Inside Story

Going to Solusi to Hide

Lindsay was not a Seventh-day Adventist. As Lindsay finished high school, she hoped to study at a university. But then her parents told her the bad news. They didn’t have enough money to pay for her education.

Mother said, “You must understand. But I promise you will go to the university, even if we must wait a while.”

Mother was a clothes maker. Father sold the dresses, curtains, and sofa covers she made. But their business wasn’t doing well when Lindsay finished high school. Then her parents decided to move to Botswana.

Father tried to encourage Lindsay. “Things will get better,” he said.

Lindsay helped with the family business for the next five years. Old friends called from Zimbabwe to ask how Lindsay was doing. Her friends asked, “What’s happening in your life?”

Lindsay answered, “I’m studying, the same as you are.” She lied. She wanted her friends to think she was studying at a university the same as they were.

Time passed. Lindsay almost stopped believing she would go to a university. Then Mother’s business got more customers, and she opened a shop. Not long after, Father and Mother announced to Lindsay that she could continue her studies.

Lindsay was so excited! But she wasn’t sure about where to go. She thought about the University of Zimbabwe. But friends were studying there. She didn’t want them to know that she just started school. Lindsay looked at Midlands State University. But friends were studying there, too. Lindsay had friends at every university except one: Solusi. So, she decided to go there.

When Lindsay arrived at Solusi, she didn’t know anything about the Seventh-day Adventist religion. But she went to church every Sabbath anyway. Eight months later, Lindsay was baptized. Her parents celebrated her decision to live for Jesus.

Today, Lindsay Chikanda is 24 years old and finishing her first year of studies. She is ready to tell her high-school friends the truth, saying, “I’m so sorry, but I didn’t tell you the truth. I wasn’t studying. I was really in Botswana because my parents couldn’t afford to pay for my education. So, I was working with them. But then I came to Solusi, and I learned about Jesus. Do you want to know about Jesus, too?”

Your 13th Sabbath offerings help support Seventh-day Adventist education worldwide. Thank you for giving. Watch a short YouTube show about Lindsay at: https://bit.ly/Lindsay-IS .

Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School mission offerings to spread the gospel worldwide. Read new stories daily at https://AdventistMission.org .