By Laura Larson

Moving to California to raise my children was scary.  I knew my young daughter and son would be exposed to materialism and immersed in a culture that places little value on Christ.  I spent many nights wondering how I would instill the values and lessons my husband and I had learned growing up in the mission field in Latin America and Asia, often sharing the gospel side-by-side with our parents.

When we first arrived in California, we were SO grateful and relieved to find a wonderful Christian preschool that my daughter Anna could attend. During that fantastic year, Anna attended Chapel often, came home singing songs about Jesus, and regularly told me, “Jesus loves you and so do I” -- a phrase she heard often at school.

When the time came for Anna to attend Kindergarten, however, everything changed.  Anna needed speech therapy, and it simply wasn’t possible or practical for her to attend a private school or home school and still get the extra help she needed.  My husband and I made the difficult decision to send Anna to a public school, but we worried about her spiritual growth:  Would the small seeds of faith we had worked so hard to nurture continue to grow when Anna was immersed in a secular school environment where “God” can hardly be mentioned without someone filing a lawsuit?

I am grateful and relieved to report that – after nearly a year of public school – God really can work all things together for good:  Not only has Anna’s faith and knowledge of God continued to grow, she (and I) have learned a number of valuable spiritual lessons during Anna’s time in a California public school.

First, when Anna was no longer able to attend a Christian school, she began to appreciate just how much she loves God and learning about God.  In fact, when Anna first found out that she was no longer going to learn about God at school, she was upset.  “Wow!  That’s sad,” she remarked on several occasions.  And after she started attending public school, Anna seemed to have a greater appreciation and interest in God during Sunday School and the Bible-teaching program AWANA.  Anna excitedly memorized scriptures and engaged my husband and me in endless discussions about God and the Bible.  It was as though, for Anna, the Kingdom of God had become a “hidden treasure” to be appreciated and valued, since it was no longer immediately available upon demand.

Second, Anna learned the boldness and courage required to be a Christian in a secular world.  On one occasion, for example, the Kindergarten teacher assigned a Thanksgiving assignment requiring that each student write on a paper turkey “feather” what they were most thankful for.  After much thought about the assignment, Anna explained to me that although she “loved Mommy and Daddy” she was “most thankful for God.”  However, she was scared to say this in her class:  “I don’t know what the teacher will think,” she confided in me.  I prayed with Anna that God would take away her fear and help her to be bold, and was happy to hear that she overcame these fears and shared with her class that she was in fact “most thankful for God!”  Later, when I visited her classroom, I was so proud to see Anna’s open declaration of her faith on the classroom wall – bold words scrawled on a cut-out paper feather attached to a cut-out paper turkey – like Martin Luther’s 95 theses nailed to the Wittenburg church door – “I am thankful for GOD. Anna” (left).

Third, Anna learned about God’s heart for the lost, and the vital role Christians play in reaching the lost.  Late one evening during night-time devotions and prayer, Anna asked how people learn about God and how they learn that Jesus died for their sins.  I told her that Christians tell other people about God.  After some thought, Anna asked: “Does my teacher know about God?”  “I don’t know, Anna.”  I responded, “But probably not.”  This was actually a rather sore topic for me, as I had been so disappointed to learn that Anna’s school had not assigned her to either of the two Kindergarten teachers I knew were Christians.  After some more thought, Anna asked me, “Does God want me to tell my teacher about God?”  “I don’t know, Anna,” I replied, “Why don’t we pray and ask God?” 

After a short prayer and some quiet time listening to God, I looked down and saw tears streaming down Anna’s face.  Anna whispered, “Momma, I think it’s me.”  Thinking Anna was worried that she was hearing her own thoughts, rather than God’s voice, I said, “That’s all right, Anna.  Sometimes it’s hard to tell when God speaks.”  But Anna quickly corrected me: “No, Mom -- I think it's me!  I think I am the one who is supposed to tell my teacher about God…But I am scared."  Of course she is scared, I thought.  Is there any person more intimidating to a five-year old than her Kindergarten Teacher?

After yet another prayer for boldness, and many talks about when and how Anna might know it was the right time to tell her teacher about God, I found myself outside Anna’s classroom one day about to make a quick exit, but noticing that Anna was tugging on my hand.  “I think this is the time, Momma,” she whispered.  “This is the time to tell the teacher I am a Christian.”  With more reluctance than I would like to admit, I slowly led Anna over to the teacher, and explained to her that Anna had something she wanted to say. 

Anna, unfortunately, suddenly became very shy, and soon the teacher, Anna and I were all staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity.  Finally, Anna said to me, “I want you to tell her Momma!”  This, I have to admit, presented a challenge to my own anxieties and fears.  However, I eventually told the teacher – in one of the more awkward and difficult moments of my life – “Anna wants you to know that she is a Christian.”

I, of course, had no idea what would happen next.  Neither Anna nor I had thought that far ahead.  And I really had no idea what else to say or do.  The teacher, however, quickly stooped down to Anna’s level, looked her straight in the eyes and replied in a whisper, “That’s great Anna -- I’m a Christian too!” 

After a wave of relief that my daughter would not be scorned for her admission, and was apparently being taught by someone who shared my own faith and values, I realized that this too was an important lesson:  Even in an increasingly secular world where Christianity is ostracized and forbidden in the public sphere, we are not alone.  The reality is that there are many other Christians just like us facing the same challenges, fighting the same fears, and sharing the same faith in a sovereign God who can see us through life’s challenges.  To those of you who, like me, have little choice but to send your children to a public school, I say this:  Take heart – you are not alone. 

I was amazed that Anna became fast friends with a girl in her class who was the daughter of a local pastor!  Her friend’s mother, I later learned, had been just as concerned about sending her daughter to a public school as me, and just as relieved to find that her daughter had found a Christian friend.  Anna and her friend learned many important lessons since becoming friends, including, for example, responding with love to a classmate who tried to hurt their feelings.

Would Anna (and I) have learned all these same lessons if Anna had been home-schooled or attended a Christian school?  The truth is that it is absolutely possible that God would have taught Anna and me all these lessons.  And it is also possible that Anna would have learned so much more about God, and grown even stronger in her faith, if she had been able to thrive and learn in the strong and safe Christian environment I so longed for her to have -- and still long for her to have some day.

However, this much is clear:  Despite going to a public school, Anna has earnestly sought God this past year, and God has been faithful to reveal Himself and work in and through her circumstances, including even the many days she has spent in a California public school, to teach her (and me) many valuable lessons about the Christian life -- lessons I am confident neither of us will ever forget.

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