Our first stop was a safari adventure. We took a two-hour open-air vehicle through a farm in Columbus, Ohio called The Wilds, that had all kinds of amazing animals. We saw giraffes, Bactrian camel and deer, cheetahs, greater one-horned Asian rhinos, and much more. 

About midway through the safari ride, we noticed the sky getting darker and a storm brewing. It began to rain. Not only did it rain, there was a huge downpour with rain and wind. The wind was blowing the rain sideways into the vehicle and we were being hit in the face with heavy rain. Needless to say, we were soaked and ready to be done with the safari. We were laughing at first but then it began to hurt us. We didn’t have anything to protect us. We couldn’t enjoy viewing the giraffes because it was raining so hard. Finally, the rain stopped just before we came to the rhinos. 

The greater-one horned Asian rhino ended up being our favorite animal that day. We enjoyed the rhinos because there were babies. The moms and babies were all running through the open fields because it has just rained. The air was fresh and cool. The tour guide told us it was a treat to see these rhinos running around. They typically are laying in the grass because they are hot.

We were dropped off at the gift shop at the end of our safari and were ready to get some dry clothes on. It was an experience we will never forget. Not because of the animals but because of the rain. And the surprise when the sun came out and there was the most gorgeous rainbow. 

Genesis 9:14-15 says, “Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.”

Our next stop on our animal trip was literally to Noah’s ark. There is an exact replica of Noah’s ark in Grant County, Kentucky. 

One of the most interesting experiences at the Ark Encounter was when we walked inside to the front of a boat which is called the bow. The museum had speakers with the sound of heavy rain, wind, and thunder to give you an idea of what it might have been like for Noah, the family, and the animals. 

Often, we focus on the animals and what it might have smelled or sounded like, but I never took the time to imagine how loud the rain, thunder and winds might have been and how scary that must have been. As I stood there silently taking in the moment, I felt the vibration of the sound and sensed the movement of what the ark might have felt like. 

It actually made me a little anxious thinking about how they endured the rain for 40 days and nights. Genesis 7:4 it says, “Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.” 

It was scary but when I stopped to think about what the eight people on the boat must have felt like, I felt safe because I knew God had provided the knowledge to Noah to design the boat to withstand any storm.