Rodrigo was a child who had a special enchantment for sacred things. At the age of five, when his mother explained to him the importance of prayer in the life of a Christian, he asked:
– What is it to be a Christian, Mom?
– To be a Christian is to be a follower of Jesus Christ, my son!
– And where does he live?
– He lives up there, in heaven, along with the angels!
– Mom, I want to live up there with Him and the angels.
Rodrigo was an only child. He lived with his mother and maternal grandmother on a rural property in the interior of the state of Amazonas.
His father abandoned the family as soon as he learned of Rodrigo's existence, telling his closest "friends": "This son is not mine".
With great difficulty, her mother managed to complete the gestation period, and Rodrigo came into the world on December 8 of any year of the XNUMXst century, the day of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, patron saint of the state of Amazonas.
When Rodrigo grew up a little, his mother went back to school and completed the Caregiver for the Elderly course, with the indigenous people of the region. Then he got a job in the nearest village, Santa Luzia.
Rodrigo grew up very lonely. Aside from the few people who went to “ask for blessings” from his grandmother, few people showed up there. Rodrigo’s world was the universe of these two women: his mother, a “nurse” who spent the whole day out of the house because of work, and his grandmother, a spiritualist woman who lived inside her room, surrounded by Christians, incense and images of saints; listening to Celtic songs and reciting psalms.
- Mom, shall we go out for a while? I see that you are very much at home, alone, without friends, without anyone!
– No, daughter! I'm fine where I am and how I am.
“I told you, you need to see people.
- And I already told you, I'm fine! Leave me to my chores. I'm happy like this, alone! I don't need anyone.
– Not from me?
– Don't be sentimental. Of course just you and my grandson.
As he did not have siblings or other children of the same age to live with, Rodrigo remained very isolated during his early childhood, to the point of starting to speak only at the age of three and a half.
One day, when he got home from work, his mother missed him. She went to her son's room, and he wasn't there. He searched every room in the house, and there was no sign of Rodrigo. Rodrigo's grandmother, thinking that her daughter had taken her son with her to work, did not even worry about the "disappearance" of her grandson, and spent the whole day in her "spiritual tasks".
- You really don't know where my son is?
– Of course not, daughter! Today I didn't answer anyone. Nobody came here.
– If he's not here, where did he go, Mom? Did they kidnap my son?
– Calm down! He must not have run away.
“Then let's find him.
The anguish of not knowing where Rodrigo was or what had happened to him lasted for one, two, three hours…
When both were leaving to seek outside help, mother and grandmother saw Rodrigo on his knees, praying next to an image of Our Lady of Fátima, at the back of the property.
When asked what had happened, he replied:
– Today was the happiest day of my life!
- What happened? asked his mother.
– My friends came to visit me!
- What friends? asked his grandmother.
- Didn't you say that no one came here today?
“Let him talk,” his grandmother said.
And turning to his grandson, he said to him:
– Tell us, Rodrigo. Who are these friends of yours?
- Grandma, you won't believe it.
- Yes, I will, son, you can tell - insisted his grandmother.
– As soon as Mom left for work and the lady went to sweep the yard, three children showed up. They called me to play under the living room table, saying: “Come with us! Come with us!”.
“They must have been the children of that woman you saw last week. Do you remember what she was like?
- Do not interrupt. Let your child speak.
“Mom,” Rodrigo continued, “these are not material beings, but spiritual beings, of Angels.
Very scared, his mother took him in her arms and covered him with kisses. She told him that she loved him very much and that she didn't want to lose him.
“They invited me to live in heaven.
– Can you describe them? What were these kids like?
- Mom, stop it, my son is shaken, it looks like he saw a ghost.
Rodrigo, turning to his grandmother, said:
– Grandma, I couldn't see it clearly, but the voice was clear, and the words came out articulate.
– Did they introduce themselves to you? Did they say the names?
- Yea. The most talkative was Gabriel. Rafael was more serious. Now, the most fun was Miguel.
- Come, let's go inside, this conversation is already making me afraid - said his mother.
And her grandmother added:
- I guarantee you're starving - he said, making a caress - Spent the whole day playing with the Angels. Let's eat? Grandma prepared a delicious orange cake for you and your little friends.
Rodrigo had a special fascination for the existence of good, that is, he believed that good not only exists but also manifests itself in human beings as creatures created by God.
After eating grandma Nair's delicious orange cake, Rodrigo said:
- My God, forgive me! I know that in heaven it is a very beautiful place, but for now I prefer to stay here with my family, along with my mother and grandmother.
– Is that what Your Excellency really wants? asked the Angel Raphael.
- Of course yes! I really enjoy playing with you, but I like my family a lot more!
When Rodrigo finished speaking, the Angels disappeared.
- I must have dreamed - said his mother - but it seems that I saw angels here among us.
– How happy I would be if that were true! - said Grandma Nair.
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Finally, Rodrigo spoke:
– It must be really boring to be an adult. It's good to be a child. We play with the Angels!
