Haven't you heard?

Hasn't anyone ever told you?

Don't you want to know?

There's a Moon in the church, in the brand new almost-finished Seventh-day Adventist church on the side of Green Mountain!

Last night this Moon came out to play in the East Garo Hills of India.

She flew from a very tall palm tree,

Across three rice fields,

Below the window of the village elder's quiet bedroom,

Up over the white orchid tree,

And along the path to the brand new almost-finished Seventh-day Adventist church on the side of Green Mountain.

The giant Moon Moth flitted through an open window and finally spied a safe landing spot where a soft, cool breeze offered a perfect place to take a nap.

And that's where the village elder found her on Sabbath morning, sound asleep, resting from her long flight.

"There's a Moon in our church!" he exclaimed.

"God must be very happy with our new church.

"Even the Moon has chosen to come for Sabbath worship!"

Then the village elder raised a tall, thin bamboo high to where the Moon Moth was sleeping in the brand new almost-finished Seventh-day Adventist church on the side of Green Mountain.

The Moon Moth felt the stick nudging her legs,

And looked down at the village elder with his long, thin bamboo and kind smile.

She was very still for a long minute,

And then happily climbed aboard the village elder's tall, thin bamboo.

Many people came to worship in the church that Sabbath.

Some people came singing and waving in the back of a giant orange truck.

Some came walking down the road under colorful parasols.

Others came walking along a muddy trail through the rice fields.

And some came walking through the dark green jungle.

The village elder met them and said,

"Shh. Be very quiet. I have something wonderfully special to show you."

"Last night, a very rare Moon Moth flew from her very tall palm tree,

Across silvery rice fields,

Beneath the window of my very quiet bedroom,

And up over the tall white orchid tree,

And here she is!"

Then he pulled out his tall, thin bamboo so everyone could see the giant Moon Moth.

Everyone clapped loudly.

But not loud enough to frighten the beautiful, green Moon Moth that had come to the worship service in the brand new almost-finished Seventh-day Adventist church on the side of Green Mountain.

Dick Duerksen is the official storyteller and photographer for Maranatha Volunteers International. This month's story was written by Dick in the East Garo Hills of India, "just a few 'crow' miles from where Eric B. Hare worked in Burma. So, with apologies to Elder Hare, the story was written to be read in his style of storytelling."