Moving With Jesus

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, August 20.

By Andrew McChesney

D

o you like to move houses?

Cielo is a little girl who likes to move in Peru. Every so often, Father has to move because of his work, so Cielo moves with him, Mother, and two older sisters.

Many questions fill Cielo’s mind when she moves: What will their new city be like? What will her new school be like? Who will be her new friends? She likes to make new friends because then she can invite them to read the Bible with her and know more about Jesus.

So, Cielo was excited when Father announced that the family would move from their home in Puno, on the shore of Lake Titicaca, to San Antón, a city located three hours by car to the north. She wondered, “What will our new city be like? What will my new school be like? Who will be my new friends?”

But something unusual happened when the family moved. Cielo’s new school was closed. She couldn’t make new friends and read the Bible with them. She had to stay home because of COVID-19.

Cielo began to go to school online. But the Internet was so slow that she could not use the video on Zoom. She could not see the other children in her classes. She wished that she could make new friends. She wished that she could invite them to read the Bible with her.

She prayed, “Dear God, help me find a way to share Your Word.”

One day, Cielo came up with a bright idea. She could record Bible stories and share them with other children on social media. With help from her parents, she created a Facebook page and a YouTube channel. Then she started telling stories from the Primary Sabbath School lesson.

A long time passed. Cielo liked sharing Bible stories, but she wished that she could make friends and read the Bible with them.

At last, Cielo and her family were allowed to leave their home. One of the first things that they did was visit a needy mother who had four children. Cielo was happy! Finally, she could make new friends in her new city.

She did make friends with them that day. A few days later, she asked if they would like to read the Bible with her. They agreed. Now, every Friday, Cielo is reading the Bible with the four children.

After making friends with the four children, Cielo made friends with two other children and started reading the Bible with them. One of them, Sebastián, has already decided that he wants to be baptized, and he also has asked his mother to be baptized. So, his mother is now studying the Bible with Cielo’s mother.

Cielo’s favorite Bible verse says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, NKJV). “It’s true!” she says. “God gives us strength to move forward.” Cielo likes to move — and she likes to move with God.

Thank you for your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering three years ago that are helping children in Cielo’s home country of Peru learn about Jesus.