Rubio

I was feeling a bit nostalgic today, and was reading through my journal of my trip to Peru last winter. I came across this poem that I wrote about a boy named Rubio that our group met in downtown Lima. He was about 12 years old and was living on the streets making money as a shoe shiner. As we spoke to him we learned that he was trying to earn 50 soles (about 15 bucks) for school fees so that he could return to his village in the country and continue his schooling. Pastor Carlos (a Peruvian) continued to ask him some questions to see if he was really telling the truth. Meanwhile, out of Rubio's view, our group collected some extra change and came up with more than enough money for his school fees. However Carlos had already begun to share a better gift with this dirty street kid. The gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. What a powerful moment it was to see this ragged, shoeshine stained kid break into tears at the exclamation of the Gospel in his life. In the next moment his tears flowed steadier as we gave him all the money he needed for school and more. God struck again! On one of our "days off" of ministry, Destiny collided a bunch of spoiled Americans with a struggling urchin to hold an eternal adoption ceremony.

January 10, 05

Rubio

12 summers ago you came
into this world dirty and poor

Look at you now

when did you last eat?
surviving by cleaning people's feet

i know a Man who cleaned feet
He gave you me

your stained hands hold my gift
His pierced hands hold your soul

look at you now

don't cry at the gift
cry for the Giver

tears of joy
you've been set free, brother

look at you now



By His grace, for His glory,
jrf