One Too Many Students

The teacher was glad that someone could help her understand the Bible better.

It was the first day of school, and Miss Gonzalez’s classroom was filled with 30 eager kindergarten children, all chattering at the same time. Miss Gonzalez sighed. Summer vacation had seemed so short! She picked up the list of students in her class and began calling their names As she finished calling roll, the classroom door opened, and the school principal stepped in.

“Good morning, Miss Gonzalez,” the principal said. “I need to talk to you a moment.” The teacher stepped to the door to hear what the principal had to say.

“I have a new student for you, a boy from Havana. I know your classroom is full, but I would like to put him in your class.”

“Please,” Miss Gonzalez begged. “I have 30 students already.” She stopped. “Well, bring him in. If he behaves well, I can keep him.” The principal smiled and closed the classroom door behind her. In a few minutes she returned with a little boy. As she told Miss Gonzalez that the boy’s name was Rolandito, the boy smiled at his new teacher.

Every morning Rolandito greeted his teacher with a smile. As Miss Gonzalez watched him, she realized that he was different from the other children. He was so good, so obedient, so kind.

Trouble on the Playground

One day two boys began fighting on the playground. Before the teacher could stop the fight, one of the boys started to cry. Rolandito saw the boy crying and gave him his handkerchief. “I’m sorry you feel bad,” he comforted.

Sometimes the busy classroom became noisy or a child was disrespectful to the teacher. But Rolandito did not join in the rowdy classroom antics. Instead he urged others to obey the teacher. One day when some of the children had angered the teacher, he whispered to her, “Pray that we all will be good!”

Miss Gonzalez smiled, surprised. “Do you go to church, Rolandito?” she asked.

“Yes, Teacher,” he said. “I am a Seventh-day Adventist.”

One day after school he asked Miss Gonzalez, “Do you believe in God?”

“Yes, Rolandito,” she answered.

“Then will you visit my church?”
he asked.

Miss Gonzalez thought for a moment, then she said, “Perhaps someday I will come.” She was not really interested and did not want to make any promises.

During class one day Miss Gonzalez asked the children what they want be when they finish school. When it was Rolandito’s turn, he answered, “I want to be a pastor!”

Gift Bible

After school one day Rolandito and Miss Gonzalez were talking. “Have you read the Bible?” he asked her.

“I do not have a Bible,” she answered.

“If you like, I could bring you one,” Rolandito offered. Rolandito kept his promise, and asked his mother for a Bible for his teacher. A few days later he presented it to his teacher. Then one day Rolandito’s mother stopped by the classroom to talk to the teacher after school. When Miss Gonzalez thanked her for the Bible, Rolandito’s mother offered to come to her house and study the Bible with her. The teacher was glad that someone could help her understand the Bible better.

Rolandito often talked with Miss Gonzalez about the Bible, about heaven, and about the Ten Commandments. When Rolandito invited his teacher to attend a special Christmas program, she accepted. Rolandito was glad to see her at the program with her son.

Rolandito’s mother continued studying the Bible with Miss Gonzalez, and a few months later Miss Gonzalez decided that she wanted to become a Christian. Rolandito could hardly contain his excitement when he learned that his teacher would be baptized. On the day of the baptism, Rolandito’s face lit up as he watched his daddy baptize his teacher. ⎭