To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, October 5.

By Andrew McChesney

Do you know what “extraordinary” means?

If something is extraordinary, it is very unusual. If something is extraordinary, it is very, very special.

There is a town named Page in the U.S. state of Arizona. In the town, there is an extraordinary garden.

Now, some people may think that a garden cannot be extraordinary. But to the people of this town, this garden is extraordinary. You see, the town is located in a dry, hot desert where fruits and vegetables do not like to grow.

Some people who wanted fresh fruits and vegetables even traveled to faraway places that are less dry and less hot. They brought back fruits and vegetables to plant in their town. But instead of growing, those plants withered and died under the hot sun.

Then along came Pastor James and his wife, Mrs. Nancy.

Pastor James and Mrs. Nancy planted a huge garden at the Seventh-day Adventist church in town.

Everyone thought that the red tomato vines would wither and die. Everyone thought that the green zucchini and yellow squash plants would wither and die. Everyone thought that the apple, peach, and pomegranate trees would wither and die.

But instead of withering and dying, the plants and trees grew and grew and grew.

People said that it was a very unusual garden. People said that it was a very, very special garden. People said that it was an extraordinary garden!

Now, in the same town lived 3-year-old Kaston and his mother.

Kaston had lived with his grandparents for most of his life, but then Mother had brought him home.

The boy and his mother didn’t know each other very well. Kaston wanted to be her friend, and Mother wanted to be his friend. But how?

Then Mother heard about the extraordinary garden at the Seventh-day Adventist church. She heard that children could go to a fun program at the garden. She told Kaston that they would go.

“I think we’re going to see other children,” she said. “I think we’re going to learn about plants.”

Kaston squealed with delight.

“Yeah!” he exclaimed.

On a Tuesday, Kaston and Mother arrived at the extraordinary garden at the Adventist church. Eight other little children also came to hear Mrs. Nancy talk about her garden.

Mrs. Nancy showed a bright, yellow sunflower that grew in the garden. She showed the long roots at the bottom and the seeds at the top.

Kaston loved learning about sunflowers. He loved tasting the yummy seeds. He loved being with Mother. She was a pretty good friend!

After that day, Kaston enjoyed returning to the garden every week. Some weeks, he learned about fruits that grew in the garden and got to taste them. Other times, he learned about sheep and chickens that lived in a garden pen and got to pet them. He learned about the wonderful God who creates plants, animals, and children and helps them grow.

As Kaston and Mother came to the extraordinary garden, something extraordinary happened. They became close friends. Then they became best friends.

So, an extraordinary thing happened at the extraordinary garden. The garden not only grew fruits and vegetables in a dry, hot desert. But the garden also helped a little boy and his mother become extraordinary friends.

Part of a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in 2011 helped open the Seventh-day Adventist church with the extraordinary garden in Page, Arizona. Thank you for your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter that will help more people learn about our extraordinary Friend, Jesus.