the kernels got knocked off, tempt ing a chicken or two to come into the church in search of them. “ Ding-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling!” Suddenly all eyes were focused on Mwalimu Edith’s little kakele. “What does this bell remind you o f ? ” she asked. “ The Sundei bell,” chorused everyone. “And what does the Sundei bell say?” “ It says, ‘hurry, hurry, hurry, and don’t be late to Sundei!’ ’’ Yosevu Said, jumping to his feet to be first. “ All those who were here this morning before the second bell rang, stand up!” she said. Yosevu and Kalondu proudly joined the oth ers who had come on time. “ And all those who are going to try real hard to come on time every Sunday this new year, stand up!” All the others stood up too. Then Mwalimu Edith led them in a lively English chorus: Everybody ought to come to Sunday school, to Sunday school, to Sun day school, Let’s always be on time and never be late! Everybody ought to come to Sunday school! “ And bring somebody else with you, too. Don’t forget that,” said Mwalimu Edith as everyone sat down and snuggled together again. Then it was time to get very, very still and stop swishing one’s bare feet over the delightfully smooth cement floor. It was time to talk to God and say “ thank you” for so many things. Mwalimu Edith asked the children to name some things they were thankful for — isyo to eat, clothes to wear, mother, father, school, church, Sundei. Just then Kalondu broke in excitedly, “ And I’m thankful for the Sundei bell so I won’t be late to Sundei!” “Why do you not want to be late ?” said the skillful Mwalimu. “ Because I love to sing to Jesus,” said Kalondu. “ He’s my Shepherd and I’m His little lamb!” “Will you tell us your special verse, Kalondu?” “ ‘The Lord is my Shepherd,’ ” said Kalondu, adding, “and my name means lamb, so I’m His little lamb.” Mwalimu Edith sometimes won dered if Sundei was worth all the effort, but on this Sunday she knew it was. As she led the children in prayer just before they scampered to their various classes, she did not forget to thank God for the Sundei bell. Sundei=Sunday school Mwalmu=teacher
a wonderful lamp
by Martha S. Hooker
Y ou h a v e read the story of Alad din’s lamp, have you not? He had a wonderful lamp which he would rub, and say, “ Abracadabra,” and whatever he wished would come true. He had some marvelous adven tures with his lamp—going on splen did journeys and seeing wonderful sights. Did you ever read the verse that says, “ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet” ? The Bible, God’s Word, is a much more wonderful lamp than Aladdin’s. It can take you on won derful journeys and show you great sights, far greater than anything Aladdin ever saw. Let us take our Lamp and go on one of its wonder ful sight-seeing tours. We open the first pages of God’s Word, and suddenly we are back in the time when there was no sun, no moon, no stars, no earth — nothing but God. Then we hear God speak, and suddenly, coming from nowhere, we see the sun shining down on a beautiful, perfect earth, and the moon and the stars hiding, ready to show themselves at night. We turn over a few more pages, and thousands of years have passed. We are in a little home in Caper naum. A poor woman is lying on her bed, moaning and tossing, for she is very sick with a fever. We look toward the door, and some men are coming in, a few fishermen, and Some One else — the Lord Jesus Christ — the very same One who spoke, and created the sun, and moon, and stars, and the earth, so long before. He
has come to .earth now, as a Man, and He is coming into this little home in Capernaum. Think of it! The One who made the stars is bend ing His head to come into the low door of this home of a fisherman! The fishermen tell Him of the sick woman in the next room. He knew all about her, but He waited for them to tell Him, because He wanted them to learn to tell Him everything. He went to her bedside and took her by the hand, and helped her to sit up in bed. As He touched her, all her sickness went away, and she was per fectly well again. One more picture we may see with our Lamp today. The crowds who came to see Jesus had gone away. His friends were asleep. It was still dark — long before sunrise. Our Lord Jesus got up from His bed, and went out into a lonely place and prayed to His Father in heaven. You see, He had always lived in heaven, but He had left all that glory and had come to earth to die for our sins and to save us, and many, many times He would pray all night to His Father. You cannot see Jesus today, but you can speak to Him, even if you cannot see Him. You can talk to God, our Father, who lives in heaven. Just think of being able to talk to the One who made the sun! He wants you to talk to Him, and tell Him all about your good times, and all about the things that trouble you, and ask Him for all that you need. Be sure to talk to Him tonight, and every night, before you go to bed. 41
Yosevu=Joseph Kitambaa=sCarf Geneva Kosher is a graduate o f Biola. M AY, 1965
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