Something To Hope For

In our mission story last week, we heard how God used a girl named Raluca to reach her family for Him. Today our story is about how God used another child to encourage a grown-up person.

Seven-year-old Coca knew her mother was very sad since Father had left, leaving Mother alone with three children.

A neighbor invited the family to attend meetings called “Hope for the Next Generation.” The word “hope” caught Mother’s attention. She wasn’t a religious woman, but she needed something to hope for, so she decided to attend the meetings with her children.

Coca didn’t understand everything that the speaker said, but she could see that her mother seemed happier.

Crying Again

But the next afternoon Coca found her mother crying again. She told Coca that Daddy wanted a lot of money or he’d take their apartment away. Mother didn’t have the money. She told Coca that winter was coming, and she didn’t want to be thrown out into the cold.

Coca wanted to help her mother. She remembered that the speaker at the meetings said that God hears our prayers. “Let’s pray that God won’t let Father make us leave our home,” she urged. The two prayed, but when it was time to get ready for the meeting, Mother was still upset and didn’t want to go.

“But you have to go, Mother,” the children begged. “Please, let’s hurry!” Finally Mother agreed to go.

Special Prayer Requests

That night the speaker invited people with special prayer requests to come to the front of the auditorium for prayer. Coca’s mother didn’t move. Coca tugged on her mother’s sleeve. “Come, Mother,” Coca urged. “Let’s go there!”

“Sh-h-h!” Mother urged. “Stop pulling on me! Why do you want me to go to the front?”

“I want to ask God not to let Father throw us out of the house,” Coca answered sweetly.

Someone standing nearby heard the child’s plea and gently encouraged Mother to go to the front with Coca and pray. Mother wasn’t sure that prayer would help, but she didn’t want Coca to be disappointed. So they walked to the front of the auditorium for special prayer.

The next morning Mother received an official-looking letter. It said that if Mother would agree to not make Father pay her money every month, she and the children could stay in the apartment.

That night when Mother and the children attended the meetings, she was sure that God had answered their prayers. Mother went to the meetings to find hope--and she found Jesus!

This quarter our Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help to provide special Adventist training programs and youth camps for Romanian children. Let’s save our money all quarter so that we can help them to know and love Jesus, and to share with others the things they have learned.