Seven-year-old Tebogo has felt very sad twice in her life.
To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, Jan. 5.
By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission
S
even-year-old Tebogo has felt very sad twice in her life.
The first time was when Mother gave her money to buy her favorite treat: popcorn. Clutching the money in her tiny fist, Tebogo dashed off to the neighborhood store. She loves popcorn, and her mouth was already watering at the thought of opening a shiny green bag of “Jumpin Jack” cheese and green onion-flavored popcorn.
“I like popcorn because it is nice,” she said.
But as she ran, some boys from school stopped her on the street. They saw the money in her fist.
“Give us your money,” a boy demanded.
Tebogo felt a little scared, but she didn’t want to give her money to the boys.
“My mother said I should buy popcorn for myself,” she said.
The boys grew angry, and one of them slapped Tebogo in the face. Then they ran away.
Tebogo felt terrible and began to cry.
After that, she didn’t want to go back to school. She didn’t want to see those mean boys again.
Mother saw that her little girl was sad. When Tebogo finished first grade a short time later, Mother decided not to send her back to that school. Instead, she sent Tebogo to a Seventh-day Adventist school called Eastern Gate Primary School.
Tebogo was so happy!
“I like the school because our teacher teaches us how to be behave, how to be good girls and boys, and how to obey our parents and God,” she said.
Second Time
The second time Tebogo felt very sad was when her grandparents moved in. She loves Grandmother and Grandfather, and she was glad that they were living in her home. But she felt sad because it was difficult to talk with them. When her grandparents spoke, they quickly forgot what they were talking about.
“I felt the same way as when that boy beat me,” Tebogo said. “I felt unhappy and sad.”
Mother saw Tebogo’s downcast face.
“Don’t feel sad,” she said. “Pray in the morning, and God will answer your prayers.”
Tebogo began to pray for her grandparents. She prayed early in the morning while her mother and 16-year-old sister were sleeping.
“Please God, heal my grandparents and help them to be healthy and to get well soon,” she prayed. “Please God, answer my prayer. This prayer is important me.”
She prayed for your grandparents every morning. After a while, her grandparents got well and could return to their own home.
Tebogo was so happy!
“I felt happy and thanked God,” she said.
Today, Tebogo prays every morning and at night when she goes to bed. She prays, “God help us to be good boys and girls. Help us to sleep at night. Help the morning to be a beautiful morning.”
Part of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in fourth quarter 2015 helped build Tebogo’s school, Eastern Gate Primary School, which opened in January 2017. It is the first Seventh-day Adventist elementary school in northern Botswana and the third in the country. Thank you for supporting mission—and a good Adventist education—with your offering.
For this and other stories, download the Children’s Mission quarterly (PDF)
