From the Mouths of Babes

Do I have a story to tell!

When I was in prekindergarten in Ecuador, I had a best friend. Her name was Becky. She used to tell me that God made the mountains and the whole world. She spoke with wonder and her words landed in my heart. They marked me. I grew up sensing there was an amazing God who was able to be seen and felt in nature.

One day Becky disappeared from my life. I never knew where she went. I didn’t see her or talk to her again.

I grew up in a very secular environment, yet I had a deeply rooted knowledge (not an intellectual knowledge, but one in the heart) that God was real and beautiful. Then, when I was 17, someone told me that God loved me, and for the first time, I believed it. God made sense and faith became my companion from then on.

Fast forward to a few months ago. I wrote my first children’s book, The Voice of God. When my mom asked me what my goal for this book was, I told her “I want to be the voice of Becky Brown. I want all children, despite of their religious background, to know there is an amazing God who loves them.”

Both my mom and Juan persuaded me to look for Becky. They said she might be happy to hear this story. I thought it would be impossible to find her. After all, we met in ANOTHER COUNTRY. Where would I look? All I had were two pictures.

Lo and behold, a very quick FB search led me to her. Who would have imagined that she lived 2 hours away from me!? We live in the same state!!

A few weeks ago, we saw each other for the first time in 51 years! Without planning it, we wore the same color shirt. I told her my story, and she has no recollection of these conversations where God started an amazing work in me.

Friends, if a 4 year old can share simple words of life without realizing their impact, you better believe that all of us have the power to bless others (or hurt them), and that God moves in and through us when we are just being ourselves, no fanfare, no accolades. One day, after we pass from this life unto the next, I wonder how many stories like this one we will all hear.