Lumbu lives in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Congo. In the Congo, most schools hold classes six days a week. So Lumbu’s parents sent him to a private school that didn’t hold classes on Sabbath. He liked his school and did well there. But last year the school required Lumbu’s class to attend classes on Sabbath to prepare for national exams.

Putting God First

For the first three months of school Lumbu didn’t go to school on Sabbath, even when the teacher announced that there would be an exam. He was doing well in school and wasn’t worried about missing classwork on Sabbath. “I want to worship God on Sabbath, not sit in class,” he says.

Then the teacher asked Lumbu why he doesn’t attend school on Saturday. “I worship God on Sabbath,” Lumbu answered. The teacher warned him that if he didn’t attend classes on Saturday, he would fail his classes. Lumbu thought a long time about what the teacher said. Then he decided that God would take care of him if he honored Jesus.

On Sabbath he went to church to worship God with his family. The teacher didn’t say anything on Monday, so he continued going to church. But when he got his report card, he saw that his grades were lower. Why is this? he wondered. I’m still doing the work and getting good grades as I did before.

An Important Test

One Friday the teacher called Lumbu to his desk. “Tomorrow we will have an important exam,” he said. “It will be a practice exam for all subjects, and the results will affect your final grades. Will you be here?”

“No,” Lumbu answered respectfully. “God will help me if I honor Him.” Lumbu silently asked God to make a way for him to take the exam on Monday.

Lumbu didn’t go to school on Sabbath, but he found it difficult to keep his mind from thinking about the exam that his classmates were taking while he was in church. If the teacher was right, he might fail the class.

On Monday when he arrived at school, Lumbu heard that the students hadn’t taken the exam on Saturday because the person who was to give the test couldn’t be there. The class was told the exam would be Monday. Lumbu smiled and silently thanked God for answering His prayer.

Turning Point

Lumbu gave the teacher some books and Bible studies his father had given him. His teacher accepted the books and asked, “Where do you worship?”

“I worship at the Seventh-day Adventist church,” Lumbu said. Then he added, “I told you that God will provide for my faith, and He did.”

Lumbu did well on the practice exams. A few weeks later the teacher told Lumbu, “Soon we will take the national exam. We will have special classes every Saturday to prepare for this exam, and you’ll be required to attend.”

Lumbu reached into his backpack and pulled out a pamphlet about the Sabbath. The teacher took the pamphlet and read it. A week later Lumbu’s teacher told him that he had visited an Adventist church and had decided that he would not require Lumbu to attend classes on Sabbath the rest of the year.

On the day of the national exams Lumbu’s teacher told him, “I’m sure that God will bless you and you’ll score very well, even without the preparatory classes.”

When the grades came out, Lumbu had scored the highest score in the district. “I know that God blessed me because I honored Him. He provided for my needs, and He will continue to do so,” Lumbu says gratefully.

Appeal

There aren’t a lot of Adventists in the city of Kinshasa. Our Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter will help build a training center where young people and adults can learn how to share their faith. And the special children’s offering will help build two children’s worship centers so that more children can learn that Jesus loves them and will provide their needs, just as He has provided for Lumbu.