Residents of Makukuli, Inmalog Norte held a procession, praying for rains. Inmalog Norte is one of the upland barangays of the parish. It relies on the rains for the farmers to be able to till their lands, and plant their crops.
They cried to God for rains!
It has been a while since their rice lands had been softened and nourished by the rains.
We prayed for rains in the purok mass in Brgy. Anonang, just at the boundary between Brgy. Anonang and Brgy. Binday, two of the well-irrigated barrios. Waters from the karayan of upland Brgys. Colisao and Ambalangan-Dalin flow freely down to these villages. This time, however, the river flows are being rationed out.
"Awanen, Father, ti danum idiay karayan", an old woman told me before we began our mass. She looked worried about the lack of rains and the waters in the river drying up.
"Manpikasi tayo na uran!" I told the small congregation. Everybody nodded in agreement.
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Bro. Rod with some of his friends were having small talk before our mass in their village. Brgy. Aramal is blessed with wide, open rice fields. Bro. Rod and his friends were worried. The lack of rain has hampered their planting schedule.
Bro. Rod told the group, "Mabli so bomba na danum". All agreed. It is expensive to pump water for the rice fields. They would not be able to recover their expenses; they might even be more in debt!
"Let us pray for rain", I told the congregation of Brgy. Aramal, as I intoned the sign of the cross for the mass.
After the mass, I looked up and saw dark clouds forming. We hurriedly boarded the parish jeep. I waved at Bro. Rod and friends as we sped away. They were looking up, longing for the rains to come.
We barely made to the parish church before the rains started to pour!
