[This classic story, loved by Adventist children for many years, has been adapted for Children’s Mission.]

Once upon a time not very long ago, Sabbath School mission offerings built a Christian school in the highlands of Sri Lanka. But the people in the nearby villages were not friendly. In one village they said, “We wish you had not built your school so near to us.” And in another village the people said, “We won’t ever send our children to your school.”

A Trip to Town

Now the mission station owned a big yellow truck to carry supplies from Kandy, a town 12 miles away. The children on the mission station loved to ride to Kandy in the big yellow truck.

One day Mr. Juriansz, the school principal, hurried into his house and asked, “Mother, would you and the children like to take a ride to town in the big yellow truck?”

“Oh, yes!” said Mother.

“Oh yes, oh yes,” chorused the three older children. Even the baby seemed to know that there was some big treat coming, for she waved her arms and legs and cooed and cooed.

“All right, get ready then,” said Daddy. “Mr. de Silva and I have to go to town for supplies, and he’s taking his family, too.”

With squeals of delight, the children scrambled into the back of the big yellow truck.

In a few minutes Mother climbed into the truck with the baby, and her husband started the truck. The engine rumbled to life, and the big yellow truck, filled with happy children, laughing and singing, started down the hill. It rumbled through the grove of coconut palms and past the school building. Out the gate and onto the road bounced the big yellow truck. Mother cuddled the little baby in her arms.

The big yellow truck jogged along the mountain road, through the village where the people had said, “We wish you hadn’t built your school so near to us,” and through the village where the people had said, “We won’t ever send our children to your school.” In the back of the truck the children laughed and sang, and the baby was happy in her mother’s arms.

The Wild Ride

The big yellow truck jogged along, around the corner, over the bridge, and down the little hill to another little corner. But just as they went around that second little corner, they were horrified to see a great big passenger bus right in front of them.

There was no time to stop, and no room to pass the bus. Mr. Juriansz jerked the steering wheel to the left. The children screamed as the big yellow truck turned suddenly; then they held their breath as the truck plunged over the side of the road and down a steep cliff. Bumpety, bumpety, bumpety-bump, down, down, down, over the small bushes and trees it went. Then suddenly, with an extra big bum-m-m-p, the big yellow truck came to rest.

Mr. Juriansz jumped out of the truck and ran to the back; his face was as white as a sheet. “Are you all alive?” he cried.

“I think so,” said Mother shakily.

“And I am!” said each of the children as they realized that the danger was over.

The baby thought it was all a big game. She laughed and cooed.

Next week we will hear the rest of this exciting story.