Lily and Sam lived in a cozy house with a big backyard, perfect for all their adventures. They loved playing outside, especially with their brand-new, super-duper, bright red soccer ball. It bounced higher and rolled faster than any ball they’d ever had!

One sunny afternoon, as they were practicing their fancy footwork, a moving truck pulled up next door. Soon, a family started unloading boxes. Lily and Sam watched from their fence, curious. Then, they saw him – a boy about their age, with a shy smile and eyes that seemed to take everything in. He wore clothes that looked a little different from theirs, and he had a small, colorful backpack.

“Who’s that, Mom?” Sam whispered as their mom came out with lemonade.

“That’s Omar,” Mom replied kindly. “He and his family are our new neighbors. Remember what we talked about? About loving our neighbors as ourselves?”

Lily and Sam nodded. They knew that verse from the Bible, about treating everyone with kindness and generosity. But Omar seemed… different. He didn’t have a soccer ball, and he was just sitting on his porch, watching them.

“Maybe he doesn’t like soccer,” Lily thought, clutching the red ball a little tighter.

Their mom noticed their hesitation. “Why don’t you go over and say hello? Maybe invite him to play?” she suggested gently.

Sam kicked the ball nervously. “But… what if he doesn’t want to? Or what if he doesn’t know how to play soccer?”

“There’s only one way to find out,” Mom smiled, giving them a little nudge. “God calls us to be welcoming to everyone, no matter where they come from or what they know.”

Taking a deep breath, Lily picked up the soccer ball and walked toward the fence, Sam right behind her. “Hi!” she called out, a little shyly.

Omar looked up, surprised, and gave a small wave.

“We’re Lily and Sam,” Sam added, holding up the bright red ball. “Do you want to play soccer with us?”

Omar’s eyes widened. He hesitated for a moment, then slowly got up and walked towards the fence. He didn’t say much at first, just nodded.

“It’s easy!” Lily explained, gently kicking the ball to him. “You just kick it back.”

Omar tried, and the ball wobbled a bit, not going quite where he aimed. Lily and Sam giggled, but not in a mean way. They showed him how to tap it with the side of his foot. Soon, Omar was getting the hang of it, and a big smile spread across his face.

They played for what felt like hours. They learned that Omar was from a faraway country and spoke a different language at home, but he was learning English very fast. He told them about games they’d never heard of, and they taught him about goalies and penalty kicks. They even discovered he loved to draw, just like Lily!

As the sun began to set, Omar’s mom called him inside. “Thank you for playing!” he said, his shy smile now much bigger.

“You’re welcome!” Lily and Sam called back.

Walking back inside, Lily looked at Sam. “He’s not so different after all,” she said, a warm feeling in her heart.

Sam nodded. “And he’s really good at drawing!”

Their mom was waiting, a knowing look on her face. “See?” she said. “When we open our hearts and share what we have, we often find the best treasures – new friends. You guys really showed him the love of Jesus!”

Lily and Sam knew she was right. Sharing their soccer ball hadn’t just given Omar a fun afternoon; it had given them a new friend, and a deeper understanding of what it meant to love their neighbor. And they couldn’t wait for their next adventure with Omar.