June 14, 2021 | Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico | Keila Urbano and Inter-American Division News

A 9-year-old in the Mexican State of Baja California showed that no one is too young to share Jesus and motivate others to accept Him as their personal Savior. Wendy Escalante, from Patrimonial Seventh-day Adventist Church in the city of Tijuana, participated in the evangelistic efforts that are taking place in her region and others places across Mexico.

Escalante was born into an Adventist family and has never been part of any evangelism club for children. She hasn’t either taken lessons on how to give Bible studies, even though she attends the local Salud y Saber Adventist School and takes music and singing classes.

Nine-year-old Wendy Escalante delivers a message at an Adventist Church in Baja California, Mexico. The youngster began preaching rom the age of three and recently gave bible studies to a group of believers which resulted in two baptisms. Her efforts along with hundreds of laypersons in Baja California have resulted in more than 500 baptisms as part of local and nationwide evangelistic efforts held on this second quarter of the year.  [Photo: Screenshot]
Despite her tender age, Escalante has already served as a child preacher and literature evangelist, local church leaders said. In all her efforts, the young girl has enjoyed the unwavering support of her family, especially of her parents Oscar and Mitzel.

Escalante began to show interest in being an evangelist since she was 3. When she turned 6, she started to preach in other churches. Among her gifts, her parents found out that she could memorize Bible texts and that music had a particularly important place in her life.

“We feel naturally proud of her because she is an example for us and her siblings,” Mitzel Escalante, Wendy’s mom, said. “She is teaching and helping us to find joy in God’s Word.”

Wendy Escalante studies the bible before holding a bible study and prayer. [Photo: Mitzel Sapien]
Just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic more than a year ago, the Escalantes and other local church members launched a Bible study group with other adults. Unfortunately, their activities had to be called off due to the pandemic-related restrictions. A man named David , however, agreed to keep on studying with the assistance of Wendy. He finished his Bible studies and was baptized at the beginning of the pandemic.

The health crisis did not deter the young girl, not yet baptized at the time, who very soon switched to social media, recording Bible lessons and uploading her videos to YouTube. Her initiative drew 15 people, who showed interest in getting to know Jesus better. Then, with the assistance and in the presence of her parents, Wendy began to make video calls to chat with her guests to the Bible study group to review what they had learned.

For various reasons, the group became smaller and smaller, until only one woman, Vanessa Trujillo, stayed. During a special week of public evangelism across the State of Baja California and before Wendy appealed to her, Trujillo asked to be baptized.

Vanessa Trujillo (left) and Wendy Escalante (right) pose for a photo after being baptized on May 29, 2021, in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Escalante at just 9 years old led Trujillo through bible studies until both were baptized as part of state-wide and nationwide evangelistic efforts. [Photo: Baja California Conference]
“[Trujillo] decided to be baptized because, as she was studying the Bible, she accepted that, as Mark 16:16 reads, ‘he who believes and is baptized will be saved,’” shared Pastor Juan David García, evangelism director for the church in North Mexico, as he discussed the mission work of Escalante.

Escalante and Trujillo attended the evangelistic series “Prophecies of Hope” at their local church and listened to the guest speaker, Pastor Raul Perez, May 22-29, 2021. At the end of the series, both decided to be baptized.

The evangelistic meetings at the Patrimonial congregation in Tijuana were part of wider efforts across the state and the country. In total, 349 small groups participated and 585 were baptized in the Baja California Conference, local church leaders reported. For the special final week of evangelism, 50 preachers, including lay evangelists, local pastors, teachers, literature evangelists, and guest pastors participated from other regions.

Wendy Escalante stands on stage with union and local church leaders during a laypreachers’ meeting held on Oct. 21, 2019, in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. [Photo: Mitzel Sapiel]
Pastor Juan Hilario Olguín, president of the church in the Baja California Conference, shared he is grateful because everyone supported the evangelistic drive through careful and thoughtful preparations. “It is the passion, the love, the dedication and the sacrifices church members in Baja California have for the salvation of people what drove people to support this initiative,” he said.

Sharon Domínguez contributed to this story.