This is Vitaly. He’s 10 years old and he lives in a country called Kyrgystan.

Every Sabbath, Vitaly and the other boys and girls in his church get invited to go to the front of the church for the children’s story.. At the end of the story, the storyteller asks, “Did any of you memorize a Bible verse this week?” Any child who memorizes a Bible verse gets the microphone. Then he or she recites a Bible verse for the whole congregation to hear.

Every Sabbath for the past year, Vitaly has raised his hand to share a Bible verse. Why do you think Vitaly memorizes a Bible verse every week?

We asked Vitaly why he memorizes Bible verses.

Vitaly smiled shyly. Then he said softly, “I memorize verses as a gift to God.”

You see, every Sabbath, the Sabbath School teacher says to Vitaly and the other children, “God gives us many gifts. What gift do you have for God today?”

God has given Vitaly many gifts. He lives with his loving grandparents. He has a dry home and warm bed. He goes to a good school.

But Vitaly doesn’t have any money to give as a gift to God. He also doesn’t have many toys. He wondered for a long time, “What gift can I give God?” Then Vitaly remembered that he has a good memory. He could memorize a verse from God’s Word, the Bible, every week. His Sabbath School teacher said this would be a wonderful gift for God!

This Sabbath, Vitaly repeated the verse from Luke 1:68, “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people.”

Vitaly is one of six children who go to church in Kyrgyzstan every Sabbath even though no one in their families is Adventist. The children stand outside their homes on Sabbath morning and wait for the Sabbath School teacher to pick them up in her car. After church, the Sabbath School teacher drives them home.

These children like church so much that they go every week no matter what. When it snows a lot and other children want to stay in their warm homes, these children go to church. When the weather is warm and other children want to play outside, these children go to church. The church’s pastor is surprised that these children are so faithful about going to church.

In fact, little Vitaly loves church so much that he told his brother, who lives in another part of town, about it, and now his brother goes to church every Sabbath too!

Vitaly also loves his school. He is in the fourth grade at an Adventist school called Heritage Christian School in Kyrgyzstan.

Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help Heritage Christian School. Did you know that the school is named after a Bible verse? In Psalm 127:3, it says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord.” That means children are a special gift that God gives to parents. Please remember Heritage Christian School in your prayers and with your Sabbath School mission offerings.

(Watch Vitaly recite his memory verse from Luke 1:68 at: xxxxx)

This is Vitaly. He’s 10 years old and he lives in a country called Kyrgyzstan.

Every Sabbath, boys and girls in Vitaly’s church are invited to listen to a children’s story. After the story, the storyteller always asks, “Did any of you memorize a Bible verse this week?” Any child who memorized a verse gets to recite it for the whole church to hear.

For the past year, 10-year-old Vitaly has raised his hand and shared a Bible verse every Sabbath. Why do you think he memorizes a Bible verse each week?

When a friend asked him, Vitaly smiled shyly and said, “I memorize verses as a gift to God.”

You see, the Sabbath School teacher always reminds Vitaly and the other children of something important. She says, “Each day, God gives us many gifts. What gift do you have for God today?”

God has given Vitaly many gifts. He lives with his loving grandparents. He has a home and warm bed. He goes to a good school. He has food to eat.

But Vitaly didn’t have any money or toys to give as gifts to God. He wondered for a long time, “What gift can I give to God?” Then Vitaly thought about how well he can remember things. He decided to memorize a verse from the Bible every week. His Sabbath School teacher said this would be a wonderful gift for God!

He isn’t nervous anymore when he stands up front at church, because he does it every week!

Vitaly is one of six children in Kyrgyzstan who go to church every Sabbath, even though no one else in their families is an Adventist. The children stand outside their homes on Sabbath mornings and wait for the Sabbath School teacher to pick them up in her car. After church, the she drives them home.

These children like church so much that they go every week no matter what. When it snows a lot and other children stay in their warm homes, Vitaly and the others go to church. When the weather is warm and other children play outside, they still go to church. The pastor is glad that they’re so faithful about spending Sabbath with God.

In fact, little Vitaly loves church so much that he told his older brother about it, and now he goes to church too! Vitaly is in the 4th grade at Heritage Christian School in Kyrgyzstan. He loves his school, because he gets to learn about God every day.

Part of this quarter’s 13th Sabbath Offering will help Heritage Christian School. Did you know that the school is named after a Bible verse? Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord.” That means children are a special gift that God gives to parents. Please remember Heritage Christian School in your prayers and with your Sabbath School mission offerings.