In August of 1982 we...
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In August of 1982 we visited the little village of Coatetelco, Mexico. The area had suffered from drought for most of the summer. These people whose lives hung in the balance between life and death in the best of circumstances simply could not live with a total crop failure.
While we were there we witnessed one of the villagers' weekly processions out into the countryside where they prayed for rain. This procession was quite a sight to behold. The people filled the streets and walked in slow, somber procession. Men, women and children carried crucifixes and statues from their church, which were signs of their faith. After they reached the edge of the village they assembled in a farmer's field where they prayed. They offered prayers of confession. They pleaded with God to have mercy. They uttered expressions of faith and confidence in the God of all creation.
As I witnessed this event I could not help but think of how we deal with drought up here in the Midwest. We don't pray for rain; we irrigate. As one who eats three square meals a day and is totally dependent upon agriculture to provide that which is on my table, I am grateful for the technology that helps us to overcome drought. But there's something about the depth of faith in the villagers of Coatetelco that I think we're missing.
While we were there we witnessed one of the villagers' weekly processions out into the countryside where they prayed for rain. This procession was quite a sight to behold. The people filled the streets and walked in slow, somber procession. Men, women and children carried crucifixes and statues from their church, which were signs of their faith. After they reached the edge of the village they assembled in a farmer's field where they prayed. They offered prayers of confession. They pleaded with God to have mercy. They uttered expressions of faith and confidence in the God of all creation.
As I witnessed this event I could not help but think of how we deal with drought up here in the Midwest. We don't pray for rain; we irrigate. As one who eats three square meals a day and is totally dependent upon agriculture to provide that which is on my table, I am grateful for the technology that helps us to overcome drought. But there's something about the depth of faith in the villagers of Coatetelco that I think we're missing.
