Bringing Mother to Jesus

To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, April 18.

By Gina Wahlen

Three children showed up at Esther’s home in Tanzania one day.

After they introduced themselves, they asked Esther if she would like to visit their Sabbath School on Saturday.

“We are Seventh-day Adventists, and we are going door to door to invite children to our Sabbath School,” one girl said.

“It’s fun to learn about Jesus in the Bible,” said another child.

“You’ll like it,” added the third.

Esther agreed to go to Sabbath School on Saturday.

The Sabbath School teacher warmly welcomed Esther. She wanted to be Esther’s friend, and she asked about the girl’s home and family. She learned that Esther’s mother used to go to the Adventist church but had stopped when Esther was a baby. So, Esther had never visited an Adventist church. She had only come because three children had come to her house and invited her.

The teacher showed Esther how to read the Bible. She invited the girl to come to Sabbath School every week.

Esther liked Sabbath School. She enjoyed the Alive in Jesus program. She grew closer to Jesus.

But going to church wasn’t easy. Mother didn’t like her going to the church every Sabbath. She had stopped going to church after marrying a man who wasn’t an Adventist. She was afraid that Esther’s father would be upset if Esther kept going.

Esther kept going.

One Sabbath, Esther told the teacher that she wished Mother would come to church with her.

“I don’t understand why she stopped going to church,” she said.

The teacher encouraged her to pray and believe that Jesus could bring her mother back.

“There is Someone who can bring her back to church,” she said. “We believe in Jesus. You have to believe in Jesus, too. This will help your mother to return to Him.”

Esther prayed. She believed that Jesus heard her prayers. She continued to learn about Him in Sabbath School, and she read her Bible at home.

One Sabbath, she told her teacher, “I’m ready to be baptized.”

The teacher was so happy!

On the day of her baptism, Esther invited Mother to come and watch. She hoped that Mother’s heart would be touched at the sight of her committing her life to Jesus. She hoped that Mother would want to go to church with her every Sabbath.

Mother came to the baptism and met the Sabbath School teacher there. The two women spoke for a long time. The Sabbath School teacher encouraged Mother to considering coming to church every Sabbath.

Then Esther was baptized. Mother watched as she sank under the water and emerged with a big smile on her face.

At that moment, a sharp pang pierced Mother’s heart. She turned to the teacher, who was nearby.

“I feel so much pain for leaving my God,” she said.

Today, the teacher is studying the Bible with Mother. Esther hopes that she will return to church very soon.

Pray for Esther’s mother to return to Jesus. Pray for the many children and parents in Tanzania who do not go to church. One of the mission projects for this quarter is the Zanzibar Seventh-day Adventist Dispensary, a clinic on an island of Tanzania where many children and parents do not go to church. Thank you for giving generously to this important project