Treasure

After a memorable trip to Machu Picchu, we made our way back to the train. We took our seats and sparked a conversation with a young couple sitting next to us. It turned out that the guy was Brazilian and his wife was French. I cannot say that I have ever met so many Portuguese speakers outside of Portugal. With the language seems to come the kindest culture that we have ever encountered. When we reached their stop we exchanged information and found ourselves to be the only ones left in the train car (though we found out later there were a few others in the adjoining car). We relished the sunset until dark.
     It was not too long before the train slowed to its destination: the back door/private station owned by the hotel that we had booked. Even before we made it to the front door of Tambo del Inka, I got the feeling that we were way out of our league. One of our fellow train passengers made this awkwardly clear when she remarked "you took the bus and you're staying at Tambo?!" Truly, the only way we managed to get a room in the place was through a year and a half worth of Starwood points by paying off my credit card. We found that Brad Pitt's Peruvian hotel of choice costs around $550.00 a night for the smallest room. And yet, a little free (+$60) of luxury dwellings for three nights blessed us beyond the material. We finally slowed down enough to take stock of pretty much everything: the past year, the upcoming year, where we are at spiritually, how we want to spend money, and even where God might be tugging us sometime in the future.
      I will let the pictures say more about the hotel, but let me just say that the cost of the first breakfast was enough to propel us into the town of Urubamba. There, we found the reasonable cuisine we sought. We also found our hearts convicted and stirred by a still small voice. It is not without cringing that I confess how accustomed we had become to shrugging off street kids (and adults) who peddle goods. A terse "no gracias" mixed with indirect eye contact usually takes care of it. We were sitting in a pizza place waiting for a pizza that we ultimately could not finish. A boy came in rather quickly- and I am pretty sure that I said "no gracias" before he even finished the word "galletas- (cookies)". He did not persist, but with feelings hurt turned for the door. To make it worse, we both noticed that the boy had one arm.
    To be honest, we have worked with the materially poor long enough to know that we cannot feed and clothe everyone. We have been used more times than we can count for listening a little too long. And yet, I could sense that God was telling me that perhaps we can listen too little as well. I would like to say that my prayer was answered: that we found the boy not long after, bought his cookies, and gave him prayer and the rest of our pizza...but that did not happen. What did happen, however, was a fresh transformation of heart. I can honestly say that in repentance we have become more desirous of what God is doing on the earth. Ultimately, Jesus wins and will return to bring his Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven. That invasion begins ever so gradually with each transformed/redeemed heart.  When it's finally over, children will not have to walk the streets to make ends meet. Until then, we have to become more like Christ.
     The hotel was relaxing and really beyond compare. The quiet time was the real treasure though. The amazing concierge service arranged a taxi for the return to Cusco AND two last sites along the way: the Salineras salt mines and the ruins of Moray. While both were rivaled only by Machu Picchu itself, I think that we were more amazed at the unique beauty of the salt mine. Who would have guessed that this ongoing extraction site (for more than 400 years) would hold our attention for so long? Interestingly, Moray was neither a fort nor a religious shrine, but rather an Inca agricultural research station. Each level allowed for incremental micro climates. Quite impressive.