Baby Talk, Jesus Talk

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, December 6.

Hadassa is eight years old, and she has already been telling people about Jesus for eight years.

How is that possible? Can a little baby talk about Jesus? That’s exactly what Hadassa has done in Brazil.

It all started before Hadassa was born. Dad and Mom really, really wanted to have a baby. They prayed and prayed. They waited and waited. But nothing happened. They prayed and waited some more.

“God, if You give us a child, we will be so thankful,” Mom said.

“God, if You don’t give us a child, we will still serve You,” Dad said. “But if You do give us a child, we will give the child to You.”

Then one day, Mom gave birth to
little Hadassa.

Dad remembered his promise. From the day that Hadassa was born, he and Mom dedicated her to God. They started training Hadassa to be a missionary.

When Hadassa was only a month old, Dad and Mom began to take her out to share Christian books on Sabbath afternoons. Dad or Mom carried her in their arms, and they visited with people waiting in their cars at red traffic lights.

People were delighted to see the little baby.

“Ooo, she’s so cute!” they said.

Dad and Mom smiled back and offered Christian books. They also offered to pray.

Many people accepted books and prayers.

“God bless you,” said one.

“God bless your family,” said another.

Almost everyone said, “God bless your little daughter.”

When Hadassa was 2, she began to hand out books by herself. She also began to pray by herself.

One Sabbath afternoon, a mom waiting in a car at a red light squealed, “Ooo, she’s so cute!”

Dad and Mom smiled and gave Hadassa a Christian book to give to the mom.

When the mom took the book, Dad said to Hadassa, “Pray for her. Ask for her name, and pray for her.”

Hadassa asked the mom for her name and learned that it was Maria.

“Can I pray for you?” she asked.

Maria agreed, and Hadassa prayed, “Father in heaven, bless Maria and her family.”

Maria was pleased.

“God bless you,” she told Hadassa’s parents. “God bless your family. God bless your little daughter.”

People liked it when Hadassa prayed for them. Some people cried. Other people thanked her. Still others said, “I needed that at this exact moment. It was God who sent you.”

Hadassa loved handing out books and praying. She didn’t feel nervous at all. She was happy because she was helping people.

Today, Hadassa is 8, and she still enjoys passing out books and praying for people at traffic stops. But she also gives Bible studies to her school classmates. In addition, she preaches at church.

More than anything, she wants to be a missionary when she grows up. She wants to travel far away from Brazil and serve as a missionary in another country. But for now, she is happy to share Jesus in Brazil.

“To be a missionary I need to read the Bible, pray, and praise God,” she said. “This is how God is going to help me be a great missionary.” ⎭

Pray that many children in Brazil will be inspired to become missionaries with the help of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering, also known as the Quarterly Mission Project Offering. Part of the offering will help open a church for children at Pernambucano Adventist Academy, which is located in the region of Brazil where Hadassa lives. Thank you for planning a generous offering for this important project.

Hadassa reached a breakthrough in her efforts to share Jesus when she was four years old. Up until then, she felt like she couldn’t share Jesus on her own. Dad and Mom had to be near to help her.

Then one night she dreamed that she was playing with her younger brother, Caleb, on the flat roof of their home. Suddenly, a big man dressed in white appeared. He was wearing the armor of God, including the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (see Ephesians 6:10-17).

The man came to Hadassa and said, “You were all called for a great mission.”

Hadassa felt really happy. She was smiling.

The man dressed Hadassa and Caleb in the armor of God. Hadassa didn’t know how he did it. The armor just appeared on them. After that, the man left.

Then Hadassa woke up, and she hurried to tell Mom. It was early, but Mom was already up.

The little girl excitedly related her dream. Mom was very moved. Tears came to her eyes. She was amazed that her little daughter had had such a dream.

“It was Jesus who appeared to you,”

Mom said. “Yes, you are going to be a great missionary.”

From that moment, Hadassa knew that she could be a missionary without help from Dad and Mom. She had help from Jesus. He had given her the armor of God.