“WHAAAAAAAAAA!”

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, April 15.

By Andrew McChesney

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wo-year-old Denisa loved going to the kindergarten. She loved playing with her best friend, Timeea. But when Timeea played with other little girls and boys, Denisa felt sad. She went to the corner and cried loudly.

“WHAAAAAAAAAA!”

This happened every day.

“WHAAAAAAAAAA!”

What could make little Denisa happy?

Denisa and her best friend, Timeea, were always the first to arrive at the kindergarten in Romania. Timeea’s mother was the teacher of the kindergarten, and she picked up Denisa at her house every morning. Timeea was always in the car with her. The three of them drove together to the kindergarten.

One day, Denisa and Timeea arrived as usual before any other children. The two girls played a fun game of hide and seek. They hid under a big blue and green table. They hid inside the bathroom. They hid behind chairs. Then they played with modeling clay and colored pictures.

After a while, other children started arriving, and Timeea played with them. Denisa didn’t like that. She wanted all the attention for herself. She went to a corner of the room, sat on the floor, and began to bawl.

“WHAAAAAAAAAA!”

Teacher went to her and hugged her.

“You have no reason to cry,” Teacher said. “It is better to play together and not just with Timeea.”

Denisa stopped crying. She liked it when Teacher paid attention to her. She listened to Teacher.

“Let’s pray together,” Teacher said.

Denisa knew how to kneel and pray because all the children knelt and prayed for worship every morning. She immediately got onto her knees. Teacher also knelt, and Teacher prayed first.

“Our Father,” Teacher said, “please help Denisa to calm down and to understand that it is better to play with the other children and not only with Timeea.”

Then Denisa prayed. “Lord, please help me not to be angry anymore,” she said. “Help me to stop crying.”

Then Teacher asked Denisa to help prepare some activities for the children. “Come with me, and let’s play together,” she said.

After a while, Denisa joined a group of children and began to play with them. They made wooden puzzles of birds, frogs, grasshoppers, butterflies, and goldfish. Denisa especially liked a puzzle of a little bird with a yellow breast and brown and green wings.

Teacher spent a lot of time praying with Denisa during that first year of kindergarten. Denisa spent a lot of time praying with Teacher during that first year of kindergarten.

Things got easier during the second year.

After a while, Denisa started going to church with Timeea and Teacher on Sabbath. Teacher taught the Sabbath School class. Denisa liked praying in the class and learning more about Jesus.

Today, Denisa is 10, and she still prays a lot. In Sabbath School, when Teacher asks who would like to pray, she always is the first to raise her hand. Denisa and Timeea are still best friends. They play together almost every day.

Part of your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help open a school and an after-school center in Romania where children can learn to pray just like Denisa at the Adventist kindergarten. Thank you for planning a generous offering.