A Changed Heart

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, December 14.

By Andrew McChesney

V

acation Bible School was an exciting time for children in Bethel, Alaska.

Vacation Bible School meant hearing wonderful stories from the Bible. It meant singing joyful songs. It meant enjoying yummy snacks. It also meant making new friends with people who flew from far away just to bring Vacation Bible School to the town. No roads go to Bethel. People have to fly in an airplane or ride in a boat to reach it.

About 35 kids from all around gathered for Vacation Bible School at the Seventh-day Adventist church. Among these children was a little boy named Nelson.

Nelson wasn’t too sure about Vacation Bible School. He had different ideas about how things should be done. He didn’t quite understand why the grown-ups were so excited about God, and he wanted to change the way that they did activities. However, he had a big reason to come to Vacation Bible School. His friends were there, and he didn’t want to miss out on the fun.

Nelson, who was just 9 years old, acted mischievously at Vacation Bible School. He stole someone’s hat, poked the other children, and treated the grown-ups disrespectfully.

Now, helping out at Vacation Bible School was a friendly teenager named Isaac. Isaac was 16 years old and he had flown to Bethel to help the grown-ups teach the kids about God. He kindly told Nelson that his behavior wasn’t appropriate. “You can join Vacation Bible School and have fun, but you need to behave yourself,” he said. “Otherwise, we’ll have to send you away.”

Nelson didn’t like what he heard, but he agreed.

“Fine, I’ll behave,” he said.

But he kept misbehaving.

Finally, another grown-up named Logan took him aside.

“Nelson, what you’re doing is not appropriate,” he said. “But we will give you one more chance because we want you to be a part of our Vacation Bible School. But you must promise to behave yourself.”

This time Nelson wouldn’t agree.

“I don’t want to be here,” he said, angrily. “I’m leaving.”

He stomped out of the church and furiously pedaled his bike away.

Everyone thought that Nelson wouldn’t be back. But he returned the next day just as Isaac and Logan were handing out snacks.

“Why are you here, Nelson?” Isaac asked.

“Being at home was boring,” Nelson said. “I want to be with my friends. Can I come back?”

“Will you promise to behave and be nice to everyone?” Logan asked.

Nelson thought for a moment.

“OK, but that’s boring,” he said. “Can I do something else?”

“You can go home if you want,” Logan replied.

Nelson didn’t want to go home.

“No, I’ll stay,” he said.

Isaac gave him a snack of crackers. But instead of eating the crackers himself, Nelson shared them with a girl who didn’t have any. Isaac was surprised. “Why did you do that?” he said.

“I want to show you that I want to be here,” Nelson replied.

From that moment, Nelson began to change. He stopped poking the other children, and he treated the grown-ups respectfully.

At the end of Vacation Bible School, Isaac said goodbye to the kids by giving them high-fives. But Nelson wanted something more. He gave Isaac a big hug.

When Isaac left, Nelson rode his bike to the Bethel airport and waved goodbye as he boarded the airplane. God gave Nelson a new heart, and Isaac hopes that Nelson always remembers that.

Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help more Alaska Native children know about Jesus at the church where Nelson attended Vacation Bible School in Bethel, Alaska. Thank you for a generous offering on December 28.