Chapter 1: A New Beginning
“Good morning, Jesus. Good morning, Lord. I know You come from heaven above. The Holy Spirit is on the throne. Good morning, Jesus. Good morning, Lord.”
The familiar morning devotion song continued as Mummy led us in worship. We sang together as the morning sun shone through the windows, filling our living room with light.
“I love this!” I exclaimed with a smile.
In our home, morning devotion was a family tradition. Mummy led the worship, Daddy prepared the message, and my older siblings took turns reading the Scriptures. We gathered together every morning to worship God and learn from His Word.
That morning, however, was different from the others.
It was my first day at school.
After our devotion, Mummy helped me get ready. She dressed me in my beautiful green gown, straightened my clothes and made sure I looked smart.
I was excited. I could hardly wait to leave the house.
What excited me most was the thought of following my big sister, Tabitha, to school. Having her around made the whole experience seem less frightening. I imagined myself walking beside her, following her from one place to another and perhaps even sitting with her during break time.
I couldn't wait to begin.
When we arrived at school, everything seemed new to me. There were children everywhere, some playing, some talking, and others crying as they clung to their parents.
I looked around, expecting to see my sister.
But I couldn't find her.
“Sister Tabitha!”
I called her name as I searched the school grounds.
“Sister Tabitha! Sister Tabitha!”
I looked here and there, hoping to catch a glimpse of her familiar face. But she was nowhere to be found.
My excitement slowly turned into fear.
Where was she? Had she gone somewhere without me? Had she left me behind?
The thought frightened me, and before long, tears began to roll down my cheeks.
I kept calling her name, hoping she would hear me. I didn't know where else to look or whom to ask for help.
Thankfully, a teacher noticed me crying and approached me.
“What's the matter, dear?” she asked gently.
“I want my sister,” I answered through my tears. “I can't find Sister Tabitha.”
The teacher took me by the hand and helped me look for her.
When I finally saw my sister, I felt relieved. I had honestly thought she had left me behind.
I stayed close to her for a while, no longer willing to let her disappear from my sight.
Eventually, I began to settle into my new environment. I met other children, participated in the day's activities and discovered that school could be fun after all.
Despite the tears and the brief moment of fear, I enjoyed my first day at school.
That night, Mummy tucked me into bed.
“Did you like school?” she asked softly.
I thought about the crying, the kind teacher, and the games with my new friends.
“Yes,” I said. Then I yawned. “But tomorrow, I will hold Sister Tabitha's hand at the gate.”
Mummy smiled and kissed my forehead. “Goodnight, Hannah.”
I closed my eyes, still smiling, and fell asleep.
