Monday, March 27, 2023

Rain, Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain

 Annamaria on Monday shouting Halleluia!


Years before before I learned about the weather in Kenya, I fell in love with a song by the great South African singers, Ladysmith Black Mambazo.  One of my favorites of their songs is a pean to rain.



Since I have become heart-focused on Kenya, I have studied and written here about its climate and its recent drought. The big question for the past few months has been would the long rains come this March/April and resolve the worst drought in forty years?

I have been watching the weather reports with fingers crossed and with increasing hope:




Much as I was encouraged by the weather app, it was not until this (Sunday) morning that I got the report from my eyewitness.  My friend Sarah took these photos to celebrate the very first day of rain: the first of the screen shots above, Thursday March 16th.

Women are going out to fetch water, knowing that
there will be some!

The animals, domestic and wild are already drinking!

And herds of goats and cattle are returning to the
area because the grass will soon be sprouting.

The good news has continued, as you can see from the recent Friday and Sunday reports above.

And here in faraway NYC, I am doing the happy dance.  Here's the song.  Won't you join in the celebration!


4 comments:

  1. Wonderful news that the drought has broken in Kenya. Now we must hope for enough rain and not too much! Africa is difficult that way!

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    1. You are right, if course, Michael. I remember the photos of the floods in some places and droughts in others from about seven or eight years ago. But for now, after all the recent suffering of people and beasts for so long, I just want to celebrate while we can.

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  2. Yes! Always good when the rains come! (though like Michael says, not too much all at once!)

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  3. I love the dress colors of the water carriers! Is that in celebration of the showers or simply common dress?

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