With all the taxis in Peru...

Picture a Peruvian, soft-spoken grandfather. His name is George and he drives a taxi. One of the many yellow taxis bustling about downtown. Tonight I met George. Fiona, Jesselyn and I were heading back to the albergue making smalltalk with our driver.

George asks us the usual. "Where are you from? What do you do? Do you like Peru?" "Are you Christians?" We tell him yes. And ask if he is as well. George replies with a noticeably sadder tone, "a little." How can you be a little Christian? We ask. George explains; "when you sin, Jesus can not live in your heart. He leaves you. When you do something bad, Jesus can not come back. I can not go to Heaven."

All the missionaries in Trujillo, Peru and our poor friend (who is desperately in need of counsel) receives three girls with beginning Spanish?

We tell George that Jesus will never leave your heart as long as you want him. Believe in him. He asks "What if you kill someone?"

He does not leave if you sin. If you are sorry with all your heart for the sin you have committed you can ask God to forgive you, and he will. And you need to not hurt someone again. Do this and you can still go to Heaven.

We ask George if we can pray with him. When we reach our destination, we took turns praying for George and his walk with God. We prayed for the problems in his life and for him to feel the love of Jesus. Then our new friend prayed for us. He prayed that the spirit would continue to grow in us. He thanked God for bringing us to his taxi. When we left, George repeated our names with tears in his eyes. He said it was important for him to remember the names of his friends, for when he sees us again in Heaven. I shook his hand and said I hope God will bless him.

What a ride.