"Flower Blooms in the Desert"

Below is this week's Inside Story in our Sabbath School Quarterly lesson study. To view the original page and read this week's lesson here is the website:
http://www.ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/08d/less11.html

"Flower Blooms in the Desert"

by CHARLOTTE ISHKANIAN Jasmine* grew up in Europe, but her family moved to her father's country in the Middle East when she was ten. She knew little Arabic and wasn't interested in learning, so she never mastered the language. By the time she was ready to enroll in high school, her Arabic was still so poor that she couldn't study in a government school. She would have to study in an English-medium school, and the only English school that offered boarding was the Adventist school. So her parents enrolled her. "From the moment I stepped onto the campus, I loved this school!" Jasmine said. "Everyone was so friendly, I felt at home. "I didn't know much about God, but I wanted to fit in. So I went to worship and Sabbath services, even though I was excused because of my family's religion. I love singing, and the Christian songs spoke to me. But I didn't listen to the sermons. However, God got my attention in other ways. "The words, 'God is love,' were painted in the chapel. But in my mind God was vengeful and would punish me if I didn't follow Him. I wanted to know more about this Jesus. Who is He? Why is He different from the other prophets? I decided to attend the religion classes to find answers to my questions. There was so much I didn't understand. Sometimes at night I woke my roommates up to ask questions that swirled in my head. "I went to every church service on campus, to Bible studies on Sabbath afternoon, and I even stopped people in the halls to ask them questions. I just had to know! "But when I went home, my father suspected my interest in Christianity and told me I couldn't take Bible class anymore. I cried, but I obeyed, but I still attended church and sang in the choir, and I went to the Sabbath Bible studies. But my thirst for truth sent me back to Bible class. "The principal told me that I could get into serious trouble for being there, but I told him I wasn't attending the class; I was just using the room for a study hall-during Bible class! I pretended to study, but I listened. "I am still learning, but I know that I want to follow Jesus all the way. My mother knows that I want to be a Christian, and she's OK with that. She wants to learn more about Jesus too. "Last year I should have graduated, but I failed one of my classes. What a blessing! Another whole year to study the Bible and learn more about Jesus! I can't be baptized in this country, but one day I will stand for Christ in the baptismal waters. I can't wait! "Thank you so much for your mission offerings that support the Adventist school where I learned about Jesus." JASMINE (not her real name) lives in a country that is unfriendly to evangelism. CHARLOTTE ISHKANIAN is editor of Mission.
		Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Web site: www.adventistmission.org