The next day, Piero, who was previously so hardhearted, ran over to us & jumped into our arms. We accepted him with total love & forgiveness & acted like nothing had happened.
Later, I found out his story. His father had died years ago. His mother had remarried. His stepfather treated him well, until Piero's mother gave birth to the stepfather's own children. Then this little boy became an object of cruel abuse & torment. The stories I heard, I do not want to repeat. No wonder he is always so dirty & always so hungry for love & attention, I thought.
Two days after the robbery, Piero & another little girl joined me as I was sitting alone, coloring. I felt so strongly that I should share Jesus in that moment. So, in my broken Spanish with my strange-sounding accent, I told them the good news. Jesus died on the cross for you. But he isn't dead anymore! He is alive now in Heaven. He loves every person & He loves you. He wants to live inside you, in your heart. He wants to forgive you for every bad thing you have done. He wants to save you.
I don't know that he understood everything, but I know that he knows that I love him. And that my team loves him.
Piero's mother recently banished him from our property, but yesterday I saw his little face, peering over the stone gate. "¡Hola!" he yelled, with confidence. "¡Hola!" I yelled back.
In that moment, I felt the lightness of redemption. In spite of everything I've done to Jesus that disappointed him & saddened his heart, his love for me is absolute. And I can run confidently into his arms, knowing I'm forgiven & loved. What a beautiful Savior.
The next week, we found out that Piero's mom, Piero & the rest of his siblings (except for one) have left her husband, the kids' stepfather. We have no idea where they are now, but I know that we met Piero for a reason. And now he's left a little hole in all of our hearts.
Pray for Piero. I want him to know his Father's love. And I happen to know that his Father wants him.
"Jesus called them to Him, saying, Let the children come to me, & do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God."
–Luke 18:16
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