve laid down a pattern for you.  What I’ve done, you do.” (John 13:12b, 14-15)  Serve.  Sacrifice.  Love.  Do this, and remember me.  Remember me, and do this.

FBC Youth did this today, and after it was all over, they remembered. They served Roma Youth at Maranata Brethren Church, and they served them with joy and laughter, with songs and love. In addition to the sacrifices they’ve made to be here, they also sacrificed comfort and their style of worship, the girls dutifully donning headbands out of respect and wiping off their makeup in the bus on the way to the church lest they offend these more conservative brothers and sisters. But who needs makeup anyway when the most beautiful part of your face is the beaming smile that transcends the language barrier!

We all sang together, the youth made new Roma friends, we sang our entire concert, and then the pastor preached (and if you think a 35 minute sermon is long in English, try it in Romanian!). And at the very end, their pastor said they had a gift for each of us—a chocolate bar!

And then he grinned and said to us, “We want you to remember us so we give you chocolate because it is the color of our faces!”  I’ll never look at chocolate the same way again.  And if you get some Easter candy in your basket Sunday, you won’t either.

Eat, and remember.