Mrs. Kay, I Didn’t Do Anything Wrong!

Rebecca was a five-year-old that I had in my preschool class many years ago. Our class was full. But one of our moms came to me and told me about a woman she met at the YMCA that had a 5-year-old child who had never been to preschool. She asked me if we could accept her.  It was early in January.

I said “yes” to allowing this child into our classroom. After accepting the child, I learned Rebecca’s mom was a Jehovah’s Witness. At the time I was active in sharing my faith with those who were in the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.  But decided not to talk to her mom until after our school was over for the year. Meeting little Rebecca helped me learn how difficult
it is for young children to have parents in the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.

Rebecca had long brown hair and big brown eyes. She was very sweet and loved to learn new things. She was never a discipline problem. The first day her mom came with her to our class she told me, “Now, we’re Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mrs. Kay. I don’t want Rebecca saying the pledge of alliance with the other students and I don’t want her putting her hand over her heart when they say the pledge in the mornings. I’ve already told Rebecca not to do this.” Her mom continued, “I also don’t want her doing art activities that involve Easter or other holidays that we don’t celebrate.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate Christmas, Easter, other religious holidays, or birthdays. They also don’t say the pledge of allegiance. Her mom continued, “I’ll keep her home on these holidays or when you have holiday parties.” I told her I understood many of the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses and we would respect their beliefs.

Rebecca wouldn’t put her hand over her heart if I was looking toward her during our openings in the morning, but if I looked away, she did. She wouldn’t say the words out loud when I was watching her, but again when I was looking in a different direction, I could hear her voice saying the words quietly.

When Lent and Easter came, we asked the children to bring a large empty washed milk carton and we made them into Easter Baskets. Then we filled them with candy that the students have brought from home. They were adorable! The day we made them and filled them with candy Rebecca was not at school. Her mom had kept her home. But several other children were also absent that day. Their Easter Baskets, filled with candy, were in our coat room.

When Rebecca returned to class the next day, I found her in the coat room. She had gotten one of the baskets down and was stuffing the candy into her coat pocket. I said sadly, “Rebecca your mom doesn’t want you to have the candy or the bunny.” She responded, “But Mrs. Kay, I didn’t do anything wrong!” It broke my heart that I had to take the candy away from her. I gently told Rebecca, “Your mom doesn’t want you to have the decorated milk carton or the candy.”

I have always wondered what happened to Rebecca. I hope and pray that she came to know the Christ of the Bible and didn’t stay tied to the Watchtower Society as an adult.

Children of Jehovah’s Witnesses Face Many Challenges
Once I was in a public school for a speaking engagement and overheard a teacher making fun of a young child who was a Jehovah’s Witness. How sad! Why would an adult do that to a child? I have also met several ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses that left when they were quite young. One was 16 years old when his parents threw him out of their home because he told them he didn’t believe what the Watchtower Society (Jehovah’s Witnesses) believe and teach. Thankfully a Lutheran family took him in and helped him get his high school education. Today this young man is a Christian and is active in his Christian congregation. Many children of Jehovah’s Witnesses leave the organization when they become young adults. They need Christian friends to care for them and tell them about the Christ of the Bible. The following video can help you learn how to share your faith with a Jehovah's Witness or an ex-JW. I encourage you to watch it. It's free.