International Mission Board missionary to Guatemala Sarah Plyler shares this story about Operation GO (Gospel Outreach), the work she does with her husband, Larry.
One of our favorite stories is the story of the little shoeshine boy Isaias. On one of our Operation GO trips, one of the ladies in Larry’s group asked if they could sit down and rest. So they sat down in the shade on a corner curb.
A young shoeshine boy, Isaias, came and sat down by Larry and began talking. Larry questioned him about his family, where he lived and if he went to school. Isaias told him that he did not have a mother and father. He lived with his grandmother and they were very poor. He could not go to school because he had to work and help his grandmother make a living.
Larry then asked Isaias what he was going to buy with the money he earned shining shoes.
“I’ll buy a new pair of shoes,” Isaias said.
Larry and the ladies looked down. One shoe had no sole, and the other sole was flapping. They took the young man and bought him a new pair of shoes.
Isaias ate lunch with us each day after that. Later that week, one of the ladies shared with him about the love Jesus had for him.
Isaias not only accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior but he began telling everyone in his village.
Pretty soon, there were between 60 and 125 children in a Bible study at his home each Saturday and Sunday. Now there are also eight adults who attend.
Isaias has become a missionary to that community. God showed us that the important thing was the “soul” of Isaias.
Share with others: