¿Cómo resumir la historia de 520 millones de personas? ¿Cómo condensar en un libro 112 años de historia del movimiento pentecostal y carismático? ¿Cómo narrar los 100 años de historia de las Asambleas de Dios en el mundo y los 50 años de historia en España? Déjeme que le cuente una historia: un niño observa unos zapatos desgastados sobre una erosionada plataforma de madera. Al fondo se escuchan algunos himnos; la música del órgano intenta engañar al frío que se cuela por todas partes en la inmensa carpa amarilla. El predicador termina su mensaje y un centenar de personas avanza hacia el frente, mientras las voces de algunas mujeres siguen entonando viejos himnos de perdón y de redención. El niño también se aproxima. Desde su pequeñez observa la gran figura del predicador, que le parece un gigante, pero le llaman la atención los zapatos. Desgastados, pero limpios, esos zapatos tienen muchas cosas que contarle: sueños y frustraciones, milagros y esperanzas que no llegaron a cumplirse. Cuando el niño levanta la vista ya han pasado treinta y cinco años; los gigantes se han convertido en hombres, pero él sigue mirando sus zapatos: ellos le indicarán el camino.
How do you summarize the history of 520 million people? How do you condense 112 years of history of the pentecostal and charismatic movements into one book? How do you recount the Assembly of God’s 100 years of history in the world and 50 years of history in Spain? By starting with a story: a boy sees a pair of worn-out shoes on an old wooden platform. In the background he can hear a few hymns, and the organ music distracts him from the cold seeping in from all sides of the huge yellow tent. The preacher finishes his message, and a hundred people flock to the front while the voices of a few women keep singing old choruses of pardon and redemption. The small boy walks up front and observes the great figure of the preacher, who seems like a giant to him. But the shoes are what capture his attention. Worn-out but clean, those shoes have stories to tell: dreams and frustrations, miracles and disappointed hopes. When the boy looks up, thirty-five years have gone by; the giants have become men, but he keeps studying their shoes. They will show him the way.
How do you summarize the history of 520 million people? How do you condense 112 years of history of the pentecostal and charismatic movements into one book? How do you recount the Assembly of God’s 100 years of history in the world and 50 years of history in Spain? By starting with a story: a boy sees a pair of worn-out shoes on an old wooden platform. In the background he can hear a few hymns, and the organ music distracts him from the cold seeping in from all sides of the huge yellow tent. The preacher finishes his message, and a hundred people flock to the front while the voices of a few women keep singing old choruses of pardon and redemption. The small boy walks up front and observes the great figure of the preacher, who seems like a giant to him. But the shoes are what capture his attention. Worn-out but clean, those shoes have stories to tell: dreams and frustrations, miracles and disappointed hopes. When the boy looks up, thirty-five years have gone by; the giants have become men, but he keeps studying their shoes. They will show him the way.
