Nester snuck out of school to sell donuts at the market. When her teachers found out, she didn't get the reaction she expected.
The Solomon Islands, a nation of hundreds of islands in the South Pacific, is home to 600 thousand people with more than 52 thousand Seventh-day Adventists. That is nearly one Adventist for every 11 people.
(in English - male voice)
SPD1806_ES_SOL_108
0:39
“The church in the Solomons is growing. (REMOVE PAUSE AND THROAT CLEARING) We are excited that God is leading the Church.”
5:19
The church is growing so fast that we don’t have enough Bibles to share with the people.
1:49
“We have a number of institutions:”
2:45
“We have more than 400 companies … and 197 organized churches.”
2:10
“In health, we have one hospital .”
1:52
“In the education sector, we have 13 high schools. We have more than 100 schools in total.”
3:29
“We have between 14 and 15 thousand students attending all of our schools.”
3:52
“We have a significant number of baptisms also happening every year through our schools.”
3:03
“It’s a big mission to run and the islands are scattered within many kilometers of ocean. So we have our challenges.”
(in English - male voice)
0:45
“Betikama is actually one of the oldest colleges here in Solomon Islands. It started way back in 1948. This was after the second World War. (IMAGE OF WWII VEHICLES) It’s a place focused on mission--on creating missionaries.”
6:06
“In this college, we have students who find it difficult to pay the school fee.”
6:29
“...there are some children who really struggle. Some children, because they want to become Seventh-day Adventists, their parents don’t want to cover their school fee. (CUT OUT THE COUGH AND THE LONG PAUSE) We think that the school must try to help them.”
(in English - young girl)
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Nester’s family is not Adventist and finds it hard to pay school fees, but Nester chose to come to this school because of its reputation for quality education.
0:06
I worked on holidays and even on weekends for my school fee.
2:58
I go into town, to the market, to gain an income to support me while I am in school.
2:11
I can make my own donuts. Then I sell them at the market
Nester would escape the school grounds on Sabbath when everyone was focused on special activities. On this day, she would sell donuts at the market to pay for school and buy herself the supplies she needed.
When the school staff noticed Nester was missing, they were worried. But they soon learned why she was working so hard and they wanted to help. One day, a school administrator called Nester into the office to tell her she couldn’t leave school during Sabbath hours. He also told her that she’d been accepted into the Student Support Fund. She would no longer have to work to pay her fees.
0:06
I am very thankful for the Student Support Fund of this school that supports me with clothes and with school-fee support.
4:51
“My plan for the future is to become somebody who can help my parents and I wish I can become a doctor.”
Please pray for the people of the Solomon Islands. May God bless them as they learn the truths of the Bible and feel the love of God through human hands.
