Going Hungry

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, October 22.

By Jeremiah Raubi

H

ave you ever been hungry? Have you ever been very, very hungry?

Moreen has been very, very hungry.

Moreen does not have a mother. Her mother died when she was small. But she has a father, and he went to church on Sunday. She also has eight sisters and one brother. They also went to church on Sunday. They live in a village in Papua New Guinea. Also in the village lives Moreen’s Auntie, who is a Seventh-day Adventist and goes to church on Sabbath.

One Sabbath, Auntie asked Moreen whether she would like to go to church. Moreen liked the worship service. The other children were kind and friendly. The adults smiled at her and made her feel welcome. She went to church with Auntie the next Sabbath and the next.

But Father was angry when he learned that Moreen was going to church on Sabbath. Moreen’s eight sisters and one brother also were angry. They went to church on Sunday.

Moreen’s eight sisters didn’t want her to go to church on Sabbath, so they began to criticize her. Moreen didn’t like being criticized. It hurt. But she continued to go to church on Sabbath.

Moreen’s eight sisters saw that their criticism wasn’t working, so they decided to try something else. They began to chase her out of the house.

“You aren’t our sister!” they said.

But when night came, they changed their minds and allowed her to return home to sleep.

Moreen didn’t like being chased out of the house. It hurt. But she continued to go to church on Sabbath.

Moreen’s eight sisters saw that chasing her out of the house wasn’t working, so they decided to try something else. They stopped giving her breakfast.

Moreen didn’t like to go to school hungry. Sometimes her stomach felt so empty that it hurt. But she continued to go to church on Sabbath.

The weeks and months passed, and the sisters couldn’t understand why Moreen kept going to church even though they were so unkind. They wanted to hear more about her God. Two sisters started to go to church with her and Auntie.

Father stopped being angry and agreed that she could go with Auntie to church.

Some of the neighbors noticed that Moreen was so patient and faithful even though her sisters and father were unkind. They started going to church.

Moreen may be only 12 years old, but her example has been a big witness to her family and her neighbors.

“My father and sisters and brother may forsake me and hate me,” she says, “but my Jesus never will hate or reject me.”

She is grateful to God that her aunt brought her to church and taught her to keep the Sabbath holy as the Bible teaches. The Fourth Commandment says, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8, NKJV).

She wants more than anything for Father, her eight sisters, and her brother to worship on Sabbath with her. “Please help me pray for my family,” she says.

Your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter will help establish Hope Channel television and Hope FM Radio in Papua New Guinea, allowing people across the country to learn about Jesus.