Abinaya from Sri Lanka

What can we learn to celebrate the beauty in God’s world?

Ask:

What is your favourite colour? Why is it your favourite? Why do you think colours are important? What colour brings you the most happiness? Take some time to describe the colours that you notice around you.

The rainbow isn’t the only place where colour appears in our world. It’s all around us! From the unique colour of your eyes to the big blue sky above you, life is full of colour everywhere you look.

The island country of Sri Lanka is a vibrant, colourful country. The country is surrounded by the blue water of the Indian Ocean and has big, green jungles full of wildlife and natural beauty. This is why the country has the nickname “Pearl of the Indian Ocean.”

Sri Lankans love colour! They even have a festival where they use colour to celebrate and give thanks for all the things that help farmers grow bountiful harvests. The festival is called Thai Pongal.

Abinaya is a 7-year-old girl who lives in Sri Lanka, and she loves celebrating Thai Pongal with her family, friends, and community. The celebration starts by waking up early, before sunrise, to dress up in colourful traditional outfits. Once Abinaya is dressed, she goes outside to help her family start boiling the “Pongal” in a decorated pot over firewood. Pongal is a sweet rice with milk, sugar, plums, and spices like cloves and cardamom. After the Pongal is made, the family prays together, and children receive blessings from their parents. At the end of the day, they watch colourful fireworks together.

Many activities make up this fun festival, but Abinaya’s favourite part is all the colourful outfits and decorations. These colours are how she and her friends learn to express gratitude for God’s creation.

Abinaya’s favourite colour is green because she loves nature. Her friend, Luxshana’s favourite colour is also green because it reminds her of the vegetables that help keep her healthy and strong. But some of Abinaya’s other friends have different favourite colours. Agash likes yellow because the sun makes him happy, and Jenuraj likes blue because he loves the sky and the sea.

God made the world full of colour, which is something to celebrate! Just like Abinaya and her friends, we can thank God for the beauty around us.

Read the Bible verses for today together.

Ask and Discuss:

What does your favourite colour remind you of?

How can you celebrate and thank God for that today?

Why do you think God made the world full of colour?

Pray:

God, You are a God of creativity and wonder. The world is full of life and light and colour. Just like Abinaya and her friends, help me to see You in all the colours around me. Help me to stop and slow down enough to see the beauty You surround me with: the soft winter snow, the tall green trees and purple-headed mountains, and the singing birds. Let the creation around me remind me how much You love this world. Amen.