Orlando and the Big Rescue

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, March 28.

By Kimberly Houliston

How old do you have to be to make a difference for God?

Orlando is a boy who lives in Australia. He’s the big brother in his family. His younger brother is named Nathaniel, and the boys enjoy playing together and learning new things. Orlando especially loves adventures, stories, and learning about God.

One day, something amazing happened—Orlando was asked to help with a special project called The Rescue.

The Rescue is a fun and exciting show made for kids and families. It tells the story of a family that finds a special book. This book reveals that a big battle is happening all around them—a battle between good and evil—even though they can’t always see it. Right in the middle of all this action is Someone special Who is watching over them and ready to help. That Someone is called the Rescuer. The Rescuer is strong, kind, and full of love. He wants to save everyone and help them choose the right path. The Rescuer is Jesus!

In the show, both animations and puppet characters tell the story. Orlando had a cool job—he became the voice of a puppet character named Jono. That means that when Jono talks in the show, it’s actually Orlando’s voice you hear!

Being the voice of Jono wasn’t always easy. Orlando had to go into a recording studio and speak into a microphone. He had to say his lines again and again until they sounded just right. Sometimes, it took lots of tries to get it perfect. But Orlando didn’t give up. He worked hard and kept going. He even got to sing some songs for the show, which he really enjoyed.

But something even more special happened while Orlando was working on The Rescue. He began to learn more about God—not just in his head, but in his heart. As he acted out Jono’s story, Orlando discovered ways to face challenges in his own life, too.

In one episode, Jono was blamed for something he didn’t do. That felt really unfair! But instead of yelling or getting upset, Jono talked to his dad. His dad listened and helped him understand that something like this had happened before—to someone in the Bible named Joseph. Joseph was also blamed unfairly, but he trusted God anyway. Jono and his dad read Joseph’s story together and then prayed, asking God to help them stay calm and strong.

Another time, Jono was being bullied. Someone at school was being mean to him. This made Jono feel sad and confused. But Jono learned that he didn’t have to handle it alone. He could ignore the bully, ask an adult for help, and most importantly, talk to God about how he was feeling.

Orlando said these stories helped him in real life. He learned that when something goes wrong, he can take a deep breath, talk to someone he trusts, and pray. “I’ve learned that even if people do the wrong thing, God still loves them,” Orlando said. “And He still loves me.”

When people asked Orlando why he wanted to be in The Rescue, he smiled and said, “Because I want other kids to know about God, too. I want them to know that Jesus loves them.”

Orlando’s mum said she noticed a big change in him. He was more confident and more patient. “He’s learning to trust God,” she said. “And he’s starting to see that he can do big things—even as a kid.”

So, how old do you have to be to make a difference for God?

Just ask Orlando. You don’t need to be grown-up. You just need to be willing to say, “Yes, God! I want to help.” The Rescue is produced by Abide Family Ministries and was created to help children and families around the world learn about Jesus in an interesting and entertaining way. And thanks to kids like Orlando, the message is spreading far and wide.

Part of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering for the fourth quarter of 2022 helped make the The Rescue series possible. Thank you for your continued support of Thirteenth Sabbath Offering projects.