Pawaret in Thailand

We can learn to be patient

Ask:

What would you want if you could have any pet in the world?
If your pet could have a job, what job do you think it would be great at? You can choose a pet you have or your dream pet!

Do you like animals? Kids worldwide have different animals as pets or on their farms. Let’s visit Thailand next on our Family World Tour to meet a young boy and his amazing family pet!

Thailand is in Asia! Wonderful fruit grows there, like mango, papaya, and durian—which is sweet on the inside but stinky on the outside. You can see monkeys there, even in the city. For our friend Pawaret, no animal compares to his family pet, Onemai. Onemai also has a special job of giving visitors rides in the jungle. Can your pet do that? Probably not—unless you have a pet elephant, as Pawaret does!

That’s right! Where Pawaret lives in Thailand, some families keep and ride elephants! Elephants can help with important work like carrying trees out of the jungle to build with or giving people rides through the thick forests where cars and even bicycles can’t go.

Pawaret and his three siblings get to ride on Onemai sometimes, but they can’t see her all the time. Because Pawaret’s dad gives rides to visitors, his dad and their elephant have to leave home. The elephant stays at an elephant park where people can ride her.

When COVID-19 was spreading through Thailand, fewer people came to ride on the elephants. That meant Pawaret’s dad spent more time at home and their elephant, too. Pawaret helped to take her to the stream for a drink and a bath and learned how to feed her. How much do you think an elephant eats each day?

Pawaret is learning to be patient and trust God when things don’t go his way. Even though the pandemic was difficult for his family, it brought them together again. When they needed help, their church provided extra food, so no one went hungry— not even their elephant! The church was like family to them, and their love helped the family to be patient through difficulties and trust God.

Read the Bible verses for today together.

Ask and Discuss:

What is something that you have had to be patient for?
How does knowing that God loves us and is trustworthy help us to wait?
When has something that seemed difficult at the time turned out to be really good for you?

Pray:

God, help us to be patient, even when we want something and can’t have it yet. Help us to understand that sometimes You have a better plan for us that we might have to wait for. Help us remember that You are patient with us as we learn to live as part of Your family! Help us to love others with the same love You have shown through your son Jesus. Amen.