A group of nursing students from the Anderson University College of Health Professions spent time at Hope Missions of the Upstate, giving care to individuals while following an example Jesus gave us about serving others.
Hope Missions’ Foot Washing Clinic officially launched recently in partnership with Anderson University nursing majors. The idea for the clinic, according to Zoe Hale, COO of Hope Missions of the Upstate, came out of observing how many of the people seeking their help were coming to them on foot.
“One of the things that poverty takes away from people are our choices, and then if you’re homeless as well, you get fewer and fewer choices, so just to have people spending one-on-one time with you and taking care of you and listening therapeutically is really important,” Hale said.
According to Monica Morehead, MSN, RN, instructor of community health nursing and mental health nursing, the clinic is a great example of all four pillars of Anderson University—Great Academics, Great Faith, Great Hospitality, and Great Purpose—a great fit for Hope Missions as they provide a vital ministry of service and dignity.
Each week, a different group of students would conduct the clinic on Wednesday and Friday throughout the fall semester. As the students washed the feet of Hope Missions’ guests, they had opportunities to interact with them one-on-one and, in many cases, pray for them.
At the same time, the students learned the importance of a thorough foot assessment of individuals who may be prone to neglecting their own foot care—monitoring for blisters, open wounds, swelling, discoloration, ill-fitting and worn-out footwear. Students practiced their therapeutic communication skills, made referrals for additional foot care, and provided clean socks, and occasionally new shoes.
A priority for Hope Missions, Hale points out, is offering resources especially for their diabetic guests. She notes that often a side effect of diabetes is that people can’t feel their extremities and are unaware of major issues with their feet.
“Foot washing is grounded in hospitality of our biblical heritage and is humbling for the giver and the receiver,” Morehead said, citing the example of Jesus in John 13:1-5 where He washed the feet of each of His disciples.
The Foot Washing Clinic, according to Hale, benefits Hope Missions’ guests receiving needed attention and assessments, while at the same time giving the nursing students a fresh perspective on helping others who have needs further complicated by living in poverty.
For student Gracelyn Padgett, the Foot Washing Clinic was transformational.
“Sitting face-to-face with new friends, washing their feet, and listening to their stories opened something in me that I didn’t even know needed opening,” Padgett said. “So often, I’ve learned that God leads me into places that look scary at first glance, only for me to realize those places are exactly where I am meant to be. Serving the guests at Hope Missions didn’t just touch me, it reshaped me… Jesus met the sick, the poor, and the overlooked with friendship and love. Moments like this remind me of how important it is for us to love people the same way.”
An important takeaway for student Khoa “Alex” Pham is that although technology and procedures he and his classmates are learning are important, effectively caring for others is only complete when treatment is given out of a loving, compassionate heart.
“Their story and their feet together can show the whole situation of what they are going through in life, and it makes us think about how we can care for them and extend more help to our guests,” Pham said. “Talking with them and being with them in that short moment allows you to learn so much about them.”
The clinic also touched student Annaleisa Wile’s heart and changed her perspective of the homeless, poverty and basic human rights.
“I was blessed to have the opportunity to not only wash the feet of 10 individuals, but more importantly learn about their circumstances, hardships of homelessness, and the needs that they currently have. The foot washing clinic taught me that being homeless is not a choice, but a result of unfair circumstances to those who need the most support,” Wile said. “Without this clinical, I would not have learned to see these individuals as people who are in these circumstances not by choice and to advocate for their basic needs in whatever ways possible.”
“The opportunity that I had to attend Hope Missions and participate in the foot washing clinic will forever hold a special place in my life,” said student Regan Powell. “Our class has been blessed to be able to act in a way that pleases God and assists our community. To be the hands and feet of Jesus impacted myself and my peers from this new involvement.”
College of Health Professions Dean Dr. Donald Peace praised the efforts of the School of Nursing serving with Hope Missions.
“The foot washing clinic is a both spiritual and therapeutic service for those in need within our community,” Dr. Peace said. “I see the foot washing clinic as an opportunity to provide profound healing, humility and dignity to those needing help, blending faith fundamentals with clinical care.”
According to Hale, the students saw 93 different individuals.
“We did a debriefing after each group just to get an understanding if there are specific conditions they observed that they were concerned about. In all, we did 26 very specific referrals as a result of having the foot clinic,” Hale said. “We found it very useful in terms of paying attention to health, but we also found it very useful in just delivering a safe setting for our guests to interact with the nurses and enjoy spending time with them.”
“We often consider ourselves as servants of Christ and messengers of his kingdom. In this clinical, we are living out that message that the table is open for all, all are welcome, and worthy of His love and care,” Morehead said, adding that the Foot Washing Clinic fills a need for individuals with chronic and complex medical conditions to ensure their health and safety as they live unhoused. “Our feet support us and carry us everywhere. Ensuring our feet are warm, clean, dry and healthy is important to everyone and easily neglected,. This is a skin assessment that is frequently missed or neglected on patient admissions at the bedside in many community settings.”
“This mission is essential to the College of Health Professions and our School of Nursing,” Dr. Peace continued. “As you can imagine, this type of service develops compassionate, holistic practitioners dedicated to community wellness.”
The Hope Missions staff is thankful for this partnership with Anderson University and looks forward to seeing this partnership continue to bless their guests and the students. Hope Missions’ website is hopeupstate.org.
