I Love Books!
Enkhsuvd said she loves her job because it is missionary work. She said, “God is using me to share His stories with the children.”
To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, Sept. 15.
As a little girl, Enkhsuvd [pronounced: INKH-sovd] loved two things: good books and her country, Mongolia. [Find Mongolia on the map.]
Enkhsuvd read all the time. She especially loved to read about the history of Mongolia. She read about two beautiful, brave women named Zolzaya [pronounced: ZOL-zaya] and Anu [pronounced: a-NU], who tried to unite Mongolia about 300 years ago. She read about Yesontumor [pronounced: YESON-tumor], who fought for Mongolia’s independence about 200 years ago. She liked these Mongolia heroes so much that she decided to name her children after them.
Shortly before Enkhsuvd got married, her mother gave her a big wooden box filled with 200 books. In the box were her favorite books about the Mongolian heroes as well as many other books that she had never read. It was the best gift ever!
But then Enkhsuvd and her new husband moved away for several months, and they couldn’t take the books with them. So, they left the books at Mother’s house. Enkhsuvd hoped to read the books later.
But when she returned, she learned that her mother had burned all her books! Winter is very cold in Mongolia, and many people heat their homes by burning coal in a furnace. Can you guess what is the best way to start a fire in a furnace? [Allow children to guess.] Paper is the best way to start a fire. Mother had been cold, and she had seen Enkhsuvd’s books.
Enkhsuvd was very sad that all her books had been burned.
“But why?” she asked Mother.
“You weren’t reading these books anymore,” Mother said. “Why do you need them?”
Enkhsuvd bitterly complained about the lost books for several weeks. But that didn’t bring the books back, so she forgave her mother.
Enkhsuvd was no longer a little girl who could read all the time. She needed to be a responsible adult and work. She held several jobs, but she didn’t like them very much. She began to pray that God would help her to find a job that she loved. She prayed every day.
One day, she heard that the Seventh-day Adventist school was looking for a librarian. She liked the sound of that job! What do librarians do? [Wait for children to respond.] Yes, they work with books! Does Enkhsuvd love books? Yes!
Enkhsuvd went to the school and asked if she could have the job. Many other people also went to the school because they also wanted the job. Enkhsuvd found out that the school wanted a librarian who had studied to learn how to be a librarian. Enkhsuvd had studied something else in college, and she didn’t know how to be a librarian. She prayed to God even more. It seemed impossible that she could become a librarian.
But then the Adventist school offered her the job! The school principal even told her that she would be sent to college to learn how to be a librarian. Enkhsuvd couldn’t believe her ears!
Today, Enkhsuvd is the school librarian and is very happy that many children visit the library every day. She often reads to the children. Her favorite books are not about Mongolian heroes anymore but about Jesus Christ. Many of the children are from non-Christian families, and they hear about Jesus for the first time when Enkhsuvd reads.
Enkhsuvd said she loves her job because it is missionary work. She said, “God is using me to share His stories with the children.”
She is no longer sad about losing her box of 200 books. God has given her a school library with 3,000 books! This is the best gift ever!
Did you know that Enkhsuvd’s school has a library because children like you gave money to the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering three years ago? That money helped the school open the library. But now the school needs our help again. The school doesn’t have enough room for all the children who want to study there, so part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help build a high school where the older students can go to study. Thank you for giving to the mission offering.
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