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

By Andrew McChesney

The rain was falling heavily when 6-year-old Julia arrived at the Seventh-day Adventist church preschool in Poland. Children took off their wet coats as they walked into the room. It was time to begin the day with worship.

Julia sat at her desk and waited for Teacher to speak. She knew what Teacher was going to ask, and she was ready to answer.

When the 10 or so little children were seated and quiet, Teacher asked the question that Julia was waiting to hear.

“Good morning, children!” Teacher said. “Who has something to thank God for today? Who has something that they want to ask God for today.”

Julia’s arm shot up.

“Yes, Julia?” Teacher asked.

“I want to ask God to stop the rain,” Julia said. “I want to go outside.”

Teacher smiled. She knew that Julia wasn’t the only child who wanted to go outside. All the children came to preschool looking a little sad about the rainy weather because they all looked forward to going outside every day.

At Julia’s preschool, the children do not only go outside for recess. The children also go outside to learn about God. Every day, the teachers take the children outside to explore God’s nature in the fields and forest around the preschool. The children also play and eat outside. Sometimes, Julia climbs trees with her little brother. Other times, they put slices of bread on sticks and hold them over an outdoor fire. Julia likes eating yummy crunchy toast that she made herself!

Now Teacher looked at Julia and the other little children in the classroom. She looked out the window. The rain seemed to be falling even more heavily than before. It was supposed to rain all day.

But Teacher was pleased that Julia wanted to ask God for help. Julia’s father and mother did not pray at home. Julia had only learned to pray when she came to the Adventist preschool.

“Of course, we can pray for God to stop the rain,” Teacher said. “It would be nice to go outside today.”

After all the little children had a chance to give their thanks and requests to God, Teacher prayed to God.

“Dear God,” Teacher prayed. “Please let us go outside today. Give us a few hours without rain so we can go outside.”

Nine o’clock arrived. It was the time that the children usually went outside. Julia looked out the window.

The rain had stopped!

With great joy, Julia and the other children put on their coats and ran outside. The grass was wet. The trees were wet. But there was no rain falling from the sky. They could learn about God in nature.

When lunchtime arrived, Teacher called the children to come inside to eat lunch. The children filed into the cafeteria, which they shared with bigger kids from the elementary school. As they began to eat, the rain started to fall heavily again.

Julia was filled with awe about the power of God. He had heard her prayer request, and He had answered it in a wonderful way!

“Wow, Teacher!” she said. “God answered our prayer. It was not raining when we went outside. It started to rain when we came inside. God is incredible!”

Thank you for your Sabbath School mission offering that helps church schools around the world teach children like Julia about the wonderful love of God.