A School for Berta

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, August 5.

By Andrew McChesney

B

erta was excited when she heard that the first Seventh-day Adventist church school had opened in Poland.

She was a highly qualified teacher, and she was looking for work. She would love to teach children at a Seventh-day Adventist school.

But there was a problem. The Adventist school was located near Poland’s capital, Warsaw, and far away from her home in Krakow.

“This is not the job for me,” Berta thought, sadly.

Then a friend unexpectedly started talking to her about the Seventh-day Adventist school.

“Maybe you could apply to teach there,” the friend said.

“No, it’s too far away,” Berta replied.

It seemed more realistic to look for work in Krakow.

Then another friend told her about the Adventist school.

“I heard about this Adventist school,” the friend said. “Maybe you would like to apply to be a teacher there.”

After the second friend mentioned the Seventh-day Adventist school, Berta wondered whether God just might be trying to tell her something about becoming a teacher there.

She prayed, “God, what should I do? Should I stay in Krakow, or should I go to the school?”

Berta decided to apply for two teaching jobs — at the public school in Krakow and at the Seventh-day Adventist school outside Warsaw.

She prayed again.

“I will go to the first school that replies to my job application,” she prayed. “God, I will interpret it as Your will.”

She wondered which school would reply first to her application letter. Would it be the public school, or would it be the Adventist school?

The Adventist school was the first to write back.

“Thank you for your interest in the teaching position,” the reply said. “Please come in for a job interview.”

Then Berta got worried.

She had a 16-year-old son named Jacob. All of his friends were in Krakow, and his school was in Krakow. Would he be willing to move to another place? It was very important to Berta that Jacob accept her decision to leave their home and move across the country.

Berta prayed again.

She decided to give Jacob the option of staying with a relative in Krakow or going with her to the new school.

Jacob didn’t hesitate.

“Mother, let make the move together,” the boy said. “Let’s go together. I want to be with you.”

Berta was surprised and pleased. For her, his words seemed like the latest indication that God was guiding her path. After all, two friends had spoken to her out of the blue about applying to the Adventist school. Then the Adventist school had beat the public school in replying to her application for a job. Now her teenage son was willing and happy to move with her to a new home.

She took the job.

Today, Berta is the principal of the Seventh-day Adventist elementary school, which is located on the grounds of the Adventist Church’s seminary outside Warsaw. She has no doubt that God led her to the school. Just the other day, her son declared that she had made the right decision. He said that he had not had any Adventist friends in Krakow and had not been interested in church activities. But now he has many Adventist friends and is active in the church.

“Mom, you made a good decision in coming here,” he said. “I’m so glad that we are here.”

Berta said she wouldn’t have it any other way. God brought her to the school, and she is happy.

“That’s why I am here,” she says.

Thank you for your Sabbath School mission offerings that help support Seventh-day Adventist education around the world.