4 years ago, sitting with Mom, Dad & Aunt Sue at the GC Session we heard "I long for that day for Jesus to come." We were inspired then. And with Mom sleeping now, I long more.  Just imagine the joy!

We stopped in a doorway to catch the final joyful chorus as we were leaving the GC Session 4 years ago - Jesus is Coming Again!  Soon I will be singing in the heavenly choir with Mom and all who want to sing - and everyone will be able too sing there!  I can't wait!

Here, 4 years ago, Dr. Mfune describes to Mom how he has finished up a project that they started together in Zimbabwe...  

I love going to GC sessions because i believe they are a small taste of heaven. The music and the family and the love. I loved going to the GC sessions with Mom who knew everyone and loved everyone she knew. In July, 4 years ago, Mom and Auntie Sue talk about where to find Sabbath School supplies and how she wishes she could send more with me to Cambodia... Soon Mom, we will be in heaven and enjoying Sabbath School with your thousands of children you can introduce me to at home there! 

Mom, Dad, Susan, Edwin and Barbara welcoming baby Ann

Letter from my Mother to my Grandparents - page 2 of 2

After my birth in 1968 my Mother Rose Stickle had 4 children under 6 years old. How she managed i don't know, but she wrote weekly letters to her parents and my Dad's parents and many others. And my Grandmother Alice Stickle saved the letters she received, all neatly filed. In these since Mom died in 2015, they have become even more meaningful. I've chosen to share a May letter (in attached pictures) on Mother's Day that shows my Mother's love for music, for creating, her love and interest in others, especially their education, as well as her deep love for her children and husband. We so look forward to resurrection morning - it is coming soon!

"We have a bouquet of sweet peas on the table, which are blooming now that the weather is cooler. Reminds us of the wedding bouquet my Aunt Dorothea Reimche had at her wedding 75years ago.  I think that sweet peas will be growing in my heavenly mansion garden – and they will never fade!"

I can't wait to see Mom's heavenly sweet peas!

When I clicked on this photo just now, Caroline reminded me so much of Grandma Emma - certainly the eyes. Definitely some Reimche resemblance going on between Caroline and Grandma Emma and Rose. :) 

“Guess what?” Mommy said when she picked Caitlyn, Christopher and baby Conner up from their babysitter’s.

“What, Mom?” Caitlyn and Christopher asked.

“I got e-mail today from Grandma and Grandpa in Africa,” Mom answered. “They told me when their furlough will be. They will come see us in Oregon this summer.”

“Yeah! Grandma and Grandpa are coming to see us,” Caitlyn cheered!

“Why don’t we go to their house?” Christopher wanted to know.

“Africa is too far away,” Caitlyn said.

Mommy answered too, “A trip to Africa would be long and expensive. We would have to fly in an airplane or take a ship across the ocean.”

“But we went to their house at Christmas,” said Christopher. He remembered visiting Grandma and Grandpa’s house and playing with some cousins and their big dog.

“Yes, we visited Daddy’s parents in Idaho. We are lucky to be able to see them more often. But Mommy’s parents are missionaries in Africa. That Grandma and Grandpa visited us two years ago, Christopher,” Mommy explained.

“And we went camping in Canada. And we saw the ice glaciers. And they stayed with us at our old red and white house. And Punky used to be their cat. And they gave us presents,” Caitlyn remembered. She had been three years old during Grandma and Grandpa’s last furlough vacation. “I’m going to tell them that I’m going to Kindergarten this year. I’m going to tell them that I am five years old. I’m going to show them our new baby, Conner.”

Christopher didn’t remember camping in Canada with Grandma and Grandpa. He didn’t know what he would tell them when they came this summer.

“Christopher, you were only one year old when you saw Grandma and Grandpa. Just a little bigger than Conner is now,” Mommy said. “Let’s look at some of the pictures from the camping trip tonight. We can read some of their e-mail letters too.”

“I have a birthday card from Grandma and Grandpa in Africa in my bedroom,” Christopher remembered.

“So do I. I have one too,” said Caitlyn.

That night while they looked at the photo album Mommy said, “We are getting ready to see Grandma and Grandpa. We don’t want Christopher to be scared when they come this summer. And we are helping Caitlyn to remember what Grandma and Grandpa were like with these pictures. Let’s call them on the telephone for Grandma’s birthday so we can talk to them before they get here.”

“Time to put the photo albums away. Caitlyn can you find a Bible book for us to read for story time?” Mommy asked.

After stories were read Mommy asked Caitlyn and Christopher to pray. Then Mommy said, “Do you know that praying to Jesus is like talking to Grandma and Grandpa on the telephone? We know that He hears us, just like they hear us talking to them. We talk to Jesus to help us get ready for when He comes, just like talking to Granma and Grandpa help us get ready for their visit.”

“What else can we do to get ready for Jesus to come?” Mommy asked.

Caitlyn said, “I know. We read stories from the Bible.”

“That’s right,” Mommy answered, “Reading from the Bible is like reading e-mail letters from Grandma and Grandpa. The Bible is Jesus letter to us. Are there any pictures we can look at that will help us know Jesus better?”

“Well,” said Christopher, “Jesus paints the sunset pictures for us.”

“Yes, when we see the beautiful colors of the sunset they show us Jesus love for us, don’t they?” Mommy agreed.

“I’m glad we can get ready for Jesus to come, just like we get ready for Grandma and Grandpa, Said Caitlyn.

“Me too,” agreed Christopher.

Mom loved singing. It was so much a part of who she was.  When I was ten years old, mom decided I needed to sing up front for church.  I was shy and scared, but with her encouragement I got up and sang, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" while she played the piano.  Lots of great memories of singing with my sisters, with mom, with Dave and our family, with my daughters, or of just listening to mom play the piano or sing while she played...  So thankful for the gift mom gave us with music.  I am also thankful that you recorded some of the songs, Ann. Thank you!  <3

Great memories of family getting together on Justin and Betsy's wedding weekend!

Cool set of action photos of grandma capturing that hug and giving that hug to Conner!

Love Conner's joy in the moment! 

Ann and Flora were acting out the scene from Sound of Music for that song, "So Long, Farewell..." with the kids popping out around each other like a cuckoo clock! :D

This past week as i was at a gathering of ADRA leaders from around the world, it was supper time and i suggested that my friend and i sit with a man who was all by himself at a table. He welcomed us to sit and as we sat another woman came and sat at the same table. As we made introductions, she said, "Are you related to the Stickles in Zimbabwe? It was such a shock when Rose died." After i confirmed that Rose was my Mom, we talked about Mom's active, joyful life up until cancer won. "It was her letters," she said. "They kept coming and then they were gone. It was such a shock."

And then Joy Musvosvi shared Mom's legacy in Zimbabwe. "Your mother is remembered for materials for children. Everywhere you see that the materials they use were developed by your mother. The children even now are benefitting. The children's ministries materials are your mother 's legacy to Zimbabwe." 

Close Your Eyes by Buddy Houghtaling from the album Mercy Road

When I was just a little boy
I'd be out playing ball
Til the time the sun would set
And then I'd hear my mother call
I'll go and put my glove away
Make sure I'd brushed my teeth
Give my folks a kiss good night
And try to go to sleep
But sometimes sleep just wouldn't come
As I'd replay the game
My mom would come and rub my back
And I'd hear her gently say

Close your eyes
Time to rest
I know your team got beat today
But I know you did your best
The day is gone
Night is falling
And I'll be calling when the sunlight hits the sky
It's okay child.
Chose your eyes

Later on in life
I was sleepless once again
When the girl I thought would be the one
Said I think we'll just be friends
My mom would try to comfort me
Try to make it be alright
Told me some day I would meet the one
That'd love to be my wife
As I lay there in the darkness
The world right at its end
I remember momma coming in
And I heard her words again

Close your eyes
Time to rest
Just leave it all in God's hands
It'll work out for the best
Day is gone
Night is falling
And I'll be calling when the sunlight hits the skies
It's okay son
Close your eyes

So many things she taught me
Went around inside my head
As I stood there in the hospital
Beside my mother's bed
She fought to live so valiantly
But her strength was getting low
The heaviness within her eyes
Said that it was time to go
She seemed to ask permission
As if she wasn't sure
I kissed her gently on the cheek
And I said these words to her

Close your eyes
Time to rest
In showing us a mother's love
Know you're the best
The day is gone
The night is falling
But He'll be calling when the angels fill the skies
It's okay, Mom
Close your eyes
I'll see you there with open eyes

13:   Special Program to present to the Church

Songs:  Children sing the songs they learned

Memory Verse Drill:   The younger children can say the four memory verses.

Sword Drill practice:  Ask parents to come up and take part with the children in a Sword Drill.

Talks : for children to present from each lesson- (use two older children; one for talk about the light, one for the lesson story.)

1.  a.  Virgin Lamp

    The oil in the virgin lamp that makes the lamp burn is deep inside where it cannot be seen.  Because it is there when fire was touched to the opening in the lamp, it began to burn and thus to light the humble homes of the people in Jesus’ time.  Seeing the lamp burn proved there was oil inside, even though it couldn’t be seen.

     For us to shine just like this lamp, we need the oil of Jesus love in our hearts. When we are kind and loving, people will know that we have the oil of Jesus love way down in our hearts.

b. 10 bridesmaids

     Ten special young friends of the Bride were excited.  They had been chosen to be the Bridesmaids.  Each was to carry a lit virgin lamp to lighten the road for the Bridegroom when he came to get his bride.   When Jesus told this story,  about the bridegroom’s coming being delayed,  all the bridesmaids had slept while they waited.  When the Bridegroom did arrive, their 10 lamps were not burning because the oil was gone.  Five of the girls were called wise because they had brought extra oil and were ready to go into the house on time with the bridegroom.  The other five were called foolish because they had not brought extra oil, so while they hurried to buy more oil, the bridegroom came into the bride’s house and the door was shut. 

2.  a. Torch

     Many years ago, man made a torch to light his way and his home.  To make it burn brighter, they dipped the torch in animal fat. 

     We still use torches today.  Yes, a match is a small torch, yet it is terribly useful.  We light fires with it and we light lamps for our homes or when we go camping.  We can even sterilize small things like a needle to kill all the germs.   Sometimes parent’s sterilize a needle which they use to help take slivers out of us.

b. God chooses Gideon

     When Gideon was secretly thrashing some grain, he was praying.  “How can you bless us, O God, when we are busy worshiping idols.  Please forgive us and protect us from these people who are coming to take away our land and our crops. I am sorry that we do not worship you. Please help us to quit worshiping idols.”

    That’s when God chose Gideon to lead his people to victory, by using a torch and trumpet while God fought the battle for them.  The sounding of the trumpets and the shining torches placed all around the camp, confused the enemy and they fought with each other.  God won a great victory for Gideon and sent the invading armies out of the land. 

3.  a. Candle Stick

    Candles were used for many years to light homes and stores.  A candle makes light by burning the heated wax which comes up the candle wick when we light it.  

    Jesus invites us to shine for Him too.  We do this by inviting Jesus to come into our hearts.  He melts away the sin and replaces it with love and goodness.

b. Story of Samuel

      Samuel was a prayed for Baby.  He came to bless the home of Hannah & Elkannah.   Mother Hannah promised God that if she received a baby boy she would dedicate him to work for him in the temple.  And that is what she did.  When Samuel was still a young boy he went to live with Priest Eli and learn how to work in the Temple.  There is where he learned how to sweep the floor, open the curtains and light the lamps.  He did his work well and there was always a good light in the candlesticks. 

     One day God called young Samuel.  After running three times to Priest Eli to answer the call, Priest Eli knew that it was God calling Samuel.  He told Samuel to answer, “Speak Lord, I am listening.”    When the voice called the forth time Samuel answered just like that, “Speak Lord, I am listening.”  And God did talk to the little boy priest.   

     God wants to talk to us too.  We will listen for His call.

4.  a. Old Fashioned Wick Lamp

      The candle was finally replaced with a better light, one that was safer and gave more light.   It was the wick lamp that our grandmothers used and even now, some of us use this lamp in our home.  But this lamp does not give enough light for the whole house so it has to be carried to where we are.   We can read and write with it which is good.

 b. The story of the Servant Girl for Naaman 

    A small girl grew up in a lovely home.  Her mother and daddy worshiped the God of heaven and taught their children to trust in Him too.  One day some soldiers came and carried the girl away from her home. 

      Now she was in a strange and new country without her family.  But she prayed to God there and did not feel so lonely.   Captain Naaman saw the little girl and bought her to serve Mrs. Naaman.  The little girl did her work well and learned to like Mrs. Naaman.   Sometimes she saw that Mrs. Naaman was sad and sometimes even cried because Captain Naaman was sick with leprosy.  The little girl’s heart was sad.  She told Mrs. Naaman that Prophet Elisha in her own country could heal Captain Naaman.

     Captain Naaman went to see Prophet Elisha but he did not want to do what prophet asked.   He soldier friends told him, “It the Prophet had asked you to do something big, you would have done it, why don’t you go do this little thing.  Go wash in the river Jordan.”

    Well Captain Naaman did do it.  After the seventh dip in the water, the leprosy was gone, all because of the faith of a little girl.  She had let her little light shine so bright.

5.  a. Kerosene Lantern

      The little wick lamp was a good light but if a breeze blew on it, the light often went out.  Man needed to have a light he could use outside when he had to be out at night so he invented the kerosene lantern.  This he could carry around with him and not be afraid a breeze would come along and leave him without a light.

      b. Story of Peter

     When Jesus was on earth, he needed helpers to work with him.  As he traveled around he found some men who wanted to be with him.  These men worked at many things.  Some were fishermen catching fish to sell to earn money. Peter and others were fishing when Jesus told him to let down the net in the daytime.  The daylight was not a good time to fish because fish usually swim very low in the water then, but Peter loved Jesus and did what He said.  They caught so many fish, the net started to break.  Jesus then called Peter and his friends to become fishers of men!

6.  a. Gas Light

     The Kerosene Lantern was very good, but it did not burn with a very bright light.   As buildings grew bigger men then thought of using gas to use for a light  which when burned,  the light was very bright.  It could be put in the middle of the room and everyone could see with it.   Someone thought that if they put a lot of these gas lights together, they could light much big rooms.  When used this way, they were called chandeliers.  Most of these chandeliers were used in big palaces, the government buildings and schools. 

    Even now, gas light is used where there is no electricity.  Maybe you will remember seeing one being used.

    b.   Story of the Star and the Wise Men

      Wise men are men who study for a long time.  They may study about science and how things are made.  Some who study the heavens – stars – are called astronomers.  Before Jesus was born, there were wise  men, who noticed that suddenly there was a new star in the sky.  They were so excited.  As they watched the star they saw that it was moving. It must be a very special star and it must be carrying a very special message.

      They found in the ancient books the prophecy of Balaam, “There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.”    Was this that star?  They decided to follow the star to find this Special Person and took gifts to give Him.

      The Star (which was a group of shining angels) led them to where Baby Jesus lived with his mother Mary and Joseph.  These Wisemen fell down and worshiped the Baby King and gave Him their gifts.  They were so thankful that the star had led them.

7.   a. Light Bulbs

       After Electricity was invented, men tried to capture it in globes of glass, to be used to light many places. There are many kinds of light bulbs today.  Some give different color lights, some blink on and off, some give a steady light and others are of different sizes. The light bulb only shines when it is connected to electrical current.  Boys and girls shine too, when they are connected to Jesus.  He shines through them.

    b. Jacob’s Dream of the Ladder

     Jacob was a twin with Esau.  Their parents were Isaac & Rebecca.  Even if they were twins they were very different.  One was red haired and loved the out of doors and the other was dark haired and loved to work at home with his father & mother.

    The eldest son in a family would receive the family’s biggest blessing when the parents became old.  Esau was the oldest but when he was born an angel told mother Rebecca that Jacob, the youngest, was to receive the family & God’s  blessing.

   One day when father Isaac grew old, he wanted to give Esau the blessing.  Mother Rebecca heard this and helped Jacob get the blessing, as God had told her when he was born but they thought that they had to lie and deceive the old father to do this.  Twin brother Esau became so upset he wanted to kill his brother Jacob.  Jacob had to run away from home to be safe.

     Remember, that it was Jacob who had stayed at home and had listened to all the stories of God’s love to his father and Grandfather Abraham.  He had grown to love God but now as Jacob ran away from his angry brother, he felt so sorry that he had lied to father Isaac.  He also felt like God was not loving him either because of that lie. 

    One night on his run away from home, sad Jacob laid down on the ground with a rock for a pillow and slept.  As he slept he suddenly dreamed that he saw a bright light.  It was dazzling.  As he looked, the light was reaching high into the sky.  It looked like a ladder and bright angels were walking up and down between earth & heaven.  Suddenly, he heard a voice comfortingly telling him that God still loved him and forgave him for lying to his father.  He would be with him wherever he went.

8.  a. Modern Lamp

    The modern lamp is where we place our light bulbs.  Often it has a shade on it to make the light bulb not so harsh.  We call this diffusing the light by sending it on to where we only need light.  The light then only shines on the books we are reading or the music we are playing.

    Boys and girls also have a lamp shade to help us.  It is the church.  As we attend SS and church, we will be shown how best to shine.  

     Sometimes lamp shades hide too much light and we cannot see very good.  We can also go to questionable places of entertainment  which will keep our lights from shining, too.

    b.  Conversion of Paul and the Boy Timothy

      Saul was a very religious person.  How he loved to do just the right things in the temple church.  But some of these things were hurting people who followed Jesus who had been crucified.  Most of the people in the Temple church did not believe that the crucified Jesus had risen and gone to heaven.  They thought it was just a false story. Saul was one of them.

     One day, Saul was traveling to the city of Damascus to find more people who loved the story of Jesus’ resurrection, under arrest, to be taken to prison.  As Saul walked down the road a very bright light suddenly shone on him.  He fell to the ground to hide from the light.  Suddenly a voice called,  “Saul, Saul, why are you hurting me?”

     Saul answered, “Who are you Lord?”   And the voice from heaven answered, “I am Jesus who you are hurting.

Saul.  I want you to go and tell people everywhere, the story of my special love for them, the Love that I died for their sins and arose again and now I am in Heaven. Your new name is Paul.”

      Paul was a changed man.  Now he went from town to town telling everyone who would listen, the story of Jesus love.  In one of these towns, a little boy, Timothy lived with his mother Eunice & Grandmother Lois.   He enjoyed listening to the story about Jesus love, first from his mother and grandmother and then from Paul.  He was so excited when he heard Paul tell of the light that shone on him when Jesus called him to become a worker for Him.  Maybe someday he could become a preacher like Paul too.

   When Timothy grew up, he became a pastor just like Paul and let his light shine wherever he went.

9.   a. Flashlight

      A flashlight is a small but useful light.   It helps keep people safe when they go walking out in the dark. They will miss the rocks and not stumble.  They will not get lost either.  If something is dropped in the dark, we can use the flashlight to find it. When out where wild animals like snakes are, people can see them before they bite.

    The Bible is like a flashlight.  This light will guide us to God’s kingdom and eternal life.   We need to read and memorize verses from the Bible so that this flashlight can talk to us.  We want to be ready when Jesus comes.

    b.  A Burning Firery Furnace and Three Brave Men

     Three young men who loved God very much were taken from their country to Babylon so far away.  In Babylon God blessed them as they studied and worked.  They always remembered to pray to Him and thank Him.

    One day, the king where they lived built a tall golden image to look like one he had seen in a dream.  Only in the dream, the image, which represented many nations,  had only a head of gold  which represented the King’s nation.  Now, the king wanted to have a whole image of gold.

    When it was finished he called all his government workers to come to the dedication of the image.  At the sound of music, everyone was to bow down to this golden image.

    The three young men did not bow down and were thrown into a firery furnace but the God they loved protected them.  They walked out with even a smell of smoke on them.

10.  a. Japanese Lantern

     In Japan and in several countries people use beautiful little lamps known as Japanese lamps to decorate.  The light in them are very tiny and no one can read or write by these lamps.  We call them decorative lamps.

    Some boys and girls seem to be like these little lights.  They do not shine much but could be used only to make things look nice.  To be a good light, boys and girls should let their lights really shine for Jesus.   Please be a good light!

     b. Brave Queen Esther

    Hadassah was a sad little orphan after both of her parents died.  It was cousin Mordecai who came and took this sad little girl to live in his home.  Soon Hadassah was busy helping in his home.  While she worked she must have sung and been cheerful for Mordecai told her, “I don’t want to call you Hadassah any more.  Your name from now on will be Esther, a shining star.”  Esther liked her name.

     As she grew she became even more cheerful and helpful besides looking lovely. When the king was searching for a new queen, Mordecai thought that his ‘shining star’ Esther was more beautiful than many of the girls who came to the king’s palace, so he entered her name into the ‘find a new queen’ project.  Because Esther was so kind and loving besides being beautiful, the king chose her as his  new queen.

     One day, though, a sad thing happened.  A wicked man, Naaman came to work for the king.  He did not like people who would not bow down to him.  Esther’s cousin, Mordecai, was one of those men.  Now Naaman thought, I will write a law that all must pray to the king only.  This will get rid of Mordecai for I know that he will only worship the God of heaven.

     After praying for three days, Esther invited the King to a banquet where she told the King that she also worshiped the God of heaven and this new law would kill her too.  The King did not want this.  He wrote a new law which would help to protect the people who loved the God of heaven. 

    Though Esther was like a Japanese lantern much of the time, beautiful and shiny, she let her light really shine when God asked her to!

11.   a.  Doctor’s Light

      A doctor uses his tiny light to examine people.  He searches out the germs that are making people sick.  Then he can prescribe medicine to make them well.  It is a very useful light.

     Boys and girls can have tiny lights to look out for trouble too.  Is there someone who forgets to bring lunch to school.  You could share some lunch with them.  How about that boy everyone picks fights with.  Can you stick up for him and protect him from the bullies.  Maybe, someone comes to school with very poor clothes because they have no one to buy some for them.  You could share the money you always use to buy sweets, and give it to them towards some nice clothes.  Yes, boys and girls can be useful lights.

     b.  Jesus is the Best Doctor

      Jesus came to earth to help people.  He make so many sick people well in some villages that there was not one sick person left!  One day a very worried father came to Jesus and said, “My little daughter is so sick.  She’s almost dead.  Please come and make her well.”   Jesus heard and started walking to the house but so many people were around him he did not get there very fast.  The little girl did die.  Many people came to the home crying.  But when Jesus arrived, he sent all the crying people out of the room.  And with the father and mother standing there beside the daughter, Jesus said, “Daughter, I say to you Arise.”   The little girl opened her eyes and Jesus helped her get up.

Father & Mother were so happy.  The family loved Jesus so much.

12.   a. Lighthouse

       A lighthouse in the water is used to show that danger is there.  Usually it is placed where rocks are in the ocean.  With the flashing lights, ship captains know that danger is near and they take their boats far around the rocks.  The light from the lighthouse must never go out.  If it does go out, ships may get to close to the rocks and be broken to pieces.

     Boys and girls have a lighthouse too to warn them of dangers.  The Bible is this lighthouse.  We can trust God’s word to always lead us on the right path.  Let us study the Bible diligently.  This Bible lighthouse will never go out!

       b. Jesus Shows us the Way

      Jesus came to earth to show us the character of His Loving Father, God in Heaven.   Jesus spent so much time telling the people how to be loving , kind and good like Him.

    Once he said that children are like lights put on a hill.  Everyone can see the light on a hill for kilometers around.  When children let their lights shine, people will see that Jesus love is in their hearts.  Another time Jesus mentioned that children who love Jesus are like good salt.  They will be a good flavor – influence -- to their parents, classmates and friends.

    Jesus also promised that He was going to heaven to build homes for those who love Him with all their hearts.  So one day,  children, who have allowed Jesus Light to shine through them, will be able to enjoy those special homes.

Final Story or Activity:

-Story  by Pastor or CHM Director - of their own choice

-Activity Charades – little scenes acted out, without words, which show the children letting their light shine for Jesus such as:

-Sharing some food

-Sweeping the floor

-Sharing Bible stories with their friends

-Leading a blind grandma to go to the market, church, home

-Getting a glass of water for a hot father

-Etc.

     (The audience will guess what the shining activity acted out is.)

Dedication Prayer  - by the Pastor or CHM Director

12. a.  Lighthouse

     Have you ever seen a lighthouse?   I have.  There is a small one in the Maputo Bay.  It is warning ship captains, “Do not come near.  There are rocks which could hurt your ship.”  If the ship captains go around these rocks, they will  be safe, but if they ignore the light’s warnings, the ship may break into pieces.

   The light in the lighthouse must never go out.  It must always warn of the dangerous rocks.

 b. Lesson Story :  Jesus Is the Light House   Scripture text:  Matthew 5:1-16; Matthew 6:25-31.

      Did you know that Jesus has been called the lighthouse.  While He lived on earth he told stories about how to be safe.   In our imagination, let us walk with him during the day. There are all kinds of dangers on our path as we walk together.

    The first rock we could stumble on is the ‘blame ‘ rock’.   “He started the fight!”   “No, you started fighting first.”  These are not kind words are they.  Many children get hurt on these rocks.

    Another rock a child could stumble over without Jesus as the Light house  is the rock of jealousy.   “Mommy, you gave the prettiest book to my brother.  Why couldn’t I have that one,”  you might say as you stamp your foot in anger.     When Jesus’ love is in our hearts, we will not stumble over these rocks.

    Then there are the times Jesus told us just how to live.  In Matthew 5:14 Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.”  

       Boys and girls, when you shine for Jesus by doing kind things, it is just like a city sitting on a hill at night.  People will see Jesus through you.

      I remember living in the City of Blantyre in Malawi.  When we would come close to Blantyre as we drove, we could see the city lights from far away because it is built on lots of little mountainous hills.  If we came from Lilongwe, we could see the lights.  If we came from Malamulo, we could see the lights and if we were driving up from the Shire Valley we could see the lights.  Those lights directed us to our home in Blantyre.

    Jesus also called boys and girls salt.  Have you ever tried to eat French fries without any salt on them? It is not fun eating them that way, is it?   In the same way, boys and girls add a good flavor when they do good deeds.  People will want to be around them.   They will say, “Why are these boys and girls so nice to be around. It must be love of Jesus coming through!”

    Sometimes, boys and girls become worried.   Maybe, it is because of their studies or maybe it is because Mom & Dad are having a hard time providing nice clothes for them.  But Jesus said,  “Look at the lilies of the field.  See how beautiful they are.  They don’t worry about how they will look. They just bloom where they are placed.  Boys and girls, you are of more value than these flowers.  Trust Me.  I will help you with your studies and I will provide clothes for you.”

    Jesus once called a little child to stand by him.  (I think that Jesus and the child were friends, don’t you?)  Jesus had seen how the child wanted to be near Him.  When Jesus told a story, the child listened. Now, as Jesus put his hand on the child’s shoulders He said, “Except that you become like a little child, you cannot enter Heaven.”  Why should people become like little children?  Can you tell me? (Accept answers.)  Yes, children love everyone, even if they are dirty, old or sick. 

    A little story: One day a Mother gave her son a little lunch to take with him when he went walking in the park right next to their home.  She knew that he loved to watch the little ducks swimming in the pond.  She also knew that he enjoyed watching the little squirrels running around in the trees.  And she knew that little boys often get hungry when they are walking and playing.  She thought of him after he had gone.  How she loved her little boy and how she wanted him to love God too.

      Finally she saw him coming home without his lunch. As she met him at the door she noticed that he had such a lovely smile on his face.

    “Did you have a lovely time?” she asked him.

    “Oh, mommy, I met the most wonderful man in the Park.  When I sat down to eat my lunch he came and sat down beside me.  He looked at me and gave such a lovely smile.”

    “Did he say anything to you,” asked Mother.

   “No, he didn’t say anything but he always gave me that lovely smile as we shared the lunch.   I think that it was God! 

    Mommy could tell that her son had had a lovely experience of trust.”

    And children trust their mommy and daddy or their caregivers to give them what they need.  They also believe what they are told, without asking lots of questions, like older people do.

     Yes, because we love Jesus, we want to be near Him.  We can trust Him for everything that we need.  We can walk without bumping into the rocks and we can let our lights shine for Him.

      Now you know that you can be a lighthouse just like Jesus is, don’t you.  Who wants to shine for Jesus?

Reinforcement Activities:

1. Color the lighthouse picture. Prepare it to hang up on the 13 Sabbath Program

2. Draw pictures of the flowers which God makes to bloom for us.

3. Color the picture of Jesus blessing the children.

Story:   Letting His Light Shine

    Barnabas lived in Chea in the Solomon Islands.   He was a lay preacher, always sharing the love of Jesus in his church.  After he attended a special meeting for lay preachers, he said,  “I will go to an island far away where people have not heard about Jesus love.” 

    Though Barnabas had white hair and his bones were old and creaky, he got ready for his trip to the far away island.   He put his clothes into a plastic bag and carefully put his precious Bible carefully among the clothes.  Then he tied the plastic bag shut and carried it to his canoe. 

    Rain was falling as he stepped into his canoe and pushed it out into the choppy waves but his precious Bible was safe in the plastic bag with his clothes.  It would not get wet.

     At last, after many hours of paddling he saw the white sand of this island.  He was almost there. With excitement he pushed his canoe way up on the sand and got out of the canoe but he did not realize that when he took out his other things, he pushed the plastic bag with his Bible over the edge into the water.  In fact he had not missed this package as he briskly walked up the shore to the first home he wished to visit.  Just then he noticed that he did not have his clothes and Bible bag when a tall shining young man came running up the path.

    “You dropped your bag, sir,” the boy said respectfully.  “ I pulled it out of the water.  I hope your things are not spoiled.”

    Barnabas opened the bag and pulled out soaking wet clothes.  The he reached for his beloved Bible.  Had it been ruined by the water?  He could hardly believe his eyes—that Bible was perfectly dry!  It was indeed a miracle.

     And do you know what.  That Bible that would not drown had a great influence upon the people on this island.  The people listened very carefully to everything Barnabas shared with them from that Bible that would not drown.  They believed the stories of Jesus and soon were worshiping God on this Island too.  Barnabas had let his light shine with Jesus help!  You can do that too.

Sing:  “This Little Light of Mine, I’m going to let it shine”

* * * * *

11. a.  Doctor’s Light

     Have you ever been to see a doctor?  Sometimes he has a tiny light on his head so he can see inside your mouth.  With this special light he can see what is making you sick and then prescribe something to make you well.  This is a very useful light.

    Your light can shine as does this doctor’s light to search out trouble, too.  Is there someone you know who doesn’t have enough to eat?  Maybe someone forgot to bring their lunch to school.  You can share yours.  Do you know a little boy or girl who does not have enough clothes to keep him warm in the cold winter?  Maybe you can share one with that child. Use your light to search for those in need and then to help them.  Remember Jesus said, “As ye have done it unto the least of these, My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.”

   b.   Lesson Story: Scripture Text: Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:11-16; Luke 8:41-56; Luke 18:35-43.

     Our Bible Story is about Someone with a very special light.      Jesus came to earth to help people.  He made so many sick people well in some villages that there was not one sick person left!

    One day a very worried father came to Jesus and said, “My little daughter is so sick.  She’s almost dead.  Please come and make her well.”   Jesus heard and started walking to the house but so many people were around him he did not get there very fast.  The little girl did die.  Many people came to the home crying.  But when Jesus arrived, he sent all the crying people out of the room.  And with the father and mother standing there beside the daughter, Jesus said, “Daughter, I say to you Arise.”   The little girl opened her eyes and Jesus helped her get up.

Father & Mother were so happy.  And now the family loved Jesus so much.

     One time Jesus was walking with his friends into the small city of Nain.  Just as they reached the gate, they were met by a funeral procession. The widowed mother, who walked beside the body of her son, was crying so much, she did not recognize who was walking towards them.  All of a sudden everyone stopped walking.  She looked up into the kind face of Jesus.  How his heart loved this poor mother and her dead son.  He took the hand of the dead son and said,  “I say to you, arise!”  That is just what happened!  The young man opened his eyes to see the kind eyes of Jesus looking at him.  Then he looked at his mother. Her eyes were still filled with tears but now she was smiling at him through her tears as he arose from off the stretcher.  Oh this Jesus was wonderful!

    Jesus even helped servants be well.  A rich man loved the man who was his servant and was so sad to have him become ill.  He had heard how Jesus healed sick people so he sent a messenger to Jesus saying, “My servant is ill unto death, please say the word, and my servant will be made well.”  Here was a different situation.  Here was a man in authority telling Jesus that all he needed to do was to say the word and it would be done.  Jesus’ heart was happy to see the faith of this man and he did say the word, “Be healed”.  The sick servant, who was away off in his home, was healed right away.

     On another walk, Jesus met a blind man who was shuffling along with his stick held out in front of him, feeling for the path.  Someone had told the man that Jesus was coming and right away, he called, “Son of David, have mercy on me.”  Jesus stopped and asked him.  “What do you want?

     “Oh, Jesus is talking to me, a poor blind man,” thought the man.  He answered, Sir, that I might see.”  Jesus touched those blind eyes and instantly he could see.  The first thing he saw was the lovely face of Jesus.  He remembered to thank Jesus for his sight.

     Yes, Jesus helped so many people.  His light was shining so brightly and so many people were blessed.

Reinforcement Activities:

1. Color the picture of Jesus healing the sick girl or the blind man

2. Color the picture of the Doctor’s light

3. Lead the children in a discussion of how Jesus has helped them.  Then let them decide how they can let Jesus light shine through them.  Suggest that the children go to visit an old sick grandma and sing for her.

Story: “My Mommy Might Not Like It”

    Jesus let his light shine by healing so many people.  Doctors help people be well too.  But there are other ways to help people be well.  Here is a story of how a little girl let her light shine and it helped someone learn about Jesus.

     Brenda  and her mother, Mrs Zarska, was eager to meet their new neighbors when they first moved in.  She wanted to share Jesus love with them and was so happy that their church was planning to have a Vacation Bible School.  She would invite the neighbors to send their children to the VBS program.

    When Mrs. Zarska visited the Days, the new mother said, “I don’t like people who try to force their religion on someone else.” Mrs. Zarska returned home feeling sad.  How could she reach her neighbor with the message of Jesus’ soon return?

    “Mamma,” 5-year-old Brenda Zarska asked one day, “why do the Days to church on Sunday, and we go on Sabbath”

    Mrs. Zarska explained again to her little girl about Creation and the Sabbath.

     “You see, honey,” the mother continued,  “the Days don’t know about the Sabbath, and the only way for them to know is for someone to tell them.”

     A few days later a small tragedy struck the Zarska family.  Their cat was struck by a car.  Mr. Zarska was at work with the car, so his wife hurried next door and asked Mrs. Day to take her with the cat to the vet.

    On the way home Mrs. Day told about a conversation she had with little Brenda a few days previously.

    “I have something to tell you, Mrs. Day,” Brenda had said.

    “Yes, what is it?”

    “I’d better not tell you,” the 5-year-old hesitated.  “My mommy might not like it.”

     “Oh, do tell me, dear,” Mrs. Day had coaxed.

     “Why don’t you keep the Sabbath like Jesus says?” Brenda asked.  “Jesus says the seventh day is the Sabbath.”

     After recounting this amusing little incident, which evidently impressed itself quite firmly upon her mind, Mrs. Day said, “Please tell me about the Sabbath.”

    Mrs. Zarska did, and today Mrs. Day and her two children are baptized members of the Seventh-day Adventist church, all because an earnest little girl let her light shine.

    God wants every one of us to let our lights shine too.   Have you shone today?

                                                                                                                        -  In Step With Jesus p. 250

* * * * *

10.   Japanese Lantern

      a.   Japanese lanterns are things of loveliness.  They serve a small purpose.  They let us know where a Japanese Restaurant is.   If we use them for a party, they make the place look inviting.  But because they have such small bulbs, one cannot read, sew or play the piano from their lights. And they only shine where they are plugged in.

     b.  Lesson Story:  Brave Queen Esther -   Lesson Scripture:   Esther 1-10

     Hadassah was a little girl when she lost her father and mother.  Cousin Mordecai let her live in his home and there she learned how to shine.  In fact one day cousin Mordecai said, “Hadassah, I am going to call you Esther for you are like a far away shining star, always being sweet and helpful.

     Hadassah liked her new name.  ‘Esther – the shining star!’  She would always try to shine.

    One day her cousin, who was the gate keeper for the king, heard that the King was searching for a new queen.  He thought, “My shining Esther would make a nice queen,” so he entered her name.   When she came to the palace, the people in charge of the queen search,  thought so too. “Here is a special sweet and beautiful girl!  We will give her all the best and the King will be happy to choose her as his queen.”

    That is just what happened.  Esther, the shining star was chosen to be the new Queen and even at the Palace, she kept her little light shining.

     One day a new man, Haman, was chosen to work for the King.  He was a proud and haughty man who expected the people to give him attention. Soon they were bowing down to him as he passed by.  That made his proud heart even prouder.  But when he entered the King’s palace, he saw that Esther’s cousin Mordecai, the gate keeper, did not bow down to him.  Oh, that made him so angry.

     Soon he came up with a plan.  He would ask the king to destroy all those who did not worship the king as their God.  And the King, who was also a proud man thought, “I only want people who worship as I do and do what I ask them to do!”  So he signed that law.  Soon messengers were running all over Babylon with the new message,  “The King demands that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, all the people who worship the God of Heaven should be destroyed.”

      Mordecai heard about that new law.   He asked Queen Esther to go before the king and plead for him to save all these people – Mordecai and Queen Esther included.  Esther and all of the people who worshiped the God of Heaven, prayed for three days.  Then God gave Esther a plan.  She would invite the king and Haman to a feast.  She had people prepare special food.  Then they decorated the banquet hall with lovely flowers and lights – like the Japanese lantern.

     “What is it Queen Esther that you want?” the king asked when they attended her first banquet.

     “Please come to another banquet tomorrow and I will tell you,” she said sweetly.

     After the second banquet, Queen Esther told the King, “I want the lives of me and my people to be saved.”

     “Who would do such a wicked thing,” asked the King.

     “ It is this wicked Haman,” Queen Esther said pointing to Haman. “He wants to destroy all who worship the God of Heaven and I belong to that group of people.”

    The King was angry with Haman for getting him to sign that law.  Now he signed a new law which gave permission for the people who worshiped the God of heaven to fight to save themselves.

     Yes, Esther was like the Japanese Lanterns.  She was beautiful to see and useful to use and her light did not shine too brightly, except when God gave her courage!

Reinforcement Activities:

1.  Color and prepare the Japanese Lantern to Hang

2.  Color the picture of Esther, the shining star

3.  Cut a folding star

4.  Be ‘little Esthers’ in the community by doing kind little deeds – then plan to do one big community project where the ‘little Esthers’ will shine brightly, like the real Queen Esther did.

Story:  God Supplied The Money

    Helen was a missionary nurse in Africa.  All around her she saw a great need for Bibles.  The people were poor.  Bibles cost money.  Even though the people were nominal Christians, the government and the state church discouraged the distribution of the Bible in many areas.

    One evening when Helen was praying, a voice seemed to say to her, “Go to the capital city tomorrow.”

    Helen pondered the message.  Was God speaking to her?  Or was Satan seeking to taunt her?  The plane flew from her isolated area to the capital only one day a week.  What should she do?

    Helen decided she would obey the voice.  Next morning, well before departure time, she was at the airport ready for the journey to the capital.

   Arriving in the city, Helen went to the Bible society.  She had been praying about Bibles for her people when the Voice spoke to her.  If the Lord was bringing her to the big city to answer her prayer, it must have something to do with Bibles, and she would go to the Bible society.

    But why go there?  She had no money to buy Bibles, and the society had already told her that Seventh-day Adventists had received far more than their share of Bibles for the year.  Nevertheless, Helen headed to the Bible society.

    As she entered the building the manager hurried toward her.  “Oh, Miss Flemming,” he spoke enthusiastically, “we have just received a shipment of seventy thousand New Testaments.  Wouldn’t you like to have some of them?”

    Would she!  Helen wanted everyone of them, and she said so!  The Lord was answering her prayers.  But what about the three thousand dollars she needed to pay for such an order?  She was sure that the same Lord who had made them available would also help her pay for them.

    “I’ll take them all,”  Helen promised.  And she did—all seventy thousand!

    What about money to pay for them?  Oh, the Lord provided that, too.  The next day Helen received a check for more than three thousand dollars—just the amount needed

Think About It:

1. The Bible is called a lamp for our feet.  Read Psalm 119:105.  Do you let God’s word light your feet?

2. Was Helen being a light for Jesus?  If so How?

3. Did God hear Helen’s prayer?   Will He answer our prayers?  Have you ever had a prayer answered?

* * * * *

9   A Star Leads Wisemen to Jesus

    a. A Gas Light:    A gas light was a great invention.  It could be put in the middle of the room and light the whole room.  Several together could light a huge room.  Even now, when people need a bright light and there is no electricity, they go and get a gas light.  This light is lit by gas being pumped into the lamp.  This light is usually placed in one place and not carried from place to place like the kerosene lantern, though gas lights have been made which are moveable. 

    b.  Lesson Story,   Scripture text:  Matthew 2:1-11;  Isaiah 6:1,“Arise, shine:  for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”

   In the Bible we have a story of a light which shone brightly even when it was moved around. Let’s go to this story as found in the Bible book known known as Matthew to chapter 2.

     Before we read these verses I would like you to think about what makes people to be Wise.  (Accept answers to this question such as study, learn, be old etc.)  Your answers are all correct.  To be really wise a person must study for many years.  But children can be wise to, because they can ask Jesus to help them remember what they have learned.  I think that all of you are wise when you do your school work and especially when you have studied well.

   Our Bible story begins with some very wise men studying the stars. These wise men were called astronomers.  As they studied the stars at night, they noticed that a bright new star was shining.  Then they noticed that it was even moving.  It did not stay in one place as all the other stars did.  Now these men were also wise in the study of the Bible.  They had read that someday God would send His own Son as a Baby to earth to the City of Bethlehem, because of His love for the people who lived down here.  This Son was to show the people how kind and loving the Father in Heaven is.

    The wisemen were very excited to find this new star that was moving.  As they watched the star, they noticed that it was moving west from where they lived.  They even made plans to follow the path of this star.   And if this was going to lead them to God’s Son, the King of the Jews, they must plan to give Him presents.  Let us take a peek at them as they plan what presents to give.

    “Surely a king would need lots of gold so that His palace would look nice”, said the first wise man. “I will carry these bars of gold.”

      “I know that Kings love pretty throne rooms and beautiful things.  I am going to take some frankincense to help the palace of new King smell very sweet,” said the second wise man.

      “I have found a bottle of Myrrh oil because I know that kings like to smell nice,” replied the last wise man. 

     With their lovely gifts ready, they began their journey following the moving star.  Resting in the daylight, they were ready to begin traveling as soon as the star began to shine again.

    Can you see these men riding on their camels, looking shadowy as they moved across the desert during the night.   I think that their camels were glad to lie down and rest as the morning light shone away the star gleam.  After days of travel, suddenly the star stood still.  They had reached the town of Jerusalem.  Oh such excitement filled their hearts.  They were soon to see this new king.

      But they were surprised that no one knew that a baby king was born – not even the King of the Land.  After they searched and searched, evening came and suddenly, they saw the bright star again.  Their hearts were happy as they followed the star towards the little township of Bethlehem and guess what, that star moved to shine on the exact place where Jesus and his parents were staying.  But it was not a palace of the king! 

     No matter, the star had led them to this place and so they knocked on the door.  Inside they saw the lovely child, Jesus, with his mother and father.  They felt such reverence as they knelt down by the baby and offered him their gifts.  They had found the Baby King! 

       When they got on their camels again, they hearts were light.  They did not need the star now to help them go home.  They knew the way.

      The moving bright star which lit the way of the wise men was a group of angels.  They were just like flash lights are to us as they help us walk during the night without getting hurt. 

Reinforcement activities:

1. Color the picture of the wise men following the angel star.

2. Have the children find some sweet smelling flowers like jasmine blossoms, and try to squeeze out some sweet perfume.  They will find that It is a hard task, and will realize why the frankincense and myrrh  were expensive  gifts, fit for a king.  Making this perfume had taken a long time!

3. Children may draw pictures of flowers from where perfume comes from.

Story:  The Star Jar

     “But if Jesus comes before I grow up and can preach or witness I won’t have any stars in my crown,” 5-year-old Steven Gennick, of Mio, Michigan, lamented.  “I want some shining stars in my crown!”

     “So do I!” chimed in Theodore, his 6-year-old brother.

    Mrs. Faith Gennick had been talking earnestly with her children about telling others of Jesus, and how happy it makes the Saviour.

    “Maybe we could help someone bigger than we are tell people about Jesus,” Steven suggested.”

    Mother thought for a few moments and then spoke.  “I’ve heard that an evangelist in New Guinea can be supported with only a few dollars a month.  Maybe you children could save some of your money, and we can send it to the New Guinea to help support a worker there.”

    “Oh, goody,” squealed Steven, “I like that.  I’ll save some money by not buying candy.”

    “Me too,” joined in Theodore.  “Let’s get a jar and put our money in.”

    Of course, the jar was labeled the shining star jar.  The children hunted mushrooms and sold them.  They put the money in their shining star jar.  Berries were picked.  Chores were done.  Kendall, an older brother, found some money on the road, which he added to the jar.

    The mission project involved the whole Gennick family.  Although ted and Steven had the idea of the jar, their older brothers, Kendall, 8 and Randall, 11 and a sister, Ramona, also 11, all joined in to help fill the jar.

    Every day Steven and Theodore would take the jar down and carefully count the money, eager for the day to come emptied and a check was sent to the General Conference for New Guinea, to help Ted and Steven have some shining stars in their crowns.

     Maybe we can start a shining star jar too.  Of course, first we have to witness personally for Jesus, but if we don’t feel that we are doing enough, get a jar and fill it with money to help finish the work, as the Gennick family did.  God always blesses when we share the love of Jesus with others.                                                                                      - from In Step With Jesus  p 226

* * * * *

8.  a. Modern Lamp

     Many of us have lamps in our homes.  When we want to do our homework or sit and read, we run and turn on the lamp.  This modern lamp usually has a shade on it.  This helps to keep the electricity  bulb light from blinding us as it shines.  We say it diffuses the light.  We Christians light bulbs have just the same sort of helper, as the lampshade.  It is our church.  When we attend Sabbath School and church regularly, our lights are guided in the proper directions and shown how to best shine.  However, there are places we can go to where there will not be a lampshade.  Then we cannot do the work God wants us to do, like smoking, drinking, cheating and discos, etc.  Let us give our light the best possible atmosphere in which to shine.

     b. Lesson Story,  Scripture Texts: Acts 9: 1-8;  2Timothy 1:1-7

     Speaking of being in a good place to let our lights shine, let’s turn into our Bibles and read about a young boy named Timothy.

    Preacher Paul was a missionary.  He would travel from town to town, country to country, to share the good news of Jesus life, death and resurrection.  Now Preacher Paul had not always been a special friend of Jesus.  In fact, he thought he was doing good when he would put people who loved Jesus into jail.  But one day on his way to a city called Damascus to find more people who loved Jesus to be put into jail, a very bright light shone on Paul and a voice said,  “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me.”

     Paul asked, “Who are you.”

    “I am Jesus who you are persecuting. Saul I want you to work for me. I will change your name to Paul.”

     Saul had been blinded by that bright light and had fallen down on the ground to hide his eyes.      When he had arisen from the road, he was blinded by that light and  he was a changed man.  He became a minister for Jesus.

    On one of his journeys, Paul met a special family.  In fact, sometimes he stayed in this home and the little son, Timothy, learned to love Paul.  In fact, Paul was like a grandpa to him.  He already had a special grandma living in his home.  Her name was Eunice.  She would take young Timothy and tell him stories about Jesus.  Together Timothy, his mother and grandmother Eunice always enjoyed having Minister Paul visit them.

     When Timothy grew older, he sometimes traveled with Paul where he learned how to be a preacher just like Paul.  Timothy was a young minister letting his light shine too.

    Boys and girls, I pray that each of you is learning to love Jesus just like Paul and Timothy did. Then you can let your light shine, too.

Reinforcement Activities

1.  Have a piece of dark colored plastic, like x-ray paper.  Let the children look at the light bulb through this piece of dark colored plastic.  What does it look like?  Is it hard to look at this light with the plastic?  No!

2. Color the picture of Saul being struck by the blinding light of heaven or of Timothy listening to his mother reading the Bible.

3.  Color the light bulb yellow,  than paste on hard card, tie a string through the top of the bulb so that it can hang down – getting ready to hang the light on the wire for the their Sabbath program.

Story:       Sarepta Let’s her Light Shine

    When Serepta was a young girl, her kind mother died.  Now she had only her busy kind minister father to look after her.  This little girl accompanied her father on his preaching missions.  One day Sarepta was taken ill after traveling  in the rain.  Father had to find a home for Serepta to stay while he travelled all around to visit his churches.

    The people where Sarepta were kind people.  They gave her a lovely bed to sleep on.  Then she was called to eat a meal with them.  Now Sarepta always asked God to bless her food before she would eat so at this home she waited and waited.  Finally, the lady said, “Are you not hungry.”

     “Oh, yes I am hungry,” Sarepta said, “I don’t eat until the food is blessed.

    “We don’t bless food around here,” answered the man.

     Now, what should Sarepta do.   She quickly said, “May I bless the food then if no one else knows how to pray for food,” she quietly asked.

     When no one answered, Sarepta said, “Ok, everyone let’s fold our hands and close our eyes, while I pray.”      

     “Dear Jesus, thank you for this good food.  Help us to use our energy to bless others and bless those who do not have food, Amen.”

     She then picked up her folk and began to eat hungrily.  She hardly noticed that the man of the family rose and went into the kitchen after she prayed.

     It was the same for evening worship.  Since no one had family worship, Sarepta got her Bible and called the family into the living room, where she had a little pray, sang a hymn and then read some scriptures.”

    Little Sarepta prayed before each meal and had evening family worship as long as she was in that home.

     Several years later, when she was a grown woman, she received a letter from this family.

     In it she read, “We want to tell you that ever since you were in our home, we always say the blessing before we eat.  And we have always had evening worship.  We are now worshiping in church with the Seventh-day Adventist church (in a city).  Thank you Serepta, for letting your light shine for Jesus when you lived in our home.”

* * * * *

7.  a.   Lightbulbs  

     Light bulbs are a modern way to get light. There are all colors of light bulbs, there are flashing ones and some blink on and off.  We can have all the light bulbs we want but if we don’t have one thing, they don’t do us any good.  What is that?  Yes, it is electricity

    Like the light bulb, we need help if we are to shine with a clear, bright light.  We can find our help through praying to Jesus, not just at bedtime, but all day long.  Jesus is the electricity and we are the light bulbs.  Our Bible story today tells us of someone who saw a light even brighter than a light bulb and it helped him to connect to God so that he could shine too.

    b.  Lesson Story:     A ‘Light from Heaven ’ encourages a very sorry man. Scripture Texts: Genesis 27, 28

    Remember that God blessed Isaac, Abraham’s son with twin sons.  The firstborn was named Esau and the other Jacob.  Esau and Jacob, though twin boys, did not enjoy doing the same things.  Jacob loved to care for his father’s sheep and cattle, enjoying seeing the new little lambs and calves.  He even liked to help his mother cook.  I guess we could call him a ‘around the home’ boy.  But Esau just loved to roam the hills.  Early he learned to hunt deer for food.  He knew where the best hills and valleys were where the deer grazed.  And Daddy Isaac loved his adventuresome little wild son.  Somehow, he did things that Isaac never thought of doing, and his father loved to listen to his tales of being in the wild country.  Daddy Isaac did love to have son Jacob around, too because he was a serious worshiper of the God of heaven.  It was he who would listen to the worship stories at night which Isaac often told.  How Jacob learned to love His father’s God and longed to receive God’s blessings.   Yes, the twins were definitely different.

    When father Isaac grew old and felt that he might die soon, he called his oldest son Esau to him.  “Please go and get some venison--deer meat-- that I love.  I want to give you my blessings before I die.

    Esau happily set out to do just that.  But mother Rebecca, who had heard Isaac say he wanted to give Esau the blessing,  remembered what God had told her when the twins were soon to be born. The younger son was to receive the blessing. She had not learned yet to trust God to carry out His own plans.  Together she & Jacob worked out a lie to get old blind Isaac to bless Jacob, first.  The lie worked and Isaac blessed Jacob.  When Esau returned with his lovely cooked venison, he was sad to learn that he was not going to receive the first blessing.  Oh, he was angry with Jacob. saying that he was going to kill him someday.   And by now , Jacob who was already feeling sorry that he had lied to his blind old father, had to run away. 

    Jacob left behind all he had come to hold dear—his home and his mother and father.  He was lonely and discouraged.  Although being separated from his family and friends was bad, something else made him miserable:  he feared that his sin of lying and cheating had cut him off from the God he had loved and felt that even Heaven had forsaken him.

      On the second night, with his heavy heart, Jacob lay down upon the hard ground and, resting his head upon a stone, looked into the starry heavens above him thinking of God, then he went to sleep.  Suddenly a glorious light appeared before his eyes in a dream.  The light began to take shape.  Jacob saw unfolding before him a scene of dazzling splendor.

    Beautiful golden yellow steps rose from his lonely wilderness upward to the very gates of God.  On the steps lots of heavenly beings—angels of God—were passing up and down.  From the glory above, the frightened running away Jacob heard a message of comfort and hope.

    The voice of God brought assurance to His repentant child. Though he had sinned when he lied to his old blind father, Jacob was not separated from heavenly contact.  There was hope and help for him.  The Lord, in His love, gave him that assurance.  “Thus was made known to Jacob that which met the need and longing of his soul—a Saviour.  Now his heart was filled with joy and gratitude.  He had seen that Jesus was the ladder to use as the means of communicating with God.

    Jesus still connects boys and girls with Heaven today.  When we are naughty and sin, He still offers us forgiveness. Let us remember to talk to our Friend Jesus all the time as He loves to talk with us too.

Reinforcement Activities:

1. Color the picture of Jacob and add the shining Ladder.

2. Tell the children to draw a picture of how they feel God talks to them. Ex: Through nature, Bible reading, praying, parents, pets, etc.

3. Using puppets, enact how Jacob felt as he, in his dream, heard God tell him that he was forgiven for being a cheat & liar. (This puppet scene could be used again at the final program for the church on Sabbath 13.)

Story:  Lights That Shine

    Dhanie lived in South Africa.  When he became a Seventh-day Adventist, he encountered much opposition from his parents.

    One day Dhanie received word that his pastor, Elder Retief, would be visiting his church.  This was to be a very important weekend, for it was only on rare occasions that Pastor Retief was able to leave his large pastorate in the city to visit this small country-community church.

    Dhanie was hopeful that Pastor Retief would  be able to stay at his house over the weekend, for he knew that none of the other families were in a position to invite the minister to their homes.  But he was hesitant to suggest this to his mother because of her attitude toward Adventists.

    “My minister will be here this weekend.” Dhanie ventured early in the week, “but he will have to stay in the hotel.”

    His mother, with true Affikaans hospitality, was upset. “Stay in a hotel?” she blurted.  “You must invite him to spend the weekend with us.  But, “she added, “He must not talk religion to me.”

    The memorable weekend came—and passed.  Elder Retiref stayed in Dhanie’s home.  He left without mentioning a word about religion.

    The following weekend Dhanie was preparing to go to Sabbath School.

    “May I attend your Sabbath school with you, son?” his mother requested.

    “Of course, Mother, I’ll be so happy to have you!”

    Each weekend that followed, Mother went to church with her son.  Dhanie could no longer refrain from asking why.

    “It’s that minister of yours,” his mother replied.  “He didn’t mention religion while he spent the weekend with us.  But if I ever met a man of God, Pastor Retief is surely one.  I want to know more about a religion that makes men like that!”

    Today mother is a baptized member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and attends services with her son, Dhanie, each weekend – all because a visiting minister let his light shine.  Be sure you let your light shine too.

* * * * *

6.   a. Gas Light

     When our parents were little kids, they quit using the wick lamps and kerosene lantern and began to use lights using gas to make the light.  These lights could be put in the middle of a room and light up the entire room.  You could put several together in one place and that was called a chandelier.  This gas light was run by gas which was piped into the lamp.  This made a good light but could not be carried from place to place.  Makes me think of a Bible story of three young men who let their light shine, just from the place that they were working!

    b. Lesson Story: A Burning Fiery Furnace and Three Brave Men.  Scripture verse:  Daniel 2 & 3

     It was morning.  King Nebuchadnezzar stirred on his bed.  He awoke still feeling tired.  During the night he had had a scary dream but he could not remember what it was about.  That troubled him.

    “Wise men,” he called.  When they came running to him, he said, ”I had a very scary dream. Please tell me what it was about.”

     Since no wise man could do that, he threatened to kill all of them.  Four Israelite young men, Daniel, Shadrack, Mishack and Abednego were included in this group of ‘wise men’.   They asked the king for one more day when they would pray and ask God to help them know the dream. 

     “Let’s pray right away,” Daniel suggested.  And they did.  Then they slept and during the night God showed the same  figure again to Daniel in a dream, also explaining to him the meaning of this dream.

     When the men awoke, Daniel said, “Oh God has answered our prayers. Let’s thank Him,” as they all knelt down to pray.

     Finally, Daniel was able to tell the king what his dream was about and what it meant.

     Oh King Nebuchadnezzar felt wonderful.  Do you know why?  In the dream ‘His kingdom was represented by a golden head.’   Then he became very proud.   It was not long after, that Nebuchadnezzar decided to build a huge stature of a man, just like the one he had seen in his dream.  Only this one would be all of gold and shiny -- all of it--  not just the head. 

     When the large golden stature was finished building,  the gold on it shone very brightly in the afternoon sun.  The king called all the people who helped him rule Babylon, to come at the special opening dedication of this stature.  The King wanted everyone to know how important he was.

    Among these rulers were Daniel and his three friends, though Daniel was not there at this time.  Only the three friends were still in Babylon.   They went to the opening ceremony and listened to the King’s speak.  They heard  when the music started and everyone was to bow down to worship this Stature which represented King Nebuchadnezzar and his greatness.  But they worshiped God and did not plan to bow down to an idol. They remained standing up!

     Soon they were taken to see the king. “These men did not bow down to your golden statue.  They only worship the God of Heaven and not the god’s of Babylon,” the men reported.

     Oh, the King was angry, but he knew these three men were good workers, so he thought that he would give them another chance.

    “We are going to play the music again, the King told them.  “When it sounds, please bow down to this image.” But this did not seem to bother the three men.  They said,

     “Oh king live forever.  We will not worship this image because we worship the God of heaven.  God can save us or maybe not.”   King Nebuchadnezzar became very angry because they did not do what he wanted.  He told people to make the furnace hotter, then had strong soldiers threw them into the fire.   Oh, that fire was hot. It burned up the soldiers who threw the men in.

     Now, the King watched all of this being done.  He was sure that this would be the end of men who would not do as he asked.  Suddenly, he cried out in fright,  “Didn’t we throw only three men into that hot furnace?  I can see four men walking around and one looks like the Son of God.  ( In his dream he must have seen what the Son of God looked like.)

     “You men in the fire, come out!” he called.  Shadrak, Meshak and Abednego came walking out.  They were not burned and didn’t even smell of smoke.   

     Now King Nebuchadnezzar said,  “There is a God in heaven much greater than my image.  I will encourage everyone who lives in my kingdom to worship this God who can save from fire like He did these three faithful men.

     Yes, the three young men, Shadrack, Meshak and Abednego were bright lights shining in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar.   What kind of light is your life making?

Reinforcement Activities:

1. Help the teacher make a list of how to let our lights shine.

2. Color the picture of Shadrack, Meshak & Abednego

3. Make their own gas Lamp picture

Story:  A Bird That Shone

     Boys and Girls, you are a shining light.  So glad that you want to make a good light.  Well, today, our story is not going to be about children.  We are going to hear how a bird shone so brightly in a home full of sickness.

    The family lived in a home out in the country.  There were birds flying around the trees and out in the rushes by the little sewer lake.  They would sing their lovely songs as the family lived there with them.

    One day, someone saw something different floating on the water.  It looked like a bunch of sticks with something black in the middle.  The children went out to see and there was a young red-winged black bird sitting among the sticks.  Somehow, it’s nest had fallen into the water.

    “Mother, what can we feed this little bird?  It’s hungry! See it open its mouth so wide.”

    “Go and get some of the left over mashed potatoes and an egg,” counseled mother.   Quickly she mixed the two together and the children were happy to see the bird eat this food so hungrily.   For a little while the little mouth was shut, but it soon opened again for more.  He thrived on this food.

     While Black bird was growing bigger, father did not feel well.  In fact, he was hurting so badly, he could hardly get out of bed. During the day time he would lay down on the couch so he could be near his family.   Even after a visit to the doctor’s office, he still did not get better.  Finally a doctor said, “You will need to have surgery, before this pain will get better.”

     After having surgery, father spent many days on the couch, getting better and the little blackbird would fly to father, chortling pleasantly, and give him a few beaky but sympathetic caresses.  Then he would snuggle his small feathery body close, make a little nest in the blankets, and settle down for a nice sick call.

    Sometimes neighbors and friends came to visit father as he lay on the couch getting better.  Imagine their surprise to see a little bird lying beside father, twittering softly, as if he was talking.

    Father and the children enjoyed watching Blackbird look at magazines.  Yes, he did that.  He would stand on the table with the magazine and turn the pages with his beak, just like if he was reading.  Sometimes his feet would slip on the slippery table top, but he just kept on trying to ‘read’.

    There was one more thing that Blackbird would do that entertained daddy as he spent those many painful days lying on the couch getting better. Usually this activity was saved for when all the family was together. 

    Friday evening was bath night for the family and so it was for Blackbird.  A small pan of water was all that was needed.   For 15 minutes Blackbird would dip and splash in the water, sometimes even diving under.  After bathing, he would fly to the edge of lampshade where he preened his feathers until they shone shiny and black.

    That year there was suffering and sadness but whenever the family would remember that time, they would say, “Remember the little red-winged blackbird which helped daddy and us so much.”

                                                                                                                         – How To Get to Heaven From Your House p. 90

Think about it.

How was Blackbird like a shining light?   Who do you think sent the little bird to this family?   Should we be kind to all of God’s creatures?    Even little birds?  

* * * * *

5.   a.  Kerosene Lantern

    The little wick lamp was good light for the home in years gone by, but what would happen if it were taken outside and a breeze came along?  Yes, it would blow out.  Man needed to have a light he could use outside when he had to be out at night so he invented the kerosene lantern.  This he could carry around with him and not be afraid a breeze would come along and leave him without a light.

          b.  Lesson:    Jesus Call to Simon Peter, “I will Make you Fisher’s of Men”  Lesson Scripture:  Luke 5:1-11

     Some of Jesus helpers were fishermen.  There was Simon Peter & his brother Andrew.  Then there was James & John.  As Jesus walked and taught the people, he sometimes went to the Sea of Galilee where these fishermen worked. 

     These fishermen knew that the best time to fish was at night.   They would rest in the day, spend some time mending their nets but when it began to grow dark, it was time to get to work. 

     Why was the night the best time to fish.  Well, during the day with the hot sun shining on the water, the fish would swim way down deep to keep away from the heat and danger from above,  but at night when it was cooler,  they would come up to the top to eat.   Each fishing boat had a small lantern on it to attract the fish to come near to the light. Then the nets would be thrown out to catch these fish swimming near the light.  But some nights hardly any fish would come swimming by and so no fish could be caught.

   It was one of those days when no fish had been caught in the night that Jesus was walking by the sea.  People from nearby villages heard that Jesus was there and rushed to be near him to listen to Him telling his stories and to be healed.  That morning so many people came to listen to Jesus that he looked around and saw these fisher-men’s boats near the shore dancing in the waves coming in the shore while the men were washing their nets. 

     As Jesus stepped into his boat he said to Peter, “Please push your boat a little further into the lake so that I can sit in it as I talk to these people crowding around me.

    Peter was happy to do that and I can imagine he and the other fishermen enjoyed listening to Jesus lessons and stories too, but Peter was sad as well, as this night they had not caught any fish. “How could he feed his family without fish to sell?”

    When Jesus was finished talking to the people, he turned to Peter and said, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for to fish.”

    Now Peter loved Jesus,  but he knew what Jesus said was not wise.  Whoever heard of fish swimming near the top of the water when the sun was shining.  “Master we have worked all night and didn’t catch any fish, but to please you, we will do what you say.”   Then he and Andrew got ready to throw out the net.  What a surprise he had!  As the brothers tried to bring the net back to the boat it was very heavy.   There was a large splashing sound as many fish tried to get away from the net.  Then the net started to break.

     “Quick, James and John,” Peter shouted.  “Bring your boat right here.  We have fish enough for your boat too.”

    The four men worked fast as they unloaded the fish from the net into the two boats.  All of a sudden Peter thought.  “How could there be so many fish swimming right here with the sun shining? This is a miracle!”   Peter didn’t even wait to help row the boat to shore.  He just jumped into the water and came to where Jesus stood, then fell on his knees saying, “Jesus, please I am a very sinful man. I don’t deserve such a miracle.”

    Jesus looked fondly at Peter and said,  “You don’t  have to fear now about being my helpers, I will take care of you.  From now on, I want you to be a fishers of men, not of fish.”

    You know, those four men, first helped to bring those two full boats of fish to shore and then said farewell to the life of fisher men.  They would not be toiling all night waiting for fish to come swimming to their lantern light, so they could catch them.  Instead, they would be going along with Jesus or on their own trips,  telling people about their best Friend, Jesus. The “‘Light’ of the World” would be with them!

Reinforcement Activities:

1. Make a paper mache boat or fold a boat using origami folding

2. Color the picture of Jesus with the fishermen

3. Practice giving this story using puppets. (for the Special Program at the end.) 

4. Color the picture of the lantern and paste on a hard card.  Then cut out and attach a string to the picture to hang in their room to remember how Jesus wants them to be shining while they are “fishers of children.”

 Story: ‘When God Controlled a Railroad Train’

    Many years ago an engineer brought his train to stop at a little village in Massachusetts, USA, where the passengers had only five minutes to get off the train and stretch their legs a bit before the train pulled out again.

    “The conductor tells me that the train to Bedford leaves the junction ahead fifteen minutes before we get there,”  said a sad-looking lady on the platform to the engineer.  “That is the last train tonight to Bedford, and I’m trying to get home with a very sick child.  I have no money for a hotel.  I simply must reach that train on time and get home tonight.”

     “It can’t be done,” replied the engineer.

    “Would it be possible for you to hurry a little?” asked the anxious, tearful mother.

    “No, Ma’am.  I have a schedule, and the rules say I must follow it exactly.”

    The woman turned away sorrowfully.  But a moment later, she was back.  “Are you a Christian?” she asked the engineer.

    He looked somewhat puzzled.  “Yes, I am,” he answered.  “Why do you ask?”

    “Will you pray with me that the Lord may in some way delay that train at the junction?”

    “Well. . . Yes, I’ll pray with you, but I don’t have much faith that the train will be delayed long enough for you to make your connection.”

    Just then the conductor called out, “All aboard!”

    The poor woman hurried to get back into the train and take care of her sick child.  The engineer quickly climbed to his spot in the engine, and soon the train was puffing its way down the track, climbing the grade.  In her seat on the train, the woman prayed for God to help her to reach the Bedord train in time.  Up in his seat at the throttle, the engineer also prayed.  “Lord,” he said, “delay that Bedford train only ten minutes, and I’ll make up the extra five minutes!”

    “Somehow,” the engineer later recalled, “everything seemed to go according to some plan.  After I prayed, I couldn’t help increasing my speed just a little!  We hardly paused at the first stop.  People got on and off more quickly than I’ve ever seen before.  In half a minute, the conductor was waving his lantern, and we were off once more.  I began to have more faith that we would reach the junction before that other train left.

    “Once over the summit of the mountain, it was easy to give the engine a little more steam, and then a little more.  I prayed, and the train seemed to shoot down the rails like an arrow.  I sensed something was pushing us forward, and I couldn’t hold her back!  We came rushing into the junction six minutes ahead of schedule.  And there stood the Bedford train!  Its conductor was still standing on the platform, his lantern resting at his side.”

    Now, these trains never connected with each other.  They weren’t intended to; the schedule didn’t allow for it.  No message had been sent ahead to hold the Bedford train.  There was no reason it should not have left the station several minutes earlier.  Yet, there it stood—waiting.

    The conductor of the Bedford train approached the engineer of the train that had just pulled into the junction.  “Well,” he inquired, “will you tell me what we’re waiting for?  Somehow I felt that I needed to wait until you arrived at the station tonight.  But I don’t know why.”

    “I can tell you,” replied the engineer.  “I have a woman on board my train who has a sick child and who must get home tonight.  She has been praying—and I have been praying—that somehow your train would still be here when we arrived.  And here you are!”

Think About It

.  Does God know what we need before we tell Him about it in prayer?

.  Do you think God ever gets tired of doing good things for us?

-           From Storytime, Character-building Stories for Children, p. 6,  PPPH

* * * * *

4.   a. Old Fashioned Wick Lamp

    The candle was finally replaced by a better light - one that was safer and gave off more light.  These were wick lamps that your great grandmother or even your grandmother used to use.  Maybe some of your aunties in the villages are still using these lamps.  One of these small lamps could not light an entire room and whenever you went to another room you had to carry your light with you.  However, wherever this little lamp was, it gave off enough light to read or write by.

     b.The story of the Servant Girl for Naaman - Lesson Scripture: 2 Kings 5

     Today our Bible story talks about someone who let their light shine, even if it was very small light.

     A little girl had grown up in a very happy home where her father and mother worshiped the true God of heaven.  They lived on a farm where the children all helped to care for the farm.  The little girl often helped mother in the home with the cooking and cleaning.  Sometimes, she even tied up her long sleeves and helped mother wash the family’s clothes.  Someday, when she would grow big, she wanted to be able to take care of her own family.  Yes, mother did her best to train her daughter to be a good worker. 

    But during planting and harvesting time, she would even be out in the fields helping her father and older brothers plant and weed the crops.  When the crops ripened she would help to gather in the wheat.  But she liked picking ripe grapes the best.  They were so sweet and while she carried baskets of grapes to the winepress, she would taste some of the best ones.

    Reports had come to the family from other farmers that some soldiers from another country were coming into their land and taking off with farmer’s animals and even some grain, but what was most disturbing was that some children had been taken too.

     “Please be careful where you play,” mother cautioned her children.  And the children were being careful.  They only played around the yard.

     But one day, the little girl was busy working in the field.  Maybe, some bushes hid the place she worked from other workers for suddenly they heard a scream. Rushing to find out where she had been working, they did not find her but saw horse tracks instead.  A raiding party  with horses had taken the girl.  The family had no horses to give chase so the little girl was gone!  What would happen to her?

     We are told in the Bible in 2 Kings 5 that the Syrians had made a raiding trip to Israel and had taken captive a little maid.  Captain Naaman was in charge of the army for the King of Syria.  Lady Naaman always had ladies helping her in the house and Captain Naaman was happy to give this little girl to her to work for her.  

    I am sure that in the beginning the little maid was sad because she was not with her family but Lady Naaman was a kind lady and soon little maid was happier as she did her work. She would always miss her family but she was not so sad anymore.   Sometimes, little maid even sang some of the songs of God that her family sang during worship and on the Sabbaths.  This helped her not feel so lonely. 

    Lady Naaman liked to hear this cheerful girl sing.  She had things that made her sad and the songs would make her feel cheerful to.    As little maid got to know Lady Naaman, she would see that sometimes she would cry, especially when she would be talking to Captain Naaman. And these sad times came more often now.  Little maid finally realized why Lady Naaman was so sad.  Captain Naaman was a very sick man.  He had leprosy and no doctors were able to cure this disease.  He would just get worse and worse.

    Little maid remembered meeting Prophet Elisha once when he came through their farm.  Elisha was the Minister of God and he led people in the worship of the True God.  Sometimes he even made sick people feel better.   As little maid saw the sadness of Captain & Lady Naaman grow, she finally told Lady Naaman,  “I wish that Captain Naaman would go and see prophet Elisha.  The God he worships would heal him of his leprosy.”

    “Really,” said Lady Naaman. “Are you sure he would do that?”

    Yes, I am sure,” she said and finally, Lady Naaman talked to the Captain.  This was one gleam of happiness in their dark despair of illness.   Soon the king of Syria was told of this plan.

    “Oh, Captain Naaman, you must go.  You need to be well.  I need you to keep on leading my army,” said the King.

    Now Captain Naaman was not leading a raiding party.  Oh, no, he was going to find healing for his leprosy into the very land where little maid had come from and he was taking presents to give to Prophet Elisha.

     Captain Naaman rode right to the King of Israel.  He got off his horses and went before the king with a strange request, “I have come to have my leprosy healed.”  

    The King of Israel was very upset, he even tore his coat in anger.  Why would Captain Naaman come and ask him to heal him of leprosy?  He couldn’t do that.  Why, lots of his own people were sick with leprosy. The King of Syria was just picking a fight 

   Prophet Elisha heard that the king was upset.  “Why are you so upset that you tore your coat? Send Naaman to me,” he told the king. 

    So Captain Naaman took the road to Prophet Elisha’s house.  Captain Naaman waited for Prophet Elisha to come out and talk to him and heal him.  Instead, a servant man came and told the Captain,  “You are to go to the river Jordan and wash yourself under the water seven times and you will be well.”

     Captain Naaman was angry.  Prophet Elisha didn’t even think he was important enough to come and talk to him and now he was sending him down to the muddy Jordan River to wash seven time.  “Oh, no, I will not do that.” He said.

     He got on his horse and started riding toward home when his soldiers riding with him came to him and said, “You would have done something big to get well. Why don’t you do this little thing.  You do want to become well, don’t you.”

     Yes, Captain Naaman did not like being sick.  He slowly turned his horse down the road toward the river Jordan.  All his soldiers watched as he slowly went into the river and went under the water the first time.  They counted each time he went under.  They watched that as each time he came back up from the water, he was still sick with the leprosy.

    “You have gone down four times already, Keep on,” they encouraged him.

    Finally Naaman had only one more time to go under the water.  They all watched very carefully and excitedly.  When Captain Naaman came out of the water the seventh time, he let out a yell.  “Look at my skin!  Look at my skin!” He shouted.  It was the color of healthy skin. 

    Captain Naaman didn’t take long to get on his horse and ride back to see Prophet Elisha to say ‘Thank you.’    “Now I know that there is no god like the God in Israel,” he said.

     Captain Naaman took two mule burdens full of soil from Israel back to Syria on which to build analter to worship God.   And I am sure that little Maid would be joining him as he worshiped the God who had healed him of his leprosy.

    As Jesus’ lights, are you giving off enough light to light the corner where you live at home or at school?

    Sing the song: ‘Brighten the Corner Where You are”

Reinforcement Activities:

1.   Draw a picture of little maid  praying.  I am sure that Little Maid was praying for Captain Naaman so far away.

2.  Color the picture  of Naaman as he went under the water.  Put the number 1 to 7 on the top and circle the number seven to show that is when He was healed.

3.  Find a classmate or older person, who has a sore,  and help a grown-up bandage that sore.

Story: When Widow Greatheart’s home glowed

     A little boy walked into a village.  He was cold and hungry.  He did not have parents who could take care of him and now that it was winter, with lots of snow on the ground, he did not know where to go to find food and shelter.  Surely in this village with glowing lights, there would be food and a place to keep warm, especially as it was Christmas Eve, the night that everyone celebrated the birth of baby Jesus. 

     The boy went to the brightest street with the best lit homes and began to knock on the doors. Many times it was just a servant boy who answered the door and he was told ‘Go away, no one has time for you tonight”.

     At one home a man, with a party hat on opened the door and the boy could hear merry laughter coming from inside.  Surely there would be lots of nice food here but the man said, “We don’t have time tonight, to listen to your story.  Come again another time,” then he shut the door.

     The night was getting colder as the boy walked on down the streets but no one would bother to listen to him and give him any food.  Where could he go?  Then he noticed a little house at the end of the road.  Surely, someone who lived in such a little house would not have much food and fuel to keep warm.  But because he was so cold he must find someplace to go so he knocked very timidly on the door.

    Suddenly, the door flew open and an old white-haired lady stood there.  “You poor boy.  Please come in out of the cold,” she cried as she hurried him inside the house and shut the door.

    Then she got a blanket and wrapped it around the shivering boy.  Quickly she added some pieces of wood to her little fire and then sat the boy in a chair close to the fire, all the while talking, “Oh, you poor boy.  This is not a night to be outside with only these few clothes on.”

    Then she went into her little kitchen and put a kettle on the stove.  Soon she had warmed a cup of soup and brought it to the little boy. 

   “You must be hungry.  Here, eat this soup and this piece of bread.”  It had been a long time since the boy had eaten his last piece of hard dried bread.

    Soon the little boy felt warm and fed.  The old lady came and sat beside the boy and started to read the wonderful story of Jesus birth.  How, he enjoyed this special love from this old lady.

   Meanwhile up in the brighter streets someone happened to look out the window.  He noticed that the last little house on the street was all bright, like it was on fire.   “Quick!”  he shouted.  “Widow Greatheart’s house is on fire.”

     Parties were forgotten as everyone quickly put on their warm clothes and hurried down the streets towards Widow Greatheart’s house.  As they ran down the street, they realized that there was something strange about that fire.  The house was not really on fire, but was shining with a bright light.  Now more curious than ever, they hurried to the house and looked in the window. 

    There they saw Widow Greatheart, sitting beside the boy, who had knocked on their doors earlier in the evening asking for food.  He was bundled up warm beside the fireplace and eating some food, while Widow Greatheart was reading from the Bible.

    The scripture, “In as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these (children) you have done it unto me,” ran through many of their minds. They had missed receiving this blessing by sending the little cold and hungry boy away.  

Think About it

How can children help people who are in need?   Is it OK to ask for help if we ever are hungry?  Why do we help others?   Remember, that when we help others we are doing it for Jesus!

 * * * * *

1.   a.  Virgin Light

      The oil which makes this lamp burn is deep inside where it cannot be seen.  Because it is there when fire was touched to the opening in the lamp, it began to burn and thus to light the humble home of the people of Jesus’ time.  Seeing the lamp burn proved there was oil inside, even though it couldn’t be seen.

     The love of Jesus in our hearts cannot be seen with the naked eye, but our words and actions tell others whether or not it is there.  The love of Jesus in our hearts causes us to shine in all we say or do.   Lack of the love of Jesus causes our light to go out and our words and actions become unsuitable for a Christian.

       b.  Lesson Story:  10 Virgins, 5 were wise & 5 were foolish;  Bible Text:  Matthew 25:1-13.

       Mary was so excited.  Her cousin, Petera, was getting married soon and she had asked her to be one of the bridesmaids.  Now being a bridesmaid in Bethlehem was very special.  First, they had a very important duty to perform.  Each bridesmaid would carry a small lamp to light the way for the bridegroom to come to pick up his bride.  Now, this part of the marriage usually took place in the evening when it was dark.  The only light for the bridegroom and his attendants at this time came from these bridesmaid’s lamps so it was an important job that Mary would be helping with.

    Of course, all the bridesmaids would be dressed in special dresses and Mary was excited about that.  She loved getting new clothes.  But the most important part was her lamp.  It must be made from just the right kind of clay and then dried in the drying kiln just right.  Mary had asked her mother to help her with this task.  Now the lamp was ready.  Next she must get the right kind of olive oil to put in her lamp.  It must give a good light and not to much smoke.  She must have enough for the lamp and then extra just in-case the oil in the lamp was used up before the marriage ceremony was completed.

    Mary was so excited as the marriage date got nearer.  She was ready.  She had her dress, her new lamp and the extra bottle of oil.  Finally the day arrived.  Mother had given her something to do but she could hardly work at it.  Finally, mother laughed and said, “Mary why don’t you just go and get dressed.  Your mind is not on this work!”

     Mary rushed into the girl’s room and started to prepare.  Finally she was ready.  “I’m all ready mother.  May I go over to the marriage house?” 

    Mother smiled and waved her on.  “Have a good time.  Remember to do your job well!”

    Well, there was much excitement as all ten bridesmaids gathered together.  Each thought the rest looked just lovely.  As the sun set, they lit their lamps so as to be ready.  But the hours slipped by and the bridegroom and his attendants did not come. 

    “Oh, I’m so sleepy,” one of the girls said.  She sat down on a step, then trimmed her lamp and turned it down low as she put her head against the wall and fell asleep.  Soon all 10 girls were sound asleep.   Finally, the cry “Here comes the bridegroom” was given and each of the girls awoke with a start.   They smoothed out their dresses, picked up their lamps and turned them up so that they would burn brightly. 

    ‘Oh, Oh! Something was wrong.  The lights did not get brighter.   Each girl looked at their lamps and then realized that the oil was almost gone.  While they had slept as they waited for the bridegroom, the oil had burned up.   Quickly Mary found her bottle with extra oil and poured it into her lamp.  It was just enough. She was so glad that she had brought this extra oil.  Now the light burned brightly again.

   But five of the bridesmaids started to groan.  “We don’t have any extra oil.  Please share some of yours with us.” They cried.   The other five girls replied, “Why don’t you go down to the corner store and buy some more oil for yourselves.  We just have enough for our lamps.”

    So off dashed the five girls down to the oil shop.  But while they were out buying the oil, the bridegroom and his party arrived and Mary stepped proudly beside the group as they entered the gate and down the garden path to the house.  Her lamp was burning brightly.  She entered the house and soon was enjoying the excitement of the wedding ceremony.

    But outside, the other five bridesmaids arrived back at the house with their lamps now burning nicely.  But there was no groom with his party there.  They had all gone into the house.  The girls knocked on the door hoping to soon be enjoying the wedding ceremony but the person guarding the door did not open the door for them because he did not know who they were.  Maybe, they were just some people trying to crash the marriage party.  They never got to go in.”

    This was a story Jesus told of the little Virgin Lamps we are talking about today.  The oil which makes the lamp burn is deep inside where it cannot be seen.  Because it is there when fire was touched to the opening in the lamp, it began to burn and thus to light the humble homes of the people in Jesus’ time.  Seeing the lamp burn proved there was oil inside, even though it couldn’t be seen.

    The love of Jesus in our hearts cannot be seen with the naked eye, but our words and actions tell others whether or not it is there.  The love of Jesus in our hearts causes us to shine in all we say or do.  Lack of the Love of Jesus causes our light to go out and our words and actions become unsuitable to a Christian.  Keep the love of Jesus hidden in your heart and shining out of your life.

Sing the song: “Out of my heart, Out of my heart, Shine out of my heart Lord Jesus. Shine out today, Shine out always, Shine out of my heart Lord Jesus.)

Reinforcement Activities

1. Help children shape a virgin lamp from a red clay mixture

2. Color picture of the ten Bridesmaids

3. Check to see how oils of different qualities burn.   Some produce a lot of smoke , some produces poor light, some glows beautifully

Story:  Saved From the Fire

     Little John came from a large family of children.  Mother and Father often wondered where they would get enough food for their children.  Mother was a praying lady and so often God provided the food they needed.  

    One day as the children were running around in the house, someone shouted, “Fire!”   Little John was frightened and instead of running outside to safety, he ran upstairs to his bedroom to hide from the fire.

    Mother, Father and children were soon standing in a safe spot under a tree. All of a sudden they noticed that John was not with them.  As they started to look around, Father heard a little voice calling “Father! Father!” 

     Father quickly tried to see where this call was coming from and to his horror he saw the little hand of John waving out of the upstairs bedroom window.  Flames were all around him.   In an instant , Father climbed onto the shoulders of two men and they stretched him as high as they could.  Yes, father’s strong hands could reach John and soon father was handing him down to the arms of mother.

     All his life, John felt that God had saved him for something special.  As he studied in school, mother would write to him about giving his heart to God each day.  She had taught all her children about God, and it took her a great deal of time to teach all of John’s brothers and sisters, too, because there were nineteen of them.  

    John grew up to be a preacher.  Jesus love shone through John’s sermons.  It shone through one day when an angry group of people tried to push him down a snowy, slippery hill because they did not like what he had preached.  He did not shout back and God kept him on his feet. Sometimes John would go hungry himself so that he could give food to a poor hungry family.   John was always doing kind things for people while he pointed them to God.        -    ‘Storytime’ p. 90     

* * * * *

Theme 3.  a.  A Candlestick

        For many years people had only candles to light their homes, stores, etc.  A candle has a wick or piece of string in the center.  This wick is then lit.  As the heat melts the wax which coats the wick, it gives off a light. 

      There is another candlestick which is talked about in the Bible.  This lamp stick was not made of wax but of brass and had six branches.  Oil was put in the bottom and a light was lit at the top of each branch.  As the oil burned on top it produced lots of light. 

     When Jesus comes into the heart of boys and girls, things change in them.  If they have a bad temper, it will be stopped.  If there is unkindness and unloveliness  in the heart,  it too will stop, because Jesus is in the very center of these boys and girls and He will burn all of the unkindness and bad temper away.

      b. The story of Samuel  -  Lesson Text:  1 Samuel 1,2,3 Memory Gem:  “Speak, for thy servant listeneth.”1 Samuel 3: 10

     For many years people had only candles to light their homes.  Do you know how a candle works?  First the wick is lighted.  The heat burns the wax at it melts and gives off a light until all the wax is burned up.

     In our Bible Story today, found in the first chapters of first Samuel, we learn of a very special boy, whose one chore was to light the candle stickle holders in the temple, though this candle stick burned oil instead of wax.  His name was Samuel   .

     His mother Hannah had waited for a child for so many years and one day, as she prayed in the temple, she promised that if God gave her a man child - a boy, she would dedicate him to God’s work.  God loves that kind of a prayer.  He answered her prayer by sending her baby Samuel.

   Now, Samuel was a little boy like all little boys except that his mother never cut his hair as this was a sign that he was being dedicated to work for God.  She was careful to teach Samuel about God.  I think that she told how God created the world.  Maybe a favorite story was how God took care of Noah and his family during the flood.  And I think that Samuel loved the story about Jacob and the angel ladder he saw in his dream.  Another favorite story could have been how God had opened the Red Sea so that the children of Israel walked across on dry ground while the army, chasing them, were all destroyed as the water came back down on them.

       As Samuel listened to these stories of God’s dealing with men, his little heart warmed toward God.  When he was old enough to understand, mother Hannah told him that she had dedicated him to be a worker for God. And to Samuel, that was very important because he already loved God so much

     After several years,  Hannah felt that Samuel was old enough to go work in the temple church for God.  I can imagine Samuel skipping ahead of his parents in excitement as they walked to the city where the temple church was.  Sometimes though, he would go back and take mother’s hand.  He knew that he was going to have to say good-bye to his dear mother for a year. Hannah probably  told him that she loved him and would pray for him every day.  She assured him that she would always come to visit him once a year. 

     Samuel learned to love Grandfather Priest Eli who taught him how to work in the temple church.  Every morning, Samuel would open up the curtain doors to let the sunshine in.  Then he would sweep the floor.  Another task he carefully did was to clean the lamp stand.  If it was to burn brightly, it must be kept clean, the wick trimmed and oil wells filled with the right kind of oil.   He was a careful worker.

    At night time, he would shut the curtain doors and light the candlesticks.  He might have had to wash the evening meal dishes as well.  But soon it was bed time and Samuel enjoyed this time very much as he listened to Eli tell more stories about God.  Lately, God had not talked to Priest Eli like He had done years before.  It made Eli’s heart sad because he knew that it was because of the bad lives his two priest sons were living so having little trusting Samuel filled his old heart with joy.

     One evening, after story time, Samuel went to lie on his little mat near Priest Eli.  Just as he was falling to sleep, he heard a voice calling his name, “Samuel, Samuel!”   That sounded like Grandpa Eli.  Quickly he jumped up and ran to stand beside him.  “What do you want me to do?” Samuel asked.

     “I didn’t call you, Samuel,” kind Eli told him.  So Samuel trotted back to his mat sure that someone had called him.   Again this happened and again Eli said that he hadn’t called him.

    When this happened the third time, Samuel quickly got up and told Priest Eli, “Here I am because you did call me!”    Now, it was Eli’s turn to remember something.  God had often called him and talked to him years before.  It must be God calling Samuel

     “Go lie down again,” said Priest Eli.  “When you hear the voice call your name again say, “Speak Lord for I am listening.”

     Now Samuel slowly climbed back down on his sleeping mat and listened.  “Yes, the voice called again, “Samuel, Samuel, Samuel”   This time Samuel answered “Speak Lord for I am listening,” and God did talk to him.

     Samuel continued living at the temple church and every year his mother brought him a lovingly hand sewed little priest outfit.  He lit many of those temple candle sticks before he grew up. And he became just like one of them.  With the love of God way down in his heart, everyone who met Samuel, could see that love of Jesus just shining in his life with his actions, words and deeds.

    This reminds me of what happens when Jesus comes into the heart of a boy or girl who have never known His love before.  They may be very bad tempered, unkind and unloving, but when Jesus touches their heart, He shines away the wickedness  and replaces it with love and goodness.  Have you let Jesus into your heart?  Is love and goodness shining out of your life today?

Reinforcement Activities

1. Let the children shape a clay lamp stand.  Let dry in sun and then paint brown.

2. Color picture of Samuel lighting the lamp stand

3. Let children color a picture of one of the Bible stories Priest Eli might have told the boy Samuel.

4. Have other children draw pictures of what children might do when the love of Jesus shines in their hearts.

Story:  Here is a story of a fire that was meant to do harm.

     Bernie was a student literature evangelist.  He went to the ABC and bought lots of good books and magazines which he planned to sell to people way out in the country.  There were no roads in this country, only rivers, so Bernie filled a canoe with these books and started out on a two-month journey up one of these big rivers.

    Bernie would stop whenever he found people who were living along this river.  Sometimes they would buy a book or magazine and sometimes not.  Usually, he offered to prayer in each home even if they didn’t buy anything

    As Bernie went further down the river, he came to a place where the people did not want to buy any books because they already belonged to the state church.  Bernie prayer even harder as he went from place to place. 

    On day, the sun was setting and he had not found any friendly people who might give him a place to set up his hammock for the night.  He knew that he must find a place and was glad when an old miner let him use a shack behind his house.  Bernie brought his canoe up onto the sand, took his hammock out and put it up in the shack.  He had rowed a long way that day and was tired and soon he was sound asleep.

    That night, after he was a sleep, some evil men plotted against him.  They decided to lock all of the windows and the doors of the old shack and then set it on fire.

    “No one will ever know what happened to him.” They agreed, “and we will be rid of one more Protestant bookseller.”

     Bernie was awakened by the suffocating smoke and the crackle of flames.  He dashed to the door, then to the windows, seeking a way to escape from the burning building.  All were locked!  He was trapped!

    Bernie’s thoughts raced.  Gathering his hammock about his head to protect himself as much as he could, he dashed right through the flimsy, falling side of the shack to safety.  He ran directly to his boat and pushed off to the other side of the river.

    As the house continued to burn down, a poisonous snake living in that shack fell down and started to run around.  Because it was scared, it bit the first person it found.  This person was the little son of one of the men who had set the house on fire.

    Believing that Bernie, who was a protestant Christian book sales man, might be able to help his now very sick son, that man quickly took his son into a boat and rowed across the river to where Bernie sat in his little canoe and asked for help.  With his first-aid kit and prayer the young literature evangelist succeeded in saving the life of the son of a man who just a few minutes before had sought to kill him with fire.  Love and goodness were shining out of Bernie’s heart.

     Does this story remind you of another story?  That’s right—of Jesus upon the cross.  When evil men tormented and taunted Him before He died, the Saviour responded by forgiving them.  “Father, forgive them;” He prayed,  “for they know not what they are doing”  (Luke 23:34).

* * * * *

LIGHTS FOR JESUS Theme II Torch- for Kindergarteners and Primaries
prepared by Mom Rose in November 2010

Theme 2.  a Torch

      Many years ago man made a torch to light his way and his home.  First they only lit the end of the torch, but they found it would burn brighter if they dipped it into animal fat before lighting it.

    We still used torches today. (Show the children a match.) Isn’t this a small torch, and yet it is so useful.  It lights mother’s fires to cook the food.  It lights the trash father wants to burn and it lights the wood we need to burn in order to keep us warm on a cold night.

    Though boys and girls are also small like a match torch, they can do their little jobs the best they can.  They can share about Jesus to their friends.  They can help their dad & mom by doing what they are asked. 

    b. Lesson Story:  God instructs Gideon to use torches to fight the Midianites - Lesson Scripture: Judges 6,7 

     We find a story in the Bible where the torch became a very important item in winning a war.

    The children of Israel had left Egypt and after being in the wilderness for many years, they had finally crossed the Jordan river and were finally in the land which God had promised to give Abraham, God’s special friend -- and their great, great, great grand-father.

    At first the people were able to push back the people who once lived in this land.  But as things got easier, people started to farm the land they got and enjoy the fruits and vegetables that grew.  They became careless in their worship of God and started to worship the idols they found on the land.  God was so sad.  Over the years, God’s protection grew less and the people who once lived on the land moved back on it.  Before they knew it, these new farmers were being pushed up into the mountains. 

    One year the farmers had ploughed their land and then planted all their seeds.  The rains came and with the sunshine, the plants grew so nicely.  Finally, the crops began to ripen.  The farmers looked at these beautiful crops and thought, “We will have lots of food this winter.”

   But they were wrong.  Before they knew it a very large army of other people started to move onto the land and harvested those nice crops.  Now the farmers didn’t have any food.  What could they do.  They fled up to the mountains and took some of the crops with them and harvested them in secret.

    One such farmer was Gideon.  He took the wheat heads and hid them in the vinepress pit where he thrashed it, hoping for some food for his family that winter.   As he worked he thought of God and His promised blessings.  “I am sorry that the people do not worship the God of Heaven.  Please forgive them.”  He prayed as he very quietly worked.  Suddenly there was a shining person standing beside him who said, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.”

    And Gideon replied, “Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us and where be the miracles which our fathers told us about?”  “Why does He not deliver us from all of these Midianites?”

     And the shining person said, “God has heard you. Go in this your might to save the Israelites from the Midianites.”  But Gideon played shy.  “Oh I am nothing, I cannot do it.  If you want me to go please put water on this piece of wool with no water around it.”

    God said, “OK, let this be the sign.”  And in the morning there was water only on the piece of wool and none on the ground around it.  Still Gideon was afraid.  He said, “Please give me one more sign.  Let the wool be dry and the ground all around it be wet.”  The next morning it was just as he asked.  Now, he knew God was really calling him to lead Israel to fight the invading Midianites. 

     Now Gideon felt braver.  He blew a trumpet to call Israel men together.  Many messengers were sent to other cities until many men came to help Gideon.  As the camp of men grew larger, God said to Gideon,  “You have to many men.  Tell those who are afraid to go back to their homes.”   Many men were afraid to fight the great invading army and quickly went home. Now Gideon counted the men who were not afraid.  There were only 10,000 men left.

     As the camp rested in the night, God talked to Gideon again, “You still have too many men.  Tomorrow, as the men go towards the enemy camp, watch what they do as they go over the nice running stream.  Those who kneel down and drink water should be sent home.  Only those who pick water up with their hands and drink as they walk should be in your army.  Gideon must have been dismayed to see that only 300 men drank that way.

    “Now,”  God assured Gideon,  “The size is just right for it is not man who will fight this battle but the Lord will.” He was then instructed to go to visit the enemy camp

     Now Gideon went down to listen to some Sentries from the enemy camp as they took their turns to be guards.   The one who just awoke mentioned that he had had a strange dream.  He had seen a loaf of bread fall from the sky and crush his tent.   “Oh, my,” said another sentry.  “That is nothing else but the sword of Gideon and His God coming against us.”

     Now, Gideon really knew that it was God who was fighting this war.   He quickly returned to where the 300 men were waiting and gave them the plan God had inspired him with.  “I will divide you into three groups of 100 men.  Each of you, do not be afraid and do as I do.” And they all crept off to surround the huge camp and do what Gideon did.  Now all 300 men were in place.  Gideon broke his pitcher so the torch light could be seen, blew his trumpet and then shouted, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.”  All 300 soldiers did the same.

     The sleeping Midianite army awoke with fright as they heard the trumpets and shouts.  As they looked, they saw torch lights all around them and thought, “Oh, my, the enemy are everywhere,” and they started shouting and hitting each other.  All the while the 300 men shouted and blew their trumpets and wiggled their burning torches.  Soon the huge army of the Midianites were running away.

      God had fought the war for Gideon and his 300 men.  There was a great victory.

     Boys and girls are called to fight for Jesus, too but they do not fight with actual torches and swords.  In Psalms 119:105   it says, (God’s) word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”  and then Ephesians 6: 17 says, ‘taking on the whole armor of God. . . .The sword of the Spirit of God, which is the word of God.”

     How can boys and girls take on this whole armor of God?  (Accept answers)  Yes, by reading the Bible and memorizing it’s verses.  This way the Spirit of God will help them fight the battle against the devil.  It is God through His promises found in the Bible that help us win the battle.  It is the Bible which is like a torch lighting our feet and path.  Boys and girls, today I invite you to join me in becoming part of God’s winning team.

Reinforcement activities:

1. Have a Bible Sword Drill

2. Color the picture of some of his army drinking water.

3. Spend time learning the three Bible Key Texts.

Story:   What Happens when the lights go out:

    Captain Jones was a pilot for an airplane company.  He flew many flights taking people from one city to another.  He could fly through clouds and storms.  He could fly in the night. He knew what things to say to the people who manned the control towers in the airports.  He knew what the instruments in the plane cock-pit were telling him to do.   He had practiced well and everyone trusted him as he piloted the plane.   Every time he landed the plane just right.

    One day, he decided to rent a small plane for his family to make a trip to visit their family.  Soon everyone was ready.   Father, Captain Jones, checked the lights, he checked the tires, he checked to see that the plane was full of plane fuel. He listened to the weather report for the place he was flying to.  It said that there were some clouds but not many.  Then he and his family boarded the plane and took off into the blue, blue sky.

    Now, with the noisy roar of the plane engine, the family did not talk much.  Instead the children did pencil puzzles and colored.  After a time, they realized that the ride was getting bumpier.  They looked out the window and saw Daddy flying the plane through some clouds. But they still felt safe until, they noticed that inside the plane it was dark.  Captain Jones also noticed that some of the lights on his panel were not shining so brightly. “Hope they stay on until we get to the next city”, he thought, “and these clouds are not just little clouds that we are flying through. Those little clouds have become storm clouds!”

    As the plane now bounced around more, Captain Jones turned on his radio.  He felt that he should talk to air traffic control at any airport to see if he could land the plane there.  With his light fading in the airplane, he knew he must land quickly.   As he talked, the voice of the controller was cracking-up.  He had to listen very carefully.  That’s when he realized that he  was still far from where they were planning to land.   Fortunately, there was a little airport far below him,  but would he be able to find it through all this cloud.  ‘Oh, God,” prayed Captain Jones, “Help us find that airport.”    He began to go down but how far should he go.   With the clouds now so thick, he could not even see any lights.  

     Suddenly, there was one opening in the clouds and far below he saw a row of lights – the lights of the runway at that little airport which the air traffic controller had turned on.    Then the clouds covered them again, but now he knew he would soon be able to land.  Quickly turning the plane in a circle, he started to go lower and lower and suddenly, the lights of the runway were just below him.  With a prayer of thanks Captain Jones, landed his little plan safely.

     As Captain Jones and his family got off the plane, they kept saying, “Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jesus for taking care of us when the lights on our plane started to go out.”

Think About It:

1. Does Someone know where we are all the time?

2. Does God hear us when we pray?  Will God answer our prayers?  Yes, God always answers our prayers though sometimes He says, “yes”, sometimes “No” and sometimes “Wait”.

Another Short Story:    While I served as a missionary for God in Africa, I often visited the Malamulo mission station in Malawi.  There was a large school, a large hospital, a large press and a modern leprosarium.

         At the leprosarium, people were treated for the leprosy disease.  Some of these poor patients had suffered so long from the disease, they had lost fingers and toes.  And a few even lost their eyesight.   (With new medicine today, lepers do not need to go to leprosarium hospitals.  They can live at home and take this medicine and mostly become very well, indeed.)

     Captain was the chaplain for the leprosarium.  Though he was blind, he was able to get around remarkably well even though the buildings were far apart.  He could have become lost but he never did as he made his rounds to visit the patients.

     One day I made a visit to the Leprosarium.   As I walked among the buildings I saw Captain.  When I greeted him,  “Good morning, Captain.  How are you this morning?” his face would light up with his usual charming smile and he always replied,  “Good morning, Pastor Pierson.  I’m happy to see you this morning.”

    Captain could not really “see” me.  How did he recognize me?  By my voice, of course.

    It’s not important for people to recognize our voices, but there is another voice that every one of us must learn to recognize.  It’s the voice we read about in John 10:1-4—the voice of Jesus, our Good Shepherd.  He speaks to us through His Word, through nature and acts of providence.  Let us not ‘be blind' about Jesus

    When He speaks we must recognize His voice and then obey Him.   -  From In Step With Jesus p. 73

* * * * * 

LIGHTS FOR JESUS

Objective:  Children will be encouraged to be Shining Lights for Jesus

 Theme Bible Verses:

 1.  “You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5:14

 2. “ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives

     light unto all that are in the house.” Matthew 5:15

 3. “ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your

     Father which is in Heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

 4. “Arise, shine:  for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” Isaiah 6:1

Theme Poem: “Different Lights”

Songs:  1. This Little Light of Mine

2.  Shine, Jesus Shine

3.  Give Me Oil In My Lamp

4.   Lord, Keep Me Shining for Thee

5.  Jesus Bids Us Shine

Weekly Themes & Lesson Stories

1.  Virgin Lamp – The Ten Virgins

2.  Torch –  Gideon fights with Torches

3.  Candle Stick –  Samuel Lights the Temple Candle Stick

4.  Old Fashioned Wick Lamp – The Servant Girl for Naaman Shines Where She Is

5.  Kerosene Lantern –  Peter Fishes - when Jesus told him to let down the net in the daytime.

6.  Gas Light -   A Burning Fiery Furnace and Three Brave Men

7.  Light Bulbs – Jacob’s Dream of the Ladder

8.  Modern Lamp­ – A Bright Light - Conversion of Paul and the Boy Timothy

9.  Flashlight – A Star Leads Wisemen to Jesus

10. Japanese Lantern – Brave Queen Esther

11.  Doctor’s Light – Jesus is the Best Doctor

12. Lighthouse – Jesus Shows us the Way

* * * * *

The Weekly Program

For the older child For the younger child, the shortened children’s talks  for the 13th Sabbath program may be used for their lesson talks

**Note Each of the 12 themes is posted as a separate story**

Mom loved flowers so very much!  This photo and her smile remind me of all the times she wandered around looking for flowers in the wild (or use purchased ones) and created an arrangement for church or campmeeting or a wedding or some special occasion. The blossoms were almost like 'characters' for her as she arranged them this way and that, deciding what looked best where. Then she'd finish them off and set them in place with a smile and flourish of her hands likely imagining the pleasure they would bring to others.

This is a favorite book, one i have loved hearing Mom playing from for years....

In memory of my dear mom, Rose Stickle, who loved both springtime and flowers, I am sharing these photos - mostly of wild spring blooms spotted in our yard or on a walk with my sweetheart who gifted me with the new lilac bush shown (just planted in our yard this week). On our last visit mom was sharing what she hoped to do with her garden flowers this spring "If I am still here", she added. I am thankful for a mom who loved God's beauty, for the love of family, the colors and scents of spring, and for the loving Creator of all who gave us the gift of life, forgiveness, Hope, and someday Joy forever through the death and resurrection of His Son!

(irises were Mom's favorite flowers) 

Dear Ones,

In looking back through my emails, the last one I received from my mom, Rose Stickle, was on October 25. She was enjoying having her twin sister, Sue, visiting with thoughts on the music they delighted in making together and the delicious food they were busily cooking and gathering from the garden. My sister, Ann, had also been home from Cambodia spending special time with my parents but was away that weekend at a seminar in Hope, B.C. Mom had begun a new treatment to hopefully slow the growth of tumors and she and dad were traveling back and forth between Mt Vernon, WA each week to check in with her doctor there.

Today, almost a month later, mom is resting in bed each day surrounded by love, music, and flowers. Through the fog of her illness progression and medication to bring comfort for the pain, her sweet nature continues to reach out to us, even as she struggles to communicate. 'Thank you', 'I love you', 'Beautiful', 'Lovely', and 'Delicious' are often words that grace her lips and as we sing songs of praise and worship around her bedside, she joins in when possible by mouthing the words of love to her precious friend Jesus. Mom is slowly slipping away from us and as you are her well-loved friends and family, we wanted to email you to let you know how things are going for her. We know many of you have been praying for her these last four and a half plus years as she's fought hard for life, enjoying each moment and living life with joy reaching out to bless others, while battling cancer. We thank you so much for your prayers and love and for brightening mom's life in so many ways. Please continue to keep her and dad and all the family in your prayers as we journey through this dark valley, hanging on to God's hands and trusting in Him for strength moment by moment.

Mom had hoped to have all her children home here in Errington over the American Thanksgiving weekend and with Dad, Ann, and Aunt Sue's help, busily moved beds around making a spot for everyone. On November 8 Dad and Mom traveled to Washington (where my brother Edwin lives) for another doctor's appointment. On November 10 and 11, all of dad and mom's children and several grandchildren gathered together in Mt Vernon, WA to spend special time together. During this week mom had a CT scan and heard from the oncologist who had cared for her 'as if you were my mother' that there was no more that medically could be done for her without further endangering her life. We continue to pray for God's healing hand on mom and believe that He does have the power to heal. We also trust in His care when His answer may be to bring healing at His second coming when He destroys sin, sorrow, tears, and pain forever. We praise God for the additional life He has given mom these last years and the many experiences she's been able to relish during that time. Some of you may have last visited with mom at the General Conference session in Texas in July, or at a FAMA gathering, or a family wedding or graduation. There have been many occasions that mom has delighted to experience sharing time with family and friends. Some of you became aware of mom's declining health on Facebook in the last weeks and have reached out through emails, phone calls, and visits. We thank you so much for all the ways you've touched her life. We had hoped she could dictate a letter to you, but we are doing our best to share with you as she would have liked to.

Knowing mom's love for music, we have tried to surround her with as much music as possible, even as she sleeps. Many family members have played the piano or organ, sung songs together around her bedside, as well as dad inviting friends to come share their music with mom. One friend brought his harmonica and yesterday another friend brought his violin. Sometimes it seems mom is keeping time to the music with her hands. Sometimes she can still smile beautifully and likes to say 'Thank you'. Mom made many friends including neighbors who have been stopping in to visit with her.

Dad, who has journeyed through the challenges with mom, fighting for her in every way he could, continues to be there treasuring each moment with his precious love. He is honoring her wish to be at home during this time and to help her be comfortable. She lit up the other day as he brought her two dozen roses, and reaches for his hand in her distress, finding it right there beside her. The pain of her disease is progressing requiring more medication which adds confusion and difficulty communicating.  One night mom held her hands straight up in the air for many minutes. Dad asked her if she was reaching up to God. Her response, "I'm telling Him I don't understand."

This picture in my mind of loving hands reaching up to God who has been there in the past and promises not to leave, brings me comfort in the double grief we are experiencing as a family. On November 16 we received a phone call that my sister Barbara's 19 year old son Conner was dead. Conner is the seventh of the fourteen grandchildren my parents have had and we are incredibly heartbroken at the huge hole the loss of fun loving, tenderhearted Conner leaves in our family.  In my sister Barbara's words: "Conner died from suicide and his notes have shared a little of his hidden pain and a lot of his love for us.      We want his legacy to be an encouragement for everyone to share their lives with others and if you have pain, to find some one to talk with. Hugs to each of you from Barbara and Eric and the seven Cees.      We are grateful for each precious moment we had of Conner. We are grateful for each of you who have been part of Conner's life. We are grateful for each of you far away that share in our sorrow."

Yesterday, the 21st, many family members and friends gathered together to share precious memories of Conner and love and support his family.

We thank each of you who were able to reach out to Barbara and her family this way. Many of us have longed to be in two places at once this past week as we all grieve. God has blessed both homes with His presence and many family and friends who share His love with us in tangible ways. We think of our friend Lisa Boyl-Davis who with her daughter, a sweet puppy and a cooler full of food showed up in Mt Vernon, WA to visit us all on the 10th and then again, arrived at Barbara's house this past week with lots of love and the ability from her work experience with trauma in the ER to help each person begin to process grief.  And so many other angels in human form have blessed us all in both locations. Thank you so much!

We continue to find blessings in each new day, when God eases the pain for mom or all of us in different ways. The presence of family has been a real blessing. Currently Rose’s sister,Sue, and brother,Ed, as well as Daughter Susan and husband Herb are with Rose. Others are travelling this direction.  Mom's hospice nurses and doctor are very kind and compassionate and we praise God for them. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we as a family seek to 'Give thanks in all circumstances' (IThess 5:18) this Thanksgiving season, as we walk through the valley of the shadow. 

In mom's words from her last email - "Signs of Jesus soon coming are fast fulfilling.  Let’s be ready to meet our friend Jesus."

Our love to all,

Susan Stickle Woods for (Herb, Rose, Edwin, Barbara, Ann & Jane and our families)

Posted by Vikki Hein for TurningPoint SDA Church

Praying that ""Your unfailing love surround Susan Stickle Woods, Jane Stickle Maritz, Herb Stickle and their family today and always, for our (their) hope is in You alone." Psalm 33:20 Their mom & wife Rose fell asleep in Jesus last night.

   Comments: ‪Jamie Eichman Wulff So very sorry you had to day goodby! Though not for long; thank you God for Heaven! Prayers for you and your family!

‪Delia Vickers ‪Jamie, said it perfectly. Love and prayers sent to your family at this time. What a blessed hope we have, can't even imagine living without that hope. (Roseburg)

‪Joyce Kim Yoon Sending hugs your way! So sorry for your losses! (CUC – NC)

‪Robert Gebhard I'm very sorry for your loss Susan. We'll be praying for your family and looking forward to the resurrection. (Randolph, NY)

‪Ronald Gebhard Prayers and Comfort are sent your way!!! Love u all... (Randolph, NY

‪Pat Gebhard So sad of your loss. I know what it's like to lose mom. I still want to talk to mine and she has been gone for 10 years. I MISS HER. PRAYERS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. (Randolph, NY)

‪Penny J Gebhard-Adams So glad God planned for you to come home from Africa in time to spend precious moments with your momma. What a blessing and a loving God we serve. And how comforting to know you'll be reunited very soon with your momma. Love you.

‪Melody Baker So very sorry for the loss of your mom. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Waiting for the glorious day when we shall weep no more! (BMA)

‪Robert Thomas Our sincere sympathy to you Susan. We look forward to that trumpet blast! (TN)

‪Sherry Thomas So sorry! Love and hugs.  (Robert & Sherry grew up in Zim, worked at Kanye Hospital, attended Mission Institute w/us, now in TN)

‪Pam Streidl Anders So sorry for the loss of your precious loved ones. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers that God will give you peace and comfort while we anticipate that great resurrection morning. (BMA – TN)

‪Donna Jacobsson Sending our love and praying for His very near presence and comfort during this time of grieving on "this side". What a wonderful hope we have! (Congo)

‪Melissa Bromley Prayers for your family... so sorry for your loss. What beautiful words you shared.

‪Carolyn Edwards Marcelle Yes ‪Susan!! We anxiously look forward to that GLORIOUS "morning"! Loving hugs to you and your family as we pray for His peace. (BMA)

‪Cyndi Parsons-Kronner So sorry for your recent loss.  (Roseburg)

‪Tracee Kilmer What a beautiful legacy of faith and love your parents have shown you. Praying for you and your family. (BMA)

‪Michele Ropka Bissell Thinking of you and your entire family which hold a special place in my heart! Prayers and hugs going out to each of you guys as you cling to God and each other during this sad time. So thankful for the assurance of the blessed Hope! (BMA – Barbara)

‪Donna Gatz cherish you precious memories... (Randolph)

‪Joe Downing My sincerest condolences and prayers for ur family. (BMA – Edwin)

‪Nita Val Yuros You are in our hearts and prayers. Looking forward with great anticipation to the wonderful reunion ... (Roseburg)

‪Louise Gillin Fitzpatrick prayers for your family at this time.....{{hugs}}  (BMA)

‪Vikki Christensen Hein Sending our love and thoughts to you. We also look in hope to a reunion day with precious family. (Roseburg)

‪Lynda Haley I am so sorry ‪Susan. I'm praying for you and your family. I too was able to be there with my mother before she passed away and am so glad that I had that opportunity. (Milo Academy)

‪Jean Larson Prayers and tears for you Susan and family. Your post brings back memories of a similar vigil from nearly 8 years ago. So sad to lose them. ( Roseburg)

‪Tami Parks Henning So sorry to hear you lost your Mom Susan. We lost my Dad this year. It tough and we miss him. Praise The Lord for His promise of a future with Him. We look forward to that reunion.... (Monterey Bay Academy – Janelle’s roommate’s mom – also grew up in Zimbabwe)

‪Cheryl Jakubowski Show Prayers and hugs. We are so sorry for your loss. Lord Jesus please come soon!  (BMA & CUC – Maryland)

‪Elaine Yaw Egbert What a sweet tribute you wrote regarding both your mother and your father. I know your hearts are breaking, but you have well-stated the fact that you will be together again, and that understanding is a blessed healer of hearts. Praying that the Lord will be near to you all as you deal with the present and look with faith toward the future. God's promises are true. It remains to those who remain to live up to what they know is right by staying close to Jesus, and making sure of their own salvation. Then the promises will be fulfilled. Blessings, Susan, and all. (BMA, girls dean)

‪Marletta Cantrell Praying for comfort and strength for your family during this difficult week. Love and hugs!! (Boise, ID, JoElla’s sister)

Margaret Edison (Jane Edison Stevenson)

Dearest Susan, I am so very sad for the loss of your precious mom and nephew Conner. What a heart wrenching time for you and the whole family. I am saying special prayers and would love to talk to you live. Can you please send me your cell number? Mine is 404-219-5399. Sending you the biggest hug and much love, jane  (BMA & CUC)

‪Lisa Jo Boyl-Davis Our love to each one now, and prayers. Earlier post: When I can't be up there with beautiful Rose and Herb, Susan Stickle Woods and Jane, and I can't be down there with Barbara Jean Hall, Ann Stickle, Eric and Family, I just go both places in my heart. Love and prayers.

‪Sherry Lee Bolender So very sorry for your loss.... We are looking forward to that day when we will meet our loved ones and friends again! Prayers and Hugs sent (Boise, ID)

‪Anne Johanna Lamberton Aw, what a journey of love this has been! So sorry for your loss Susan. My sincerest condolences to all of you, especially your dad. How he will miss her. How all of you will miss her. What a glorious morning it will be when you see her again!! Hugs and love to you! (Roseburg)

‪Kari Larson Banks I am so sorry! Praying for your entire family.  (CUC – Maryland)

‪Kim Rutherford Such a beautiful lady! Such a beautiful example, of grace and dignity. The world has lost a great lady....my thoughts are with your family today. Hugs to you all. (Oakhaven, Flints)

‪Carol Bovee Praying for your family again today. Praise God things aren't over, but in the meantime, there's hurt. Prayers and hugs! (Milo Academy)

‪Jodi Fenton Giem So sorry for your loss..... so glad someday we won't have to say goodbye. (Eagle ID)

‪Linda Speak Shobe "We have this hope that burns within our 's" keeping you all lifted up in prayer. (Roseburg, OR)

‪Myrna Moore Ferguson Oh Susan -praying for you and your family. Love you so much! (Idaho, JoElla’s aunt)

‪Mary Gregg- Murphy Sending my prayers for comfort. I am so sorry for your losses. (ID)

‪Elise Schermerhorn Gorth Oh darling girl, how sad I am to see this first thing this morning. But truly, you DO have this hope! Soon and very VERY soon! (Randolph, NY)

Brit Lokna Fillmore: Our hearts are so sad with yours. What a lady Rose was, what delight and love of beauty she shared with all those around her. Looking forward to a happy reunion. Sending love and prayers for your comfort. . . (Brit’s aunt

‪Sophi Fletcher That great reunion day is closer than ever. Prayers for your comfort and peace until then, and the precious promise of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.  (Roseburg, OR)

‪Crischelle Shank Oh Susan, I'm so very sorry. You mentioned being surrounded by grief, and I was going to write to ask what was happening....now I see. How your heart must be breaking! Having suffered a (small) loss recently, it's hard to imagine losing your mother. Praying the peace that passes our understanding for you and your family. (Malamulo)

‪Donna Shank Tragic. Difficult times. God Cares and Loves you and so do we. That Great Reunion day is Rushing toward us. Hang onto Jesus. Our prayers go with you. (WV, Crischelle/Cristy’s mom)

‪Elisa Brown Blethen Prayers for you and your family. I'm sorry for your losses. (Malamulo)

‪Diane Lemos Dear ‪Susan Stickle Woods, I'm so sorry to hear about your mama, what a sad day for your family. I'm glad you had time to be with her and give her all love that she deserved. What a beautiful woman she was. What a happy and beautiful day will be when Jesus come back to wake up the ones we love and what a blessed day that will be to hug and be with then again. Much love to you today, praying for you and your family, for comfort, peace and hope of the soon coming of Jesus. Love you all!  (Malamulo)

Sharon Huber  So sorry for your loss. Our thoughts are with you and family. (Dave’s cousin)

Cindy Bankhead Condolences to you and your family during this sad time. Praying for all of you! (Boise & grew up in Zim)

Tracy Gill So sorry Susan, so glad you got to spend some precious time with your Mom, you are all in our prayers x x  (Malawi, homeschooling group friend)

Ana Maria Lewis May the Lord comfort you at this time. You and your family are in my prayers. (Roseburg)

‪Bec Armstrong Beautiful photos Susan. So sorry for your loss. (Malawi)

‪Carol Lawson Dodge Beautiful tribute, dear Susan. Such a difficult time, but may you feel God's arms of strength, comfort & peace wrapped around you! You & your family are in our hearts & prayers (Boise ID, in NPUC now)

‪Ron Gladden Joy comes in the morning. May God be especially close to you with strength and hope until that day!

‪Wendy Rylee-Glassford Sending big hugs, friend! Praying for you and your family! (Roseburg)

‪Faye Loustaunau-Rounds Sending love and prayers to you and to your family. (Roseburg, J & M’s piano teacher)

‪Leanne Walton Green Those are beautiful words for your beautiful mom, Susan. I am so sorry to read about this heartbreaking week, but thankful that God allowed this time for you to be there. Love to you and all of your family. (In WA, from Malawi)

‪Ellen Balk-Dick So sorry for your loss, Susan. There is no other like mom (Anne Lamberton’s sister)

‪Kayla Nicole Henning Praying for you and your family. (Hugs) (Janelle’s MBA roommate)

‪JoAnna Pyle-Boruck ...my heart breaks for you and your family!! May God continue to give you a peace that passes understanding...Praise God for the future we have to look forward to with Him and our loved ones!.. (worked Zim & Malawi w/Maranatha, now in BC)

‪LaVee Hummel These are tough days for you and your family, so glad you got to spend that time with your mom. I'm keeping you all in my prayers. Looking forward to the Lords soon return! Lots of love to you (Roseburg)

‪Verna Knecht Bernoi What beautiful words and tribute to your mom. Sorry for your losses of both mom and nephew. So glad we have eternal life to look forward to. (CUC, Maryland)

‪Ritarose Muula May the Lord comfort you and the whole family (Malawi, Kabula Church) Am sure it is also so hard for your dad to see his best friend, love, companion, wife for a long time suffer. Praying for him too

‪Michelle Maria Muula Thought and prayers to you and your family

‪BonniesmithandTim Mayne our thoughts and prayers have been with you and your family as you grieved the sudden, shocking loss of your young nephew, and gathered around your mother as her health declined. we grieve with you...and join you in anticipation of a better world to come, with no more pain or sadness or crying! (former TurningPoint pastor)

‪Becky Bass Hugs and love and prayers for you. So sorry you have to go through this (Roseburg, Hubbard Creek neighbor friends)

‪Voni Radlinger Aww I am so sorry Susan, I am hurting for you and your family.  I am too looking forward to that grand reunion. May we all be there!! (BMA)

‪Vishal Dasani we so sorry bless her soul (Malawi)

‪Katherine Baker Anavitarte So sorry about your mom. That will be an amazing day, when we can reunite with our family. Hugs and prayers. (BMA)

‪Darryl Picar We'll keep your family in our prayers (Malawi, dentist BAH)

‪Elizabeth Elliott (Ridley) Thinking of you. (worked w/Haiti, ADRA)

Carol Fleming Klein Love and Prayers for you and all of your family. (BMA)

‪Margie Kruse Amen, even so come quickly, Lord Jesus. (Roseburg, Helped w/kids Maranatha Convention)

‪Belinda Rae Reed Sparrow-Smith I am so sorry about your mum. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Love to the family (Bulawayo, Zim)

‪Lynn C Collett Dearest Susan and all your family. Our hearts are with you at thus time as u celebrate the life of your mama. I have had a glimpse of her beauty & character in you Susan and Cyril has always spoken so highly of her. May God's comfort enfold u all at this time. Lots of love and prayers. (Bulawayo, Zim)

‪Penny Soucy Beautiful tribute Susan! Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We are so sorry for your loss !  (Boise, ID)

‪Coleen Dolinsky My deepest sympathy for your loss. Love and prayers for you and your family...(CUC, Maryland)

‪Bonnie Weber Eichman ah Susan, I'm sorry she is gone. I'm sorry for all your pain. I know Jesus has His arms wrapped around you. You will have a wonderful reunion not long from now. Can you imagine how that will be? I'm so happy that you got to be there for your mom and for your family. You have wonderful memories and you have a wonderful, blessed hope!! (Roseburg)

‪Karen Edwards Pahls Oh Susan, you've been through a lot these past few weeks. May you and your family be comforted by our Heavenly Father, and by the wonderful memories you have. (Oregon, Cheryl Hayton’s sister, Her husband, Herman, is good friends of our Pestes cousins)

‪Larry Bangs You and your family are in our prayers. So glad you got the chance to be with your mother till the end (Roseburg, OR)

‪Franci Smith A Mother in Israel who has done her best! Love to you all! (Roseburg)

‪Barb Herscher We are praying for your family during this very difficult time. May God bring you comfort.  (Roseburg)

Nicki Staggs You and your family have been heavily on my heart today. Know that lots of prayers are going up. They may not ease the pain but just knowing God grieves with us and draws close to the broken-hearted gives us a reason to trust Him.  So very sorry for all the loss. I’m sure you’re feeling bittersweet – glad she’s in the arms of Jesus and her pain is gone, yet knowing you are here without her. Tell your dad he took good care of her.  (Roseburg, part of TurningPoint core group)  Heavy prayers for you all. Jesus must be coming soon.

‪Robin Froelich Praying for you - it is never to easy to let them go. But we have hope. Stay in touch (Susan roommate CUC)

‪Iris (Hayden) Stober Losses are painful. May God be with all of you.

‪Becky De Graaff Yes your mama's beautiful life is a testimony of her Creator and He longs to wake her up to an even greater glory than that of these charming flowers--where His own bright eyes reflect directly in her eyes without any darkness to interfere...

‪Julie Roth Maranatha! Sending out heartfelt prayers and condolences to all touched by her life.

‪Cindi Coffen loss of a mother is so hard.... been there and still can tear up at times, like now as i try to type to you.. i'm so thankful for that beautiful morning Jesus has promised to us and to all who sleep in Him. Hugs.  (Jane’s friend)

‪Evelyn Grellmann Boyd I'm so sorry for your loss. Your whole family is in my prayers. May you have courage during this difficult time.  (Jane’s friend)

‪Laura Klatt Eng Oh I am so sorry for your pain at this time, but I am so thankful she is at rest. My prayers are with you all.

‪Beverly Joubert Special prayers for you and your family. Come soon, dear Jesus!

‪Erika Maritz So sorry Jane and family for your loss. I do so love the thought of that glorious day when our sadness turns to joy. God bless you and give you strength and peace. (Jane’s sis-in-law)

‪Hamlet Canosa His blessings and loving care be with you all. (BMA)

‪Jennifer McGhee Beautiful flowers and smiles. Won't she just love all the flowers in heaven when she wakes up from her sleep? Love to you and hugs in this time of sadness. ♡ (Ann’s friend)

‪Theresa Kennedy-DuPay These are wonderful photos...she was a very special person...May she rest in peace... (Barbara’s friend)

Gerald & Eli Ghelfi Dear ones, Gerald and I (Eli) are both sending you all our love and loving concerns and care to the whole Stickle family. You are all in our thoughts an d prayers. . Such a very difficult time for everyone. I am sorry we are not able to visit Rose and Herb, but I was very happy to be able to have a  phone conversation with them the other day. It is so difficult to lose our parents. Big hugs to you all. Love, Eli

‪Arthur Mischke · Dear Susan, I am sorry for your great loss (Edwin’s friend)

Susan’s Post: -Rest peacefully dearest mom till Jesus wakes you up with trumpet sound, happy and healthy, joyful to see your best friend Jesus and family gathered close-- I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to love and help care for my precious mama these last two weeks. Our dear Dad has made certain that Mom's been wrapped in love with family close, lots of music, flowers, friends... My parents' sweet enduring love for each other during the ups and downs has so inspired me - these two photos are evidence of that love, a I Corinthians 13 kind of love that God's love imparted in great measure to mom (my Proverbs 31 role model) and touched hundreds around her. I am honored to be her daughter and will miss her unbelievably much! Waiting in anticipation for that grand reunion morning! One week ago we lost our precious nephew - hearts are breaking but we know Jesus loves us and has sent the Comforter to hug us close. See you in the morning, Mom & Conner!

Ann’s Post : My Mom went to sleep last night - until Jesus comes. I'll share my sister Susan's beautiful post.

And here is encouragement we are sharing:

... For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.....the trumpet is coming.... listen to the song..... “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions;[a] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

‪Robert Godfrey Condolences from our family... (Karen Godfrey’s husband)

‪Vinish Wilson Our condolences to you all !! (India)

‪Anuprova Rema Susan so sorry to hear about Aunty. Our prayers are for you and your family. We will see Aunty again very soon, keep the faith.

Carrie Purkeypile Susan, I’ve been thinking and you and your mother the last few weeks. What a journey it must have been to care for her. Praying for your family. (office)

‪Shell Lee My deepest condolences to you Susan. Yes what a privilege to give back to them some of what they did for us. Until that day.....  (volunteer)

‪Stephanie Compston Deeply sorry for your loss my dear. Courage and hope. Please come soon sweet Jesus (volunteer)

‪Tara Romero I'm so sorry Susan ♡♡♡ (volunteer)

‪Twyla A. Grant Luke Come quickly Lord Jesus! (volunteer – Sequim, WA)

‪Rhana Barbosa We are praying for you and your family. Jesus is coming again. Very soon... Love you. (Elmer’s wife)

‪Gabriela Islas de Hardy So sorry to hear of your loss. May your precious memories of her comfort you till the glorious morning! Our prayers for you and your dear family! (Darrell Hardy’s wife)

Judith De Leon Dear Susan and family. Sorry for the loss of your nephew, and now your Mom. May the Lord surround your family with peace and love. Thankful that we have the hope of seeing our loved ones soon. I will keep your family in my prayers.  (volunteer)

Richard Salsbury I know you are going through difficult times.  It is nice that you could spend some time helping your mother.  Our prayers go out for you and your family. (volunteer)

Praveen Moka At this time we keep your families in special prayers! May God be with the proceedings! Your Mom has left a positive influence on me from what I've known her!  (Malawi)

‪Emily Smith Morris Praying for comfort and love to surround you during this time. So glad you were able to be with her. I too am looking forward to that glorious day when our Jesus comes to take us home and we can once again be with our loved ones. (staff)

‪Brenda Christensen Duerksen So sorry to hear this sad news. What a blessing that you could be there for her during this critical time. But she has left a mom-sized hole in your heart. The precious memories will keep her close until Jesus comes! And may He come soon. Hugs and prayers, Dick and Brenda    Earlier message: You, your mom, and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. It was so nice to see your mom this past summer at Hope, B.C., Camp Meeting, where Dick was speaking.

‪Jeanie Ellis So sorry for you loss Susan! I am praying for your family. (volunteer)

‪Laura Salzwedel Meert Beautiful tribute to your sweet Mom~Precious memories! So glad that you could be with her~ (volunteer, just lost her mom)

‪Beth Bernotas Sending my prayers and love to you. Wonderful that you have precious memories. (volunteer, sister to Brenda Duerksen)

‪Lavona Moran I'm sorry about your aunt's (Judy Johnson’s post) passing. I remember her when I met her in Arkansas. We had fun wrapping the Indian saris on our bodies.

Kyle Fiess Dear Susan and David,

I'm sorry to hear that your mom passed away. My prayers are with you and your family. You have had to deal with a lot of sorrow lately. I'm glad that you were able to be with your mom during the past few days. If there is anything we can do to support, let me know.

Ron & Anu Kedas Susan and David  We are so sorry for your loss! She was a wonderful person and a great human being! We are glad that we got know her! You both and the family is in our prayers!

Ron and Anu

Laura Noble Dear David and Family,

I didn't know until recently that Susan's mother was in such critical condition.  Also, it looks like you lost yet another member of your family as well. 

I am so sorry for your loss.  There is really nothing else to say except, Jesus IS coming.  And we are not going to live with the impending doom of death hanging over us forever.  I'm looking forward to that day.  I know you all are too. Warmest regards and all Gods good grace, Laura

Kenneth & Brenda Weiss: We are so sorry to hear Susan's mom has passed away.  So glad you had time to visit.  Our hearts cry for you in this season of celebration and family.  With you, we look forward to a future where bodies are restored and our tears are wiped away. Our prayers continue for good family interactions and blessed time together.

In Christ,  With love,  Brenda, Kenneth, Adrienne, Ashton, and Corbin

‪Margaret M Parker So sorry Susan. Your parents are both a great inspiration. I believe Jesus is coming soon and we will all be reunited. What a day that will be. With Love and prayers  ‪Margaret M Parker Love and prayers to the whole family

‪Darlene Nathan Van Appelen So sorry Susan and family...she will be greatly missed.

Till the morning....till the morning!

‪Sheila May Garrow so very sorry Susan, I know how it feels. You will never be sorry you were able to be with her during this precious time.

‪Elfriede Volk So sorry. She was a ray of sunshine. Condolences to the entire family.

‪Kathy Peter Sending all of you my love and prayers! 1st message  Dear Family,

Thank you so much for this update. My heart goes out to you all at this time. Of all of you, only Rose and Herb know me. But, Rose has included me and I feel so much a part of all of you. Precious are the promises of Our loving Jesus. He is coming soon. Your whole family is such an inspiration. May Jesus and the sweet Holy Spirit hold each one of you close as you go through this double sorrow. Lovingly, Kathy Peter

‪Charlotte Redden We lost a beautiful angel. Sending prayers to all the Stickle family in your deep sadness. And sending love to Rose, a wonderful friend - oh, how you will be missed. ‪Charlotte Redden The most beautiful pictures of a most beautiful friend.

‪Marion Coppock I will see you in the morning, dear friend. Prayers and comforting arms of Jesus around each of the rest of the family

‪Shirley Godsoe So sorry to hear about Rose. May the family feel the presence of Jesus as He draws near to comfort them.

‪Edith Bartolata So sad to read the news about ‪Rose Stickle who passed away. Sending our hugs to the bereaved family of Herb and the children. May God heal your broken hearts. God bless

‪Phyllis Davey I am praying that God be with this beautiful family as they grieve the loss of their most lovely Rose, I grieve with you. Sincere condolences ♡ ♡ 2nd message ‪       ----Phyllis Davey Our special Rose will continue to grow in our garden of memories . Blessings

--Phyllis Davey Our special Rose will continue to grow in our garden of memories .  am so very sorry , I too am grieving her loss, such a beautiful person, named appropriately.  Such a beautiful family. I have been blessed just brushing shoulders with you.  Herb, I can't even imagine you without your Rose, I know the Lord will walk with you and give you strength. Dear Lord, please give Herb an extra portion of comfort and strength, hold his hand firmly , give him your peace. This is My prayer for you and your family. I will not be in attendance for the celebration of her life but my heart will be with you and I will continue to hold you in prayer.

Please accept my most sincere condolences and heart felt love.

‪Geri Bliss Seidel I send my sympathy to the entire family. I know how you will all miss her. Jesus is coming soon and she rests with him now. The waiting is hard but soon. Rose was a lovely lady and I know she loved all of you as you loved her..

‪Nettie Ruth Gill

Have fond memories of a sweet singer and a wonderful Christian example.

Yvonne Crook Deepest Sympathy   - Dear Herb and family,

We are thinking of you this morning as you lay your dear wife, and mother of your children, to rest today in the earth until Jesus comes and awakens her. Ed and Marion have kept us informed which we really appreciate.  Because of our connection with them, we feel like family to you and all the other Reimches.

We last saw Rose at GC in Atlanta.  She was our guide as we travelled on public transportation with Ed and Marion to the house you were renting and had a lovely meal with you and many relatives.  She had everything so organized--travel and meal.  Such a humble servant of God! We know God is very close to you as you mourn the loss of both your wife and grandson, Conner.  Our thoughts and prayers will remain with you in the days ahead.  Love from Dave and Yvonne Crook

Ken & Linda Naidoo Hi Herb & Family, we r saddened to hear about the passing of Rose.  Our deepest condolences to you and your loved ones.  A beautiful Rose was plucked from the Stickle garden.  This is certainly a dark day for you all.  We have sweet memories of her, her kindness, love and hospitality shown to Linda and myself.  Her beautiful piano playing was a huge blessing to all of us. May God comfort you and your dear family in time of grief and sorrow.   We look forward to seeing Rose again.   We are so glad that she remained faithful until death.  She was a jewel of the faith. Please convey our best love to your loved ones. God Bless MARANATHA Pastor Ken & Linda.

Tepola Bailey Thank you very much Susan for letting us know of what is going on now with Rose. I haven't been able to see her lately, but I assure you and family I never forget her in my prayers.  "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." NKJV Eph.3:20.

Send my love to her from the bottom of my heart.

Yours sincerely your sister in Christ Lolohea.(my English is poor forgive me, but I want to express my love.  Love you all)

Sherry Warren Chuck and I continue to pray for your Mom. God be with you all at this

difficult time. We pray dear Rose finds peace and comfort. That Dear Jesus wraps her in His arms of love. God Bless each and every one of you. Love, Chuck and Sherry Warren. xoxoxox

‪Robyn Kajiura (Wilis) What amazing love. You were an example to all of us of love and grace. May you rest in peace till Jesus comes. Till then, I pray God will comfort and continue to bless your wonderful family

‪Carol Myers (Mattison) So Sad Susan. Sorry to hear this news. I am so glad that we have the promise that Jesus is going to come back and we will all be reunited. But for the mean time, it hurts. Our prayers are going to our heavenly father for you and your family.

‪Deena Rakhi Das

Our condolences to all of you... Rest in peace Aunty Rose...

‪Karen Snyder My heart breaks for all of you!! Your mom was an incredibly wonderful influence on my life and she will always be remembered!! Thoughts, prayers and hugs are continuing your way!!

‪Florence Sarcar Keesler (Lipi – Bangladesh)  We can see how Lord brings comfort,peace and healing during the time of loss your most precious gift your Mama and Nephew, by your words of expression, because we have hope in Him, we are so sad too, our deep condolences to your family, sending lots of, prayer, love, hugs and smile. God be with your family

‪Joy-Marie Butler ·

So sad to read this. She wIll be missed by us all. She has been a wonderful support and friend to so many including me.

‪Janie Cutting ·

May God bless you as you go through this difficult time. Our love, thoughts, and prayers are with you. Hugs from Janie and Charles.

‪Bob Sundin Sorry to hear of your Mom passing! Glad you were able to be with her. We also look forward to the resurrection morning. (Zimbabwe)

‪Gloria Parks What a beautiful tribute to both your mom and dad, Susan. Having worked in the same Division in Africa, gave us an instant connect. I asked to be on her family mailing list for letters home while they were in Mozambique. Many times when well laid plans went awry your mom showed she truly have the beautiful spirit of Jesus. I was thinking of all the places she used her "extra" time to teach the women how to make the crepe paper flowers or do whatever task there was that needed doing. Memories of her will linger long not only in the immediate family but in other continents.

While Perry was FAMA president for those 8 years and she the news letter we stayed in touch-we loved her letters.

I grew up in Saskatchewan during the time your grandfather Stickle was the Man- Sask treasurer. So I know some other family members. She will be greatly missed but what a beautiful legacy she leaves. May God's loving arms envelope each one of you. Hugs and prayers. May Jesus come soon.

Earlier Post: ‪Gloria Parks A beautiful tribute to to a beautiful "Rose". We always enjoyed the pictures of the out of doors she shared with us from their woodsy home on the Island. Long will many beautiful memories of this untiring faithful one of God be remembered.  Hugs to each of you and we will continue to lift you up in prayer Herb.

‪Gloria Davy She rests in Jesus. No more suffering. So glad we got to meet you both at FAMA this summer. God be with you all during this very difficult time.

Dorothy Salhany So sorry to hear about Rose.  She will be missed so much, I know.  A contribution of love will come via post.

Beryl Unger Dear Family of Rose: My heartfelt sympathy as you deal with the loss of your dear one. I never knew Rose, except as the generator of the FAMA newsletter, but from it I learned she was a very unselfish person (gave it so much of her time), had a love for the Lord, and empathy with those who were engaged in the Lord's work in Africa.  In a world starved for personal communication, she facilitated people reconnecting, and kept the needs of mission work alive in our minds.

She will be greatly missed. Beryl

‪Regina Esther Fink Rose has been such a blessing to so many. We are sending prayers for your family, but so happy that the next thing Rose knows is seeing Jesus come. It is hard for those who have been left behind. God bless you all.

Bert Beach Rose Stickle: Some rise by having honors handed to them. Rose "rose" to the heights of service by humbly gathering news and reflections about the work in Africa from and for former missionaries. I did not know her face to face, but admired and benefitted from her faithful work. The rose, like all lovely roses has now faded away, but will bloom with the colors of heaven, when at the Lord's soon coming she will hear and receive the highest name "Good and Faithful Servant" and enter the Kingdom of "Joy" forever and ever. Bert B Beach (former Division Secretary and General Conference Dept. Director}

‪Arthur Lasta ·

Never knew Mrs Stickle was not well. We knew them well when they were in Botswana. Our deep sympathy to everyone in the family

‪Olive Miller-Marshall Praying for you and family.RIP in peace Rose 

Karl and Sonita Seligmann Dear Friends, Sorry to hear about Rose's condition as well as the other sad loss that you all experienced. She made a big contribution to the Church work in Africa and other parts of the World. Please assure her that we are also praying for her.  Just yesterday we were admiring some pictures of her working with her Children's Ministries personnel at a South African site some years ago. Jesus is coming back soon. With Christian Love, From Sonita and Karl

‪Marilyn Fransch ·

Sad news indeed. I pray that God will wrap you in His arms and comfort your grieving hearts. Deepest sympathies to the entire family.

‪Genevieve Collett · Keeping you in my prayers

‪Sheila Raelly · Friends with Nyasha Mhosva

So sorry for your loss. May God comfort your family at this time

‪Iris Naidoo ·

Aunty Rose was such a special person. Taught us so much music. Gave out so much love and was so good and exciting in the children's dept. May the Lord comfort your family.

‪Hilda Frankis Anthony ·

Oh how sad so so sorry for your loss. May you be comforted with the thought that she ran her race well and fought a good fight in this life , what an amazing mum you guys had, treasure the memories she has left for you. What an incredible, inspirational, and spiritual woman of God who imparted her well of knowledge and experience to our Zimbabwean community especially our kids. "It was indeed a privilege knowing you" Mrs ‪Rose Stickle. Rest in eternal peace. Till we meet at Jesus feet.

‪Evelyn Pelayo ·

OUR PRAYERS TIL WE SEE AGAIN

‪Lusekelo W Mwamakamba · 3 mutual friends

Our dearest condolence and my God comfort you and the entire family with His compassion. She was a special person. Worked in Harare with her and what A joy it was to meet her after so many years in San Antonio. Hugs to Mr Stickle from the Mwamakamba family.

‪Eugenie Sparrow Sorry for your loss. There will be a hole in your heart for many years but we have the blessed hope of His soon coming. What a promise.!

‪Nellie Llaguno ·

Only yesterday i wrote her a letter telling her how much we love her and praying for healing. But God wants her to rest now from her pain and suffering. Isaiah 57:1 "Good people die and no one considers why. Devout men are taken away and no one understands. But the Lord takes them away to spare them from evil". We feel your loss. Convey our deepest sympathy to your Dad (my truly humble boss and indeed a great person) and to all of you - her family. We will continue to lift you up in prayers. We will miss her in the FAMA newsletter and family.

Des Paul OH MY! Ihave no words that will be adequate enough, except keep very close to GOD.

Aurea Pasamba My deepest condolences to Herb and all the members of the family. May the Lord comfort you at this time.

‪Elnorie C. Caballero It is with heavy heart that i send my prayers above for comfort for Herb Stickle and children. Just thankful that we met at the GC Session last July. We will treasure our memories together in Zimbabwe for 3 years.

Frank Boniface Dear Herb and family, we do sympathise with you at the loss of Rose a real gem who leaves us with such pleasant memories of times spent together in Zimbabwe. May God grant comfort and peace as we together look forward to the day when in Jesus we will all be reunited. Love Frank & Brenda.

Sifiso Kabo Ntini It is sad that Sister Rose Stickle has gone to sleep. I treasure many precious memories of her as we worked at EAD years ago. Thanks to Facebook we were able to keep in touch over the years. My prayers are with Elder Herb Stickle and the family. A soldier of the cross awaits to hear the voice of her commander.  Responses to this post - ‪Nomathemba Nhoro Really I am so sorry I remember her so well....Thoko V Sibanda Ah what happened? RIP Mrs Stickle

Christine Williams Chris and I and the girls send our love to Herb, Anne and the rest of the family on the passing of a very dear friend, Rose. She loved people like an angel. This is one lady that we will never forget. She taught my children to play piano. She fed us scrumptious meals and we stayed in your home at weekends and Herb you were a quiet strength with a heart of beauty. Herb you have lost your best friend and we are with you in our thoughts and prayers. If I could come, I would be there in a jiffy.

Alice-Marie Cronje We send our love to Herb and the rest of the family as they lay Rose to rest - to a rest free from pain and discomfort and tears. Rose has left a rich heritage we will remember and strive to emulate! Till that "great, getting-up morning"! God bless.  2nd message - We will be with you in thought and prayer on Friday afternoon and on Sabbath afternoon as you show love for a very special lady.   May you be comforted - we are all richer for having known Rose!   And, with you, we anticipate with even greater urgency the resurrection morning.   God bless.   Alice and Ken, Rosalie and Jonathan

‪Florence N Bregger My deepest sympathy to elder Herb Stickle and all family on the loss of a great servant of God sister Stickle! Oh May the Lord Jesus send the Holy spirit to comfort the family! May He seal your hearts with her lovely deeds, cheerfulnes beauty! as we all wait for that great day the Resusurrection day when Jesus comes with a loud trumpet!! Be comforted!!

‪Annette Ralph · Beautiful flowers for a lovely lady! Sending you all love and prayers x

‪Sharon Tapson ·

So so sorry for your loss. Rose was such a special lady and hugely influential in the lives of so many Zimbabwean children including mine. Special love and thoughts to Herb.

Mario & Mary Vejar  Our condolence to you, father and the whole family may the hope in Jesus sustain you in this moment until the second coming out be reunited again. We continue praying. (Mom & Dad’s sponsored ‘son’ in Argentina studying)

Micah Choga Dear brother Stickle

It is with sadness that we learnt of the passing away of your dear spouse. Our prayer is that God will strengthen both you and the family at this painful moment.  May the good Lord keep you faithful until that day when He shall appear to claim His own where we are going to be re-united with all our loved ones who have slept in the blessed hope. (Zimbabwe Union Conference) 

Nellie Llaguno Subject: We love you and praying for you - Dear Mrs Stickle, Just dropping some lines to let you know how special you are to us. We love you and we want to let you know that you are one of our role models on what a true missionary is. Your love, passion, commitment, exhuberance, always positive attitude, willingness, never complaining, and above all your Christ-filled life., is an example to us all. Your presence always bring joy and happiness to our lives. Your reward is great and only eternity will reveal the influence you have cast to so many people. Please know that you have been our inspiration. Instead of us comforting you, you bring comfort to us. Mrs Stickle, rest assured that the whole world are covering you and your family with prayers. Whoever will read this short message to her, please tell her we love her so much. If she is able to hear us, we would love to call her. Kindly give us her contact number. With lots of love and prayer, Nellie and Alex Llaguno

Paula Leen Your message below brought tears.  Your mother is such a special lady and has many friends around the world.  I’m praying for a huge miracle for her and I’m sure many others are doing the same.  She has been such an example to others, and such a caring person.  I’m so very sorry too about Conner.  May the Lord continue to comfort and sustain you through this extremely difficult time, but I’m still praying for that big miracle, and what a proof that would be to skeptics that there is still a God who care so much, but if not that at least she can be free from pain, and what joy when Jesus comes and there will be no more sorrow and sadness ever again.  Thank you for clarifying and keeping us in the picture. Love & Prayers, Paula

‪Maria Celeste Kupua May God comfort your familly,Aunt ‪Susan Stickle Woods with great love from the kupua family

‪Fungayi Fungura My deepest sympathies to you and the family Susan. This is such sad news. She was indeed a very special woman. May the comforter sustain you and the family during this season in your lives.

‪Crisney Deodato Estarei orando pela sua família neste momento de dor. Me sinto triste, mas também abençoada pela oportunidade de ter convivido com a vovó ‪Rose Stickle em Moçambique! Grande exemplo de mulher Missionária! Nós a veremos no retorno de Jesus a essa terra. Saudades vovó ‪Rose Stickle!

‪Dear ‪Susan Stickle Woods. I'll be praying for your family in this moment of pain. I feel sad, but also blessed by the opportunity to have been consorting with grandma ‪Rose Stickle in Mozambique! Great example of woman missionary! We will see in the return of Jesus to this earth. Miss Grandma ‪Rose Stickle!

‪Angelica G. Taboza Nossa que triste! Estarei orando por toda família, mas em breve iremos encontrar com a vovó.

‪Our that sad! I'll be praying for the whole family, but soon we will find with grandma.

‪Debbie Wale Paul A flower may fade and fall, but a Rose will blossom in your hearts and minds for years to come. Goodbye is just the interval between hello. Thoughts and prayers for you and your Family Susan. Lots a love.

‪Hanlie Haupt de Parada Very sorry for your loss! May God comfort your family in this time of grief!     

Fabiana Silva Domingues  Sorry for your loss Susan.

‪Caroline Chola ·

Deepest condolences family members. We have indeed lost a rose but we know it will blossom again on that resurrection day. May she rest from her pain.

‪Blessing Valerie Nyaruviro-Mhosva My deepest condolences  (Nyasha’s wife) Fond memories of your mom in Maputo ‪Susan, you are all in my prayers.

‪Alice Berndt So very sorry for this great loss to your family and the world. Your mother was a bright and shining light to many. It was a privilege to have known her and I look forward to meeting her again in a far better place.

‪Victoria Chemane oh God I'm... I have no words to say. But I know that one day one day we are all going to meet again and this time forever. For all the family may God comfort your hearts and ..... I'm so sad now it's like I lost a part of me too. Please Jesus comfort me too.

Elizabeth Robles Sorry for your loss Susan, I remember your mother with love, she gave us too many lessons and her kindliness will be always with us. God give you strength.

Lea & Dilson Bezerra

Dear Elder Stickle! We are sad to hear this information about Rose. You and Rose were dearly to us because in the beginning of our missionary journey in Mozambique you and her were a blessing to us. We sometimes cannot understand God's purpose but we have to trust that God is in control of everything. We praise God for Rose's life and I know that God will take care of you. Your family is our prayers! For sure we will meet our lovely friend Rose Stickle in the resurrection day! Be blessed!  Lea & Dilson Bezerra, D.Min, Maghreb Region Director, Tunis - Tunisia

‪Malawi: 

Sharlene Hayton Love you. Hugs and comfort sent your way. Xxxxooooxxx

‪Ema Fe Nadal V Condolence to the whole family. I will forever cherish the moments I had with your Mom in Malawi. She was a great cradle roll teacher and a pianist. We were together during the IWM (Institute of World Missions) in Nairobi, Kenya in 2002.

‪Lois King ·

My deepest condolences to you and your family! She was an amazing woman! We will continue to remember her. Lois and family from Malawi.

‪Brendon Church

In my youth she was my neighbor and friend. I'm sad that she is gone. Oh soon come the day when the Messiah returns and we all meet again at the resurrection. Your mom was a wonderful woman.

2nd message ‪Brendon Church She was the flower to all who knew her, a life overflowing with loving kindness, a true daughter of thee King, ever giving of herself in Christlike service. It won't be long till we meet again on resurrection morning.

‪Kristi Doss Kis ·

So sorry to hear this! Love and prayers are with you all!  Goodbye Aunty Rose Stickle. We will see you in the morning

‪Gorden R. Doss Herb and Family: Please receive our most heartfelt condolences upon the loss of Rose. She was an exemplary model of the Christian way of being. God bless.

‪Margi LaCom So sorry for all of us. Her enthusiasm for life and for helping others will be long remembered. We are all better for having known her. We look forward to that wonderful reunion day!!

‪Janie (& Chuck) Cutting So very sorry for the losses in your family. Your Mom was a wonderful lady and we miss her already.

‪Samantha Wahlen My heart is with you and your family. I will be praying for Gods peace and comfort to wrap around you. Sending lots of hugs and love xxoxox (SM from Malawi)

‪Bjørg Irene Harvey Hellsten God bless you all as you go through this time of mourning together. I am so blessed to have known your wonderful mom , Susan. My prayers for you all .

‪Bjørg Irene Harvey Hellsten God will continue to lift you up and make you strong!

My prayers are with you. I have been through the same and know what you are going through right now. Knowing we will see our loved ones again is so comforting! God bless you all. My love to your dad!

‪Shelley Ann Bacon I am so sorry to hear of your loss. It is a loss for all of us who knew her.

‪Dodge Suzanne Conopio · Our deepest sympathy to the whole family.

‪Jean Mataya Don't know what to say! Susan.

May our Lord comfort all of you, especially ur Dad & Conner's Mom!

Rose will be fondly remembered by many, many people, including our family!

Ron Mataya Dear All, Please accept our condolences on Rose’s passing. We remember her fondly for our times together in Malawi; when she taught both LouLou and Andrew piano and when she and Jean worked together in the children’s Sabbath school. May the blessed hope of our Lord’s soon return sustain you in this difficult time. Kind regards. Ron and Jean Mataya  We will never fully understand all that happens in our lives this side of heaven; but we pray that one day Jesus will help us understand.

Tamar Aiono Oh Mrs Stickle, you were one of the kindest and sincerest people I knew. Please rest in Jesus till we meet again. I look forward to that day when we will!

‪Cheryl Hayton I am so very sorry for all the pain and sadness you are going through, Susan. It's very difficult to lose one's mom. I am holding you up in prayer right now.

‪Cindy Crawford Lawson Susan and Dave and family... We are so sorry to hear of your loss... But so thankful you and so many of your family could be with sweet Rose, especially over the last few weeks. She was such a gem. We are very blessed to have known her... We are thankful of the hope to see her soon. We continue to pray for your family. Please let us know if we can do anything... Sending our love.

Falesi Chiziwa - Dad Stickle and the family, am sorry to learn about the death of mom Stickle. May God wipe all your tears away and give you peace. I do believe that on that bright morning, we will meet mom in her incorruptible state. Will you be there? I am praying for you — feeling heartbroken.

‪Max Church Our love pours out to you. Death snatched a saint but grace will bring joy in the morning. A wonderful lady who brought joy to my family and so many others, we love you and ask God for peace in this difficult time. Max, Davona, Brendon, Riquel, Bridgette, Kaley, Sabrina, Brianna, Staci, Mariah - The Church family.

‪Jeannette Guillen Peterson Herb, We are saddened by this news too. She will be greatly missed by all. We have great fond memories of our days in Malawi with both of you. God bless and stay strong. Will be praying for the entire family. Jeannette & Garrick

‪Mary Kay Jene Mehlenbacher hugs and prayers..

‪Petro Braam Oberholster Praying for all of you.

‪JoElla Moore Purviance Hugs!

Judy (Schultz) Montrose  So sorry for the loss of your wonderful mom. She was a very dear and loving lady. And sorry too, for the loss of your nephew. I am praying for all of your family in this very difficult time.

‪Estella Francis ·

So sorry to hear of your loss! She was an amazing person indeed.

Malawi Union officers - Dear Sue,We are shocked with a sad news of a loss of your beloved mother. We still remember your mother the time she was working with your dad when he was our treasurer here in Malawi. Your mother had a passion for children ministries department. She was a friend of the little ones. We will still remember her services.

Please, be comforted with the word of God that Jesus is coming soon to wipe away all our tears. We will be praying for you.

Please, receive our condolences for our Malawi Union.

Have a blessed hope of the soon coming of our Lord.

Yours Pr Frackson Kuyama President, MUC

Rheeta Masoka-Mutema Thanks for the update on your mom. It is heavy news. My sisters and I owe our love for music to your mom who took time to care to teach us music back in Malawi as little kids and now we impart that to our own kids. Your parents have been true examples of how we are to live out Christ in our lives. They have given their lives in service of others and I know a crown awaits their humble servanthood.

My mom (Rosemary Masoka) would like to speak with either you or your dad. Is there a phone number she can reach either of you. My condolences at the loss of Conner. We are keeping you in our prayers for God's will to be done.

‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths' Proverbs 3:5,6

Ann Atkins Stentzel Dear Herb, Rose, Susan, and all of you, I'm sorry I cannot be one of those who love you to be able to stand beside you. But be assured that I have had you in my thoughts, and I have been praying for you.  I know that Jesus and His holy angels are there with you.  I treasure each of you. I would love to join you in singing together! I too, with you, am looking forward to that day, that city whose builder is God, and that reunion with those who are resting in Jesus.  Love to each of you,