The First Rain

Rain came to South Africa today. It was the first rain of the season, and long overdue. During the long, dry winter people warm themselves by building fires that often burn out of control. One can see the smoke from a veld fire nearly every day. Consequently the air quality is pretty abysmal during the dry season. Contact lenses feel gritty. Allergies abound. Never have I wished for the rains to come like I have this spring.

Last year the rain started mid-September, right after we arrived in South Africa. This year, it's already mid-October and no rain... until this evening. The sky suddenly darkened, and then came the magnificent lightning bolts and thunder (Dan took the above photo of lightning over our next door neighbour's house). Thirty minutes later, the rain began to fall - big, fat drops that quickly merged into one large downpour. I ran outside, barefooted, and danced in the street with my children. Dinner could wait...

"Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, O Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in You, for You are the One who does all this." - Jeremiah 14:22