"Nope, why should I ever want to go back to Ecuador, they gave me away, why would I want to go back," was always Marisa's reply to the question of her returning to her birth country. This was until 2003 when she was 28 years old, and started to say, "Mom, Dad, I want to see people who look like me," followed with, "Dad, when are we going to Ecuador?" "Sweetie, if you want to go back to your place of birth, with the intent of finding your birth mother; I have a problem with that," I would reply to her. But finally after several months of discussions between her, her adoptive mother and me; she finally was receptive to visiting her native Ecuador to just see where she came from. "Finding Maria, The Secret Mother," is a 100% true story of Marisa and her adoptive father venturing to Ecuador to allow her to "See people who looked like her." With Marisa's adoptive mother being her greatest supporter for her return, Marisa and her Dad struck off on a God orchestrated adventure that as one lady said, "This adventure has God's fingerprints all over it." This wonderful story is filled with love, hope, forgiveness, and healing; with God at the podium orchestrating the adventure that will pull on your deepest heart strings. One seemingly amazing event would be called great; two, maybe a coincidence; three, semi miraculous; but 14 documented events just out of the blue; well, you be the judge. Your heart will pull you into Marisa's search for her birth mother in a far away country. This story will warm your heart as well as change your life; just let it. This is God's story, we are only putting it in to print........Richard A. Elkins, Marisa's adoptive father.