“Breathe in … breathe out … one. Breathe in … breathe out … two. Breathe in … breathe out … three.”

Abe is a sweet five-year-old boy. He loves to color pictures and sing songs, especially songs with actions. He is very polite and helps us clean up after kids’ church every Sabbath. One of his favorite foods is a local version of Vietnamese noodle soup that is popular in our corner of Thailand. The neighbor ladies make it for the kids on Sabbath at least once or twice a month. We can always count on Abe to crack a big smile when he catches a whiff of the soup cooking on the charcoal stove.

“Breathe in … breathe out … four. Breathe in … breathe out … five. Breathe in … breathe out … six.”

On this Sabbath however, Abe was sitting on the wooden floor in front of me, sobbing. I rubbed his back gently and encouraged him to take long, slow breaths. His hand rested on my chest, feeling me inhale and exhale until he finally calmed down enough to explain the cause of his anxiety.

All the other children had ridden off on their bicycles or been picked up by a parent or relative. Abe was the only kid left, and his dad hadn’t arrived yet. Had he forgotten about him?

We know that Jesus promised that He will never forget about us or leave us behind. We want all the children and families in the village to know Jesus and to know that He is coming to get them soon.

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