Empty Cups
The streets of Cusco filled during the months of June and July as large crowds gathered to celebrate pagan festival after pagan festival, led by the Catholic Church. I (Tony) could hardly navigate the streets, due to the masses, and my heart filled with sadness and frustration to watch the elderly begging in the streets, only to be ignored and even pushed by the people gathered in celebration of worthless statues and traditions of men. Saint worship and revelry filled the hours…and right in the middle of it all sat numbers of elderly men and women with empty cups waiting to be filled. The results? A few pennies, at best. As I looked into their nearly- empty cups, my heart broke while my hands reached into my pockets to offer them what I could. It is painful to look into the cup of an elderly beggar and see only a few pennies.
It is painful to see them begging in the first place, driven by their desperation and hunger.
Jesus, when walking this earth, looked with compassion upon those in need. Matthew 9:36 tells uswhy: “…because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Yes…harassed and helpless! That describes the condition of the elderly on the streets of Cusco. They have emptycups…hungry day after hungry day.
Today Jesus walks the streets of Cusco, but He does it through you and I—His Body! Are not weGod’s heart, His hands, His feet? What expresses the heart of our Good Shepherd? Psalm 23:5 tells us that He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, anoints our head with oil, and causes our cup to overflow. When Christ shows up, there are no empty cups. He gives and He gives…until thecup runs over.
For several weeks in a row now, I have prepared food for the beggars in Cusco. Each week I take different people with me from the church so that they can experience the love of God while we minister to the elderly. During our most recent Cusco outreach, Rosa and I had two young girls from the church accompany us, and they had an excellent experience handing out the food. Beloved, this is what beingJESUS’ Body looks like: giving to others—filling their cups—and all the while making disciples who are learning to obey all that Christ has commanded us.
Construction on the chapel in Cardompata is now complete! We are very grateful and give God praise that He gave us the revelation to build this lovely chapel in a place most would say is the middle of nowhere. One man from the community who came to the church really blessed me with his response when he saw the chapel. “Señor Tony, our church is BEAUTIFUL!” he exclaimed. I had to smile, humbled by God’s goodness. I want to thank all of you that gave to this project, and I want to thank God for guiding me all the way through the construction; even when I got stuck and didn’t know how to proceed, He revealed to me exactly what to do next. The Church in Cardompata is growing and the people are hungry for the Word of God. They have asked for another service during the week.
We are starting construction on the home for orphans and elderly next and are in need of your prayers and financial support. We are also in need of a sound system, microphones, and musical instruments. Now is the time for joyful generosity as together we set our hands to the next project, knowing that the outcome of our giving means a home of refuge for those on the streets begging and starving. Because of your openhandedness many people are coming to Christ. You have changed the future of an entire community and the transformation is only going to continue and expand! As you offer to the Lord in the coming weeks whatever money He enables you to give, you are filling up the cups of those in need. That is what you are doing. We want you to envision your giving literally filling up their cups. What is more, you are building for them a home…a place where we can daily prepare a table before them, anoint their heads with oil, and cause their cups to overflow. Are you ready? Let’s be HisBody extended to Peru.
With great love and affection,
Tony and Rosa Rivera
Home of Refuge International, Inc.
