Rain Down!

Like diamonds falling on the Earth rain poured over us last night! It started as a few drops, then a fine drill and finally a big outpouring.

How many times I have seen rained and haven’t cared about it! How many times I have even complained when it rained during a time I wanted to do something out side.

This time it was different! We had been praying for rain for days, weeks, almost months.

We looked to the sky many, many times a day, hoping to see clouds. When we saw clouds, we hoped it would become drops. But everything was dry. The grass was dry, during a season it should be the greenest! The trees looked sad! Every afternoon we would see the leaves curling up. In the morning they would look better, and the same way God’s mercies are new every morning, our hopes were renewed that today would be the day for rain to fall!

People’s moods started to be affected. Not only because of the heat, that was terrible, but the perspective of a year without rain. In a community where food comes from primitive agriculture irrigated only by rain, when there isn’t enough rain during a “supposedly rainy season”, that means a year of hunger, suffering, and even death to many.

Today it was a different day. Workers came in with a big smile and every ones’ mood was better. It had rained! Rain means hope! Means life!

We had promised we would go out to dance in the rain, but I was fast asleep when it was really pouring. Christa tried waking me up, but I didn’t hear! L Jeosafá was up and took some pictures! When I woke up in the morning though, there was fog, which means humidity, something very different from the past very dry weeks! And I knew it had rained a lot, even though I didn’t see it!

We continue praying for more rain. Now the people can plant sweet potatoes and cassava. That will at least help them survive the year ahead.

Thank you God for your faithfulness!

Thank you for your prayers!