My heart is heavy as we drive away from Peru and into Bolivia. No goodbyes are easy, but yesterday I had to say two of the hardest goodbyes. This past month I got to embrace the kid in me, and hang out with two of the coolest little boys I’ve ever met. Alex and Lusio. Brothers. 9 and 7 years old.
They came to the church every. single. day. by themselves. We usually had a Bible study or church service everyday at 7 pm. They would show up at 3 pm and help us clean and get ready for the service. I was impressed. They would also sit through 2 hour long Bible studies geared towards adults just because they wanted to?!?! What?!
After asking the youth pastor (Sweet Henry) about them, I found out they have 4 sisters, their dad died several years ago, and they live with their mom who is always working. Sweet Henry is so thankful Alex and Lusio come to the church so often because he knew how easily they could get into trouble if they hung out on the street.
Our friendship started when they were hanging out at the church one day. My mom gave me a Spanish Bingo game to bring with me, so I brought it out and asked if they would play with me. Their faces lit up like Christmas trees. We played Bingo almost every single day after that.
After that first Bingo game, we did everything together.
We made paper airplanes, had plenty of tickle fights, and played the game “catch me” for actual hours (a game where they would stand on top of a wood pile at the church, yell “CATCH ME” and jump off into my arms).
We ate spaghetti, popped popcorn, and baked cookies together. I even forced them to eat broccoli so they can be big and strong like me (;. We invited the community to the Christmas Eve service and sang Christmas karaoke at the youth Christmas party together.
They came with me to the bank when I had to figure out some money stuff for my team, and helped me figure out how to say all the numbers I needed in Spanish. They even voluntarily helped me hand wash my clothes. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 9 AND 7 YEAR OLD BOYS?!?!
One day my team and I were walking with them in town. We came up to a man walking with his son, and I asked the man if I could pray for him. The man said yes and told me some things about his family that I could pray for. I got kind of nervous with my Spanish skills, and asked the man if I could pray for him in English. That’s when Alex jumped in and said, “I want to pray for him.” Alex, a 9 year old boy prayed over a 40 something year old man. It was precious.
Yesterday was our last day together. We played one last game of Bingo. We had tickle fights and ate popcorn, made more paper airplanes and played catch me.
Then it came time to say goodbye. Alex ran to his house and came back with one big stuffed animal. He put it in my arms and said, “This is my only stuffed animal, but I really want you to have it. You can remember me every time you see it!”. I smiled and thanked him, but took him over to my backpack and said, “Buddy that is so sweet, but there is no room in my backpack! How bout you keep it and every time you see it you can remember all the fun we had together??” He smiled and nodded.
Then he asked in his little 9 year old voice, “So, you are going to be traveling to 8 more countries. But after you are done traveling, you are going to come back here right? To see me?” Rip my heart out why don’t you?! I just hugged him and said “I don’t know buddy.” Alex threw his arms around me and buried his head in my shoulder and started to cry. I could feel my shirt getting wet from his tears. If I’d never had my heart broken before, I definitely have now. We finished saying goodbye, and I watched them walk home.
I love them. I love their little boy brains. I love how much they love life, and their endless curiosity, questions, and ideas.
I’m praying for those boys right now. I thank God He has provided them a way to learn more about Him and have a church community. I pray that they would continue to follow Him. It hurts not knowing what they will become. One day we talked about their hopes and dreams, and what they want to do when they grow up. Alex wants to become a chef and Lusio wants to become a firefighter.
God knew exactly what I needed when I got to Peru. He used Alex and Lusio to inspire me and encourage me so much. Seeing Alex jump at the opportunity to pray for a grown man blew my mind. Opening the church door early on Sunday mornings to let them in so they could set up the Sunday school room reminded me that the work we are doing is EXCITING! I want to get out of bed in the morning so excited and expectant of what God is going to do. I want to show up early and stay late. I want to jump at every opportunity to see God moving in our world.
Thanks Alex and Lusio. I already miss you weirdos so much. LOVE YOU!
