The three-year-old children were chatting excitedly in their kindergarten in Romania. The coming weekend would bring a big holiday, and their little minds were filled with thoughts of chocolate eggs and new clothes.

Can you guess which holiday they
would celebrate?

“The Easter bunny is going to bring us presents!” a boy squealed.

“I can’t wait!” said a girl.

In Romania, many fathers and mothers give their children chocolate eggs and new clothes for Easter. The eggs are for eating, and the clothes are for wearing to church on Easter Sunday. The parents say the gifts are from the Easter bunny.

Teacher Ramona overheard the children’s chatter and thought she had better set the record straight.

“You know,” she said gently, “there is no Easter bunny.”

The chatter stopped, and the children looked at her in surprise. 

“Then why are we celebrating Easter?” little David asked.

It was a good question, and Teacher Ramona had a good answer. But she wanted to make sure that David understood it.

“I’ll call your mother and invite you both to church on Sabbath,” she said. “Then you’ll learn why people celebrate Easter.”

A short time later, Teacher Ramona called David’s mother and invited her and David to church on Sabbath. 

“Please come,” she said. “We’re doing something related to Easter.”

Then, Teacher Ramona called the mothers of the 25 other children in her kindergarten class and invited them as well. She wanted all the children and their parents to understand the true meaning of Easter.

After that, Teacher Ramona called the church pastor.

“Do you mind if I change the children’s lesson next Sabbath?” she said. “I want to talk about the real meaning of Easter.”

The pastor didn’t mind at all.

On Sabbath morning, little David arrived at the Seventh-day Adventist church with his mother. His grandmother came too, along with about half of his kindergarten class.

Teacher Ramona was pleased. It was going to be a nice Sabbath.

David brought a small gift for Teacher Ramona. It wasn’t a chocolate egg, and it wasn’t new clothes. He held up a bouquet of five orange roses. 

“Teacher, these are for you,” he said.

Teacher Ramona was pleased. 

“Thank you,” she said with a big smile.

She led him and the other kindergarten children to the room where the little ones gathered for Sabbath School. The room looked very big to David, and he was nervous about letting go of his mother’s hand.

“It’s OK,” Teacher Ramona said. “Your friends from kindergarten are here, and we’re going to play together. Your mother will be upstairs with the adults, and we can call her if you need her. Everything will be fine.”

David relaxed and let go of Mother’s hand. He looked around the room and saw a shallow sandbox. Three crosses stood in the sand. There was also a stone tomb and a group of small plastic people.

A few minutes later, David and the other children learned the real story of Easter. 

“Many children think about the Easter bunny when they think of Easter,” Teacher Ramona said. “But the Easter bunny is make-believe. Easter actually is about a true story that happened to a real person—Jesus Christ.”

Using the items in the sandbox, Teacher Ramona told the story of how Jesus died on the cross on Friday afternoon. Then, after lying in the stone tomb on Sabbath, He rose from the dead on Sunday morning. Today, He is preparing a place for all the little boys and girls who believe in Him, and He will come soon to take them home.

David listened attentively. 

Later, he joined his mother and grandmother upstairs in the sanctuary to hear the pastor’s sermon. Afterward, his mother gave Teacher Ramona a tight hug.

“I want to come here again,” she said.

And she did.

Today, she and David attend church whenever Teacher Ramona teaches the little ones in Sabbath School. He is very happy to come to church with his mother. His mother is very happy to come to church with David. Together, they are learning to love Jesus more and more. They understand now that Easter isn’t about the Easter bunny, chocolate eggs, and new clothes. Easter is a reminder that Jesus rose from the tomb and will come soon for all His children.

Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering—also known as the Quarterly Mission Project Offering—will help two schools, such as the one where Teacher Ramona works, to expand so that even more children can learn about Jesus. Thank you for your generous offering.