Faith loved going to Deep and Wide, a church in her village in Alaska. Each Friday night, she eagerly waited for Saturday to come so she could attend church. Excitedly, she would sing “Deep and wide, deep and wide!” This church was her favorite place to be.
Faith was only three years old, but she knew what she liked to do more than anything else in the world.
She liked to go to Deep and Wide.
When she walked with Mother, they sometimes passed Deep and Wide, a church on the street in their village of Savoonga in Alaska.
“Look,” her mother would say. “We are passing Deep and Wide.”
Faith would get excited and begin to sing the song, “Deep and wide, deep and wide!” As she sang, she lowered her hands to show how deep was deep. Then stretched out her arms to show how wide was wide.
On Friday nights, Faith couldn’t wait to go to bed so she could get up in the morning and go to Deep and Wide.
Her grandfather said, “Good night. “See you in the morning. Maybe I’ll make some pancakes.” Faith smiled with delight. Her grandfather’s pancakes were her favorite breakfast.
Faith snuggled in bed at 10 o’clock. It was a little difficult to fall asleep because her older sister was still up. Many people go to bed late in Savoonga and get up late in the morning.
Faith woke up at 9 o’clock Sabbath morning and ran to the kitchen to see whether her grandfather was making pancakes. He was!
Before eating, she sat down with her grandparents to pray. They all prayed out loud together, saying, “God is good, God is great.”
Faith loved taking the first, big bite of the pancake. It was so good!
Faith needed to be at Deep and Wide by 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Church started in the afternoon because many kids and parents went to bed late at night and got up late in the morning.
As 2 o’clock drew near, she climbed onto her mother’s four-wheeler to go to church. Everyone walked or drove on four-wheelers in the village.
When they arrived, Faith was welcomed by a friendly woman who was not an Alaska Native like her and her family. Faith and everyone else called the woman by her first name, Elouise. She had moved to the village from far-away North Carolina to teach at Deep and Wide every Sabbath.
Elouise lead Faith and the other children in singing songs about Jesus. Faith waited patiently, hoping they would sing her favorite song. Then it happened. Elouise said, “Next, we’re going to sing ‘Deep and Wide.’”
Faith clapped her hands with joy! Then she sang with all her heart. She lowered her hands to show how deep was deep. Then stretched out her arms to show how wide was wide.
After the group sang songs of praise, Elouise prayed and told the children a Bible story. After the story, the children did fun crafts and enjoyed the apples and oranges Elouise brought for a snack. Faith loved apples and oranges. They were a special treat because the fruit didn’t grow anywhere nearby and had to be flown into the village from far away.
All too soon, the program was over and it was time for Faith to go home.
“Did you like Sabbath School?” her mother asked as she took Faith by the hand.
Faith nodded her head happily.
“I love Deep and Wide!” she said.
Today, Faith is 16 years old, and she has never lost her love for Sabbath School. It was in Sabbath School that she learned her favorite song, “Deep and Wide.” It was in Sabbath School that she learned about her best friend, Jesus. Not long ago, she gave her heart to Jesus and was baptized in Deep and Wide, the Seventh-day Adventist church in Savoonga.
Thank you for your 13th Sabbath Offering this quarter that will help to share God’s deep and wide love in Alaska. Part of the offering will go to a project at the Seventh-day Adventist church in Bethel, Alaska.
