An 8-year-old with a Giant- Sized Dream
A few days ago Ben and I met an 8-year-old boy in the Mexican state of Guerrero who dreams of one day becoming an aircraft designer. A giant-sized dream for a little boy living in a small coastal fishing village, home to 45 families. Most of the residents of La Barrita make a living fishing, growing mangos, or harvesting sea salt.
Why were we in another state so far from home?
Ben and I decided to take three days off and escape to the beach for some much needed rest, relaxation, and time together. So we packed a bag, and drove 7.5 hours to a beach that is mostly overlooked and relatively untouched by tourism. We were the only guests in the small, no frills hotel. The local people in the town were genuinely friendly, and one family extended an invitation for us to come to their home for dinner.
Our God is always working.
Even when we think we are on a mini-vacation, He’s right there in the middle, extending to us an invitation to join Him in His work. I’m so glad we said yes!
Our new friends, dad, mom, daughter and son, welcomed us like family. They served us a homemade meal of shrimp and lobster they had caught and prepared themselves. While we ate, we got to hear some of their struggles and dreams.
By the end of the mealtime, it was clear to us that God had led us to this family.
I’m thankful God had prompted us to pack gifts from Guanajuato for just an occasion like this one. We gave the family a BrillaLife tote bag, a BrillaLife soccer t-shirt, a mirror decorated with talavera tiles, a bubble wand, and a Spanish Illustrated Action Bible. We watched as the 8 year old son latched on to the Bible and was immediately captivated by the graphics. Ben offered to give him a bubble wand like the one we gave his sister, but he said “No thank you. I am more than happy with the book you gave me.”
Before we parted that evening, the dad asked if we could return the following evening, to share a coffee and answer some questions about God.
We thank God for your part in all this.
We gathered the next night on the large porch with the family and several members of their extended family. Over cups of coffee and Mexican sweet bread, the conversation bounced around varied topics: Covid, earthquakes, illiteracy, local news, and faith in God. The mom of the 8-year-old boy told us that since he received the Bible we gave him, he hasn’t let anyone else read it. She reminded him gently that it was a gift for the whole family. Ben told her about another child in our state of Guanajuato who received an Action Bible that reads the stories every night with her dad. He suggested that maybe their family could read it aloud together too.
We left the village of La Barrita with a collection of seashells and fond memories. We thank God for your part in all of this.
You provided the Illustrated Action Bible that we placed in the hands of a family eager to know about God.
You pray for us and your prayers paved the way for us to have an open door to share the gospel.
An invitation to pray.
Will you join us in praying for the seeds that were sown in the lives of a family open to learning about God?
* Pray that as they read God’s word, the entire family will understand God’s plan and will be saved.
* Pray for an opportunity for us to return with a small BrillaLife team this summer. We dream of serving the children in their community with a mini Bible club filled with fun activities; possibly, even an aeronautics engineering class for a young boy with a big dream.