Earth, Air, Fire, Water - and a call for prayer!

It was the Greeks who proposed the existence of five basic elements--earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. While Sowers4Pastors is diligently working with their surrounding communities to minister to their spirit, they are pretty limited when it comes to controlling earth, air, fire, and water. That’s a shame because the Honduran rainy season is wreaking havoc with the four physical elements.

This time of year is always the dry season in Western Honduras, so some of the current challenges come as no surprise. But this year the dry season is more of a DRY season than in years past. Normally, the dry season comes in gradually, beginning in December. The rains gradually peter off while the cool December-February temperatures prevent the landscape from withering immediately. By the time it gets really hot, there is normally only a little more of the dry season to endure. This year, it was like God shut off the main water valve above Gracias and the rains stopped rather abruptly and early.

Earth

The area is currently dry as a bone and they could have another two full months with no rain. The earth part of this equation is that there is now a thick layer of dust coating just about everything. The driest time is just beginning and there is already powder everywhere. Driving on the dirt roads, you can lose traction because of the depth of the dust!


Fire

This map shows the fires that were happening within one 48 hour period
(March 13 - 14)

Fire is a very real concern. Unfortunately, it is still common in the culture for people to burn their fields. In an area where everything is forested, that means the Sowerses are extra vigilant and very concerned about fire. Once a fire starts, it is very difficult to stop because everything is so dry, and there is no water to spare. This is a big prayer request, for the rest of the dry season, which ends in mid-May.

Air

Trish says the air quality also seems worse than in years past. The smoke from all of the farmers burning their fields is always an issue this time of year, but usually it is much worse in the more populated areas, and less severe around the Gracias area. This year, the mountain which lies just across the valley from the Sowers' property is frequently not visible from their house. The good news is that it hasn’t been affecting Trish’s asthma very much. Sinus problems are rampant, however.

Water

That brings us to the obvious concern of a lack of water. Even the larger rivers are drying up. Everyone is running out of water earlier than in previous years. Some neighborhoods in Gracias are not receiving any water at all now, and haven't been for several weeks! The town is sending in tank trucks filled with water and the residents are running out of their homes to fill their buckets. It is a serious situation. Residents are used to water being limited for a few hours a day, during the dry season, but this is more severe than that.

As you may recall, the Sowerses constructed a second water tank for their personal water supply during this past year. They are so glad they did! As things stand, they don’t expect to get any more water, beyond what is already in their tanks, for a couple of months. They still have water and aren’t in dire straits at this moment. They are hoping their current supply will see them through, but they're not really expecting this water to last until the rains come, so they will buy water if they have to.

Coffee?

Since a lot of you would probably add another physical life element (coffee!), let’s address the concerns for the coffee farm. Trish said the coffee plants are used to having a cyclical dry season. They do not expect the extended dry season to negatively affect the coffee farm in a significant way. They may, however, experience some loss of younger plants and plants that are facing west and taking the worst of the heat. It's likely that the harvest will be less abundant this year, as well.

Prayer Requests 

Pray for rain! Pray that any fires would be contained and not endanger lives and properties! Pray for a miraculous extension of the water supply. Pray for limited damage to crops and livestock.

Thanks so much for your prayers!

 - posted by Christi