Leida will never forget that next week when the missionaries came. Every night people could be heard coming through the jungle to their home, talking and singing. Some carried lanterns which were put up in the biggest room in the house. Some even carried chairs, and others carried boards to put across the chairs so more people could sit down. Every night the room was full, and many stood outside the doors and windows.
Their grandmother and grandfather and one of their aunts accepted the Lord Jesus as their own Saviour. After the missionaries left they continued having meetings in grandfather’s house nearly every night, and one of Leida’s older cousins helped to read the Bible.
Leida had a very sweet voice and the children loved to hear her sing. One day her school teacher asked her to sing a popular dance song. Leida’s heart beat fast, as she quietly answered, “I am sorry, Miss Perez, I can’t sing that song.” Her teacher was surprised and asked if she knew it. Leida clutched her hands tight, and quickly asked the Lord Jesus for courage, then she answered, “Yes, I know it!” Her teacher said, “Then you must sing it for me or I will have to punish you.” Leida stood up ready to take the punishment whatever it might be, and quietly said, “I am sorry, Miss Perez, I can’t sing that song, because it is a worldly song, and it belongs to the world. I am a Christian; I belong to Christ.”
The class held their breath, wondering what would happen to poor Leida, but the Lord had heard her prayer and had touched the heart of her teacher. Though she was not a Christian, to the surprise of all she said, “Leida, if you can’t sing what I told you then you must sing something you can.”
Leida thought for awhile, then sweetly and quietly she started to sing,
“Jesus wants me for a sunbeam
To shine for Him each day,
In every way try to please Him,
At home, at school, at play.
“A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I’ll be a sunbeam for Him.”
She sang it all through. Some of the children joined her in the chorus, which gave her more courage. As she sat down the teacher quietly said, “Thank you, Leida!”
Dear young friends, Jesus is the same loving Saviour today as He was yesterday, and will be forever. He has promised He will never leave us nor forsake us. Are we willing to confess Him as our Saviour; are we willing to tell our friends that we belong to Him and that we are not of this world any more?
Soon He is coming in the clouds to call His own to be with Him in heaven forever. Oh, that we might be a bright testimony for Him in this dark world, and tell others of His love as long as we are left down here.
ML 02/22/1959