Cecilia lives in eastern Indonesia. [Locate Manado, Indonesia, on a map.] More than anything, Cecilia wanted to attend an Adventist school, but her father couldn’t afford the tuition.

Cecilia often asked God to help her go to the Adventist school. He answered her prayer in an unusual way.

Christy, one of Cecilia’s friends at church, invited Cecilia to become a literature evangelist. “What’s a literature evangelist?” Cecilia asked.

“We sell Christian books so other people can learn about Jesus,” Christy said. Cecilia liked the idea and asked her father for permission to sell Christian books with Christy. Father thought that Cecilia was too young to sell books, for she was only 8 years old. But after talking to Christy’s parents, he agreed.

Working Together for God

The girls filled their book bags with books and walked to a government office. Cecilia listened as Christy showed people the books. “This book tells how God works in our lives,” Christy said. “And this book is about how to have better health.” Christy talked to the people about how much God loves them. Soon Cecilia was ready to try.

Cecilia sold lots of books and told lots of people about God. She carefully saved her money so she could go to school.

The Company Boss

Cecilia sometimes worked with Christy’s brother, Paul. One day Cecilia and Paul were walking down the street together. They prayed about where they should go next. Just then they passed a soft-drink company and decided to go inside to sell some books. They met a security guard at the door and asked to see the manager. “We’re on school holiday,” the children told the man. “We’re selling books to help pay our school tuition, and we’d like to get the manager’s permission to talk to the employees.”

The children hoped that the security guard would let them show him their books, but he asked them to sit down while he got the company’s owner. The children sat down and waited nervously. They hadn’t expected to talk to the owner of the big company.

A Big Surprise

A few minutes later a man walked up and greeted the children. He listened as they explained that they were selling books to earn money to pay their school tuition. “Where do you go to school?” the man asked. Paul said he attended the Adventist school, and Cecilia told him that she attended a different school.

“Would you like to study at the Adventist school too?” the man asked Cecilia.

“Yes!” Cecilia said. “I’m saving my money so I can go there.”

The owner of the company smiled at Cecilia and said, “I can help you pay your tuition at that school. Ask your father to come to my office on Friday.”

Cecilia was thrilled, even though the man didn’t buy any books. That evening she told her father about the man who offered to help pay her school fees. Father wondered who this man was.

On Friday, Father and Cecilia went to see the owner of the company. The man greeted them and told Father that he was willing to pay Cecilia’s tuition—all of it—as long as she did well in school. So it’s true! Cecilia thought. I can really go to the Adventist school next year!

When the man learned that Cecilia has a younger sister, he offered to pay her tuition as well. Wow! Cecilia thought. What a blessing! I was selling books to earn my tuition, and God sent someone to pay my tuition—and my sister’s!

Still a Literature Evangelist

Cecilia still sells books. But now she isn’t trying to pay her tuition. “I just want other people to know about Jesus,” she says.

Cecilia and her friends are little missionaries. Many people are learning to love God because they share their faith every day. We can share our faith with our friends at school and in our neighborhoods. And when we give our mission offerings we’re helping others share their faith in places we may never go. Let’s see how many ways we can be little missionaries this week.