Jack, the little home missionary

Some people think you have to be an adult before you can be a missionary and go to a foreign land, but here is a story of a 5-year-old boy who was a missionary for the Lord. Jack was just five years old when his mother became quite ill. She was so ill that she could no longer care for Jack and had to be taken to the hospital for a short while. His father went to work every day so Jack could not stay home during the time his mother was in the hospital, so it was decided to send him to live with Uncle Jim and Aunt Martha for a while. Jack had never been away from his mother before so he was a little frightened, however mother and father had taught him that Jesus would be with him all the time and he did not have to be afraid, as long as he remembered his prayers every night.

Father put Jack on the train, and he travelled all alone for the whole day. When he reached the town of Elmwood, Uncle Jim met him at the station and took him home to a pretty white house where Aunt Martha had a hot dinner waiting for him.

Uncle Jim and Aunt Martha were kind to Jack, but just as soon as he sat down at the table he knew that they did not do things the way mother and father did. They did not bow their heads and thank Jesus for the food before eating, and they did not talk about the things that mother and Jack always talked about.

When Jack was tucked in bed that night in a room all. his own and Aunt Martha had kissed him good night, he whispered, “I always say my prayers at home, and kneel down by my bed with mother. Will you help me tonight?”

“You just say them tonight, child,” said Aunt Martha, as she smoothed the fluffy pink blanket over him and turned out the light. “You are big enough to say your prayers alone, I’m sure.” Jack did not know that Aunt Martha had never prayed out loud in all her life, and that she did not quite know how to begin.

Jack had four little friends to play with living near Uncle Jim’s house and he had a happy time each day playing with them and with his new red wagon that Uncle Jim had brought home. He heard often from home as father called often especially on Friday night to wish Jack a Happy Sabbath and encourage him on the Sabbath day. Aunt Martha did help him study his Sabbath lesson. Sometimes she had to look up some texts in the big Bible that was kept up on the shelf. When she first took it down, it was all covered with dust.

“I haven’t looked into this Bible since 1 was a little girl about as big as you are, Jack,” she said as she blew the dust off the cover.

“Don’t you ever go to church or Sabbath School?” he asked.

“Oh, no, child! I haven’t time to go. I am far too busy trying to keep up with my housework here at home,” Aunt Martha answered.

Jack sighed, for he wished that his uncle and aunt would take him to Sabbath school. He always went every Sabbath at home. Every night he prayed that they would learn more about Jesus and soon go to church. Mother had taught him always to pray to Jesus and ask Him to help others learn about the Bible.

Two months had passed when two very exciting things happened: Uncle Jim came home with a new car; and that same afternoon a letter came from father, telling Jack that he could; come home in a few days. Jack was so glad that he clapped his hands for joy, until Aunt Martha said: “Are you so glad to leave us? I won’t know what to do without my little boy here to help me.” Aunt Martha had grown to love Jack.

“On, no, Aunt Martha, ” Jack replied quickly. “I’ll miss you, too; but I want to see mother. And then I’ll be glad to go to Sabbath school again and hear the stories about the missionaries. That is what I want to be when I grow up; I’ll go away and tell the heathen people about Jesus.”

Just then a shout came from Uncle Jim. “Hurry up,” he called, “and I’ll take you for a ride in the new car!”

The new car ran so smoothly that they scarcely seemed to be moving at first. Then Uncle Jim began to drive faster and faster and faster, although Aunt Martha begged him to slow down.

“Jim,” she said, “This mountain road is getting so steep that if you should meet another car around one of these curves you would upset all of us.”

Hardly were the words out of her mouth when Uncle Jim swung around a turn, and there, right in front of them, was another car. Uncle Jim turned quickly to the edge of the steep grade to try to pass, but it was too late. The car wheels went over the edge of the road, and they began to slide down. Far below they could see the river and the big rocks along the edge. Jack was praying, “Dear Jesus, please save us, and do not let us get hurt.”

Just then there was a terrific jolt. Jack was thrown against the edge of the seat, hitting his head such a hard blow that he lost consciousness.

When he awoke, they were all back up on the road. His aunt was holding him in her lap and crying. Uncle Jim was wiping his eyes and was talking to Aunt Martha.

“Are you all right, darling?” Aunt Martha said, as she brushed Jack’s hair back from the big bruised place on his forehead.

“What is it?” was all the little boy could say at first. Then he remembered. “Jesus did save us, didn’t He? I prayed to Him, and I knew He would,’

And Jesus had saved them, for their car had caught on the only big tree stump on the whole mountainside, and there it had stayed long enough for them to crawl out.

Jack had not been home very many weeks before mother received a letter from Uncle Jim and Aunt Martha, and the best part of the whole letter was this:

“Tell your dear little boy that he does not have to wait to grow up to be a real missionary. He has taught us to love Jesus; and when he comes again to visit us, we will go to church and Sabbath school with him. We are looking forward to another visit from our little home missionary.”

So you can be a missionary at any age. Just remember to take Jesus with you wherever you go. Remember to pray and read your Bible even if those around you are not. Your influence can help them to find Jesus also. And you don’t have to go to a far- away country to be a missionary. You can be a missionary in your own home.