A soft knock on Ella’s door distracted her from her lesson plans. She glanced up to find her mother, Kim, her brow creased with worry.

            “What is it?”

            Kim moved into the room and perched on the bed next to Ella. “It’s Grandma. She’s very sick. We need to go help her.”

            “Is she going to be OK?”

            “I think so, but she’s all alone and needs our help.”

            “Of course. That makes sense.” Ella glanced down at the plans in her lap. “How long will we be there? Vacation Bible School starts on Monday. I’m almost finished writing what I want to talk to the kids about. They give us the curriculum, of course, but I like to put my own spin on it.”
            A line formed between Kim’s brows. “I’m afraid you’ll have to miss it this year.”

            Ella rose from the bed and crossed her arms. “What?! Why can’t I stay here with Dad? You can take care of Grandma by yourself, can’t you?”

            Kim shook her head. “Dad is leaving in the morning for an important conference for work. He won’t be home until the end of the week.”

            “Then let me stay here. I’m old enough. I could get Natalie’s mom to drive me to church each day.”

            Kim rose and touched Ella’s shoulder. “You’re fourteen. I know you’re not a child anymore, but I’m not leaving you in the house by yourself for a week. I realize you’re disappointed about missing VBS, but there’s nothing we can do. Our church has lots of people who can pitch in. Grandma is getting worse, not better, and I don’t want to leave her alone. I’ll need to run errands while we’re there. I’ll need to buy groceries and pick up her medicine. When I’m doing that, you’ll stay with her.” She turned to exit the room. “I’m sorry. Please pack your things. We’ll leave in a half hour.”

            Ella stared after Kim, stunned. VBS was the highlight of her year. The church did an enormous production, and hundreds of kids came. Why would God take her away from that? She was doing His work. She bowed her head and prayed. “God, I don’t understand, but I’ll trust You. Please help Grandma get better. Amen.”

            By Monday morning, Grandma was still weak. Kim spent all her time with her, and while Ella helped with preparing meals and doing chores around the house, boredom descended full force, and with it, discontent. She was supposed to be at VBS today, making a difference for God. Instead, she was spending her summer vacation in this boring small town with nothing to show for it. She pushed open the front door and headed outside.

            The sun shone brightly and the air was fresh and clean. What a glorious day. Ella closed her eyes, raised her arms, and spun in circles, letting the sunshine soak into her skin. The sound of giggles stopped her in her tracks. She opened her eyes to find two little girls watching her, wide eyed. She grinned and bent down to greet them. “Hi, I’m Ella.”

            The taller of the two girls pointed to herself, and then to her sister. “I’m Kiera, and this is Grace.” She extended her arm toward the house next door. “We live there.”

            “I’m here visiting my grandma. She’s sick.”
            Kiera frowned. “Miss Barbara is a nice lady. She tells us about Jesus sometimes. We like to hear stories about Jesus. Our mommy doesn’t tell us those stories.”

            Ella’s heartbeat kicked up a notch. “Would you like me to tell you stories about Jesus?”

            Little Grace jumped up and down and clapped her hands. “Story time! Story time!”

            Ella broke out into a giant grin. “Hold on for just a minute. I have to get something inside.” She raced into the house to get the lesson plans for VBS. When she packed for the trip, something had compelled her to put them in her suitcase, but at the time, she had no idea why. When she headed back outside, the little girls were nowhere to be found. Ella’s heart sank. Why would God build up her hopes and then dash them to the ground?

            She crossed the yard and plopped down, cross-legged, under a massive oak tree. A few moments later, the two little girls reappeared, but this time, with two little boys in tow. Kiera approached, breathless. “When you said you were going to tell us Jesus stories, I brought Tommy and Nolan. They don’t know about Jesus.”

            The four children arranged themselves in a semicircle around Ella. She sent up a silent prayer of thanksgiving, and taught the children the very lesson she had hoped to teach back at home.

            When the lesson was complete, each of the children gave Ella a hug, and then scampered away. Ella called after them. “Come back tomorrow, and I’ll have a new story for you!”

            Ella returned to the house and entered the room where her mother and grandmother sat. Kim raised her eyebrows. “I saw you out the window. Looks like you made some friends.”
            Ella beamed. “I did. God brought children for me to teach this week, even though I missed out on VBS.”

            Grandma’s eyes, while cloudy and ringed with dark circles, held a glimmer. “Sounds like you and Philip have something in common.”
            Ella tilted her head at Grandma. “I don’t understand.”

            Grandma turned to Kim. “Please, hand me my Bible.”

            Kim complied, and Grandma read aloud. “Acts chapter 8”

5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.”

35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

Grandma closed the Bible and turned toward Ella. “Phillip was doing the Lord’s work where he was, but the Lord brought him to this one specific place, to one specific man. That eunuch went on and spread the gospel to Africa. And you, my dear, are spreading it in my neighborhood. God bless you.”

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! 

God, we don’t always understand Your ways, but You always have a reason for what You call us to do. It doesn’t matter if we reach 400 children or 4 if we’re doing Your will. It’s far better to share the gospel honestly to one coworker who may never open a Bible than to speak shallowly to hundreds in a church setting. Help us make a difference in the world, no matter where You place us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.