What God Can Do With a Little

Have you ever felt God telling you to do something, maybe something small and simple? Perhaps you wondered what such a small thing could do. 

One young girl in Papua New Guinea learned that God can use even the smallest thing to lead others to Jesus. 

Eleven-year-old Dorcas attended children’s Bible camp in a town almost two hours from her home. She loved the crafts and the Bible stories she learned. And she loved memorizing the Bible texts that the leaders challenged the children to learn. Toward the end of camp, Dorcas had an idea.

As soon as she returned home to her village, she asked her father to make some copies of Bible verses to share with some of her friends at school. 

When school started again, Dorcas shared her verses with two of her best friends. They agreed to meet during recess to learn them together. The girls accepted the cards, which were nicely decorated, and agreed to learn the Bible texts. But when they met the next day, the girls had a surprise for Dorcas.

Within two weeks 20 children were learning Bible verses during school recess!

Unexpected Surprise

The next morning Dorcas’ friends met her on the playground. But instead of just two girls, 10 children met during recess! They all wanted Bible verse cards, and they all agreed to memorize the Bible texts. Dorcas gave each child a card and invited them to come back the next day to practice the Bible verses. 

Every day more children came during morning recess to say their Bible verse and get another card. Within two weeks 20 children were learning Bible verses during school recess!

Dorcas’ Bible Club

Dorcas told her mother how many children were coming to her group, and Mother suggested that the children meet under the family’s house, where it was cool and dry. Houses in hot parts of Papua New Guinea often are built on stilts to catch the breeze. It was a perfect place for a meeting. 

Dorcas invited her friends to come to her house on Wednesday and Friday evening. All 20 friends came, and they invited more friends. Dorcas and her mother planned a program for the children. They sang songs, Dorcas told a Bible story, and they did crafts. 

And the group kept growing! Soon 100 children and some of the parents were coming to Dorcas’ house for Bible studies. And on Sabbath 50 or so came for worship. 

One day Dorcas learned that several adults had given their hearts to Jesus and wanted to be baptized! Because Dorcas let God lead her, a whole new church was planted in her village. And recently, when the grown-ups were baptized, Dorcas was baptized too. 

We can do big things for God if we follow the ideas that Jesus gives us. Imagine starting a whole church with just a few Bible verses written on cards!