A KID WITNESS

One Christmas Sunday evening service 1993 at my dad's old little church, I slipped at the dark brown upright piano ready to play for the singing. It was "testimony night"- anyone with a thanksgiving item, an experience, a song, an insight may stand and "testify." I always thought then as a high school kid that "testimony nights" were not the best times to invite any of my non-Christian friends because some of our church members get to be too emotional on testimony nights and my friends may find my crowd a little too weird.

There were perhaps 50 to 60 people present that night.

From the corner of my eye I saw a couple walk in. I've never seen them before 'til that night and I thought, "Oh no, we have guests!"

My brother stood and led the singing with me accompanying (not my "top" gift). After a hymn, a Christmas carol and a contemporary chorus, my dad opened the floor for testimonies. As expected, Deacon Sid Soliguen stood asked me if I could accompany him while he sang, "His Eye is on the Sparrow." After Deacon Sid, his daughter Joy testified about her grades. My mom stood and thanked God for financial provisions then she sang "My Tribute."

After several more testimonies and songs, the male guest stood! He opened his Bible and read Matthew21:16- "And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" and shared his story

Then he started sharing his story, the way I remember he said it:

"You see, it was a 'babe' who told me about Christ. One Good Friday afternoon, I stood puffing my cigarette in front of a Baptist chapel. I looked through the open the door and saw pews, books and a pulpit at the end of the chapel. I was killing time, waiting for the Good Friday procession when I saw a six-year-old kid come out of a chapel holding a Starwars action figure. The boy politely asked if I'd please stop smoking in front of the church. Just to tease the kid, I asked, 'What church? I don't see no church!' The boy pointed to the little chapel with open doors and said, 'That's a church right there.' I told the kid, 'That's not a church, I don't see God in it. In the church I go to we have God in it (referring to the images).' The smart little kid said, 'You may not see God in my church, but God sees you, and He knows when you do bad things.' I was dumbfounded by the kid's statement. There I was waiting for the Good Friday procession to come by so I could check out the girls!

The kid once again spoke- and by this time, his wisdom scared me- he went and said, 'But God is good. He forgives us even we do do bad things, if we say sorry to Him and ask Jesus to come into our heart and He will come and forgive us.'

I walked away from the kid and the chapel. As I walked down the street, I kept looking back at the kid peacefully and happily playing on the sidewalk in front of that tiny Baptist chapel. For some reason I felt as though the eyes of God were on me, boring a hole in my head and piercing my heart. I was deeply overladen by the kid's comment on the 'bad things' I do, and how God wants to forgive. I did not wait for the procession, went home, entered my room, got down on my knees and asked Jesus to forgive me and come into my life.

A week later I flew out of Manila to work in the Middle East. It was there when I craved for fellowship with God, and attend Christian worship. I badly wanted a Bible but didn't have access to it. Providentially, I met Christians who helped me in my walk. Now, I'm one of the leaders of that secret church in the Middle East, sort of like a pastor. All because one kids was brave enough to speak to me."

He walked to the piano. I thought maybe he was going to sing and will ask me if I knew the song he was singing. But he didn't sing, instead, he embraced me. He looked me in the eye and said, "You were that kid."

His name was "Neggie" and that was the last time I ever saw him and his wife.

Sometimes, all someone needs is a courageous word from us that God by His grace will use to reveal Himself to that someone. I get goosebumps whenever I talk about this story- the humbling experience of having been used by God to lead someone to Christ, unknowingly!