When rains delay

There is a lot you are bound to learn through travel. You will come across people with diverse culture and tradition, especially if you happen to be travelling to villages. The struggle to cope with different situations and the beauty of cultural practices will sooth your soul.

Most villages that I have crossed this year have all had the same outcry. Drought. They have unanimously concluded that this has been the worst they have seen this millennium. Dying livestock, poor crop yields, no water to drink and cleanse themselves. What of the food shortage? Children yelping at their mamas while papa is away fending for them. He later arrives at dusk with two canes of sugar. Do they even have the strength to chew these resilient canes and feel the palatable sap trickling down their throats? Maybe.

You may be awestruck by the suckling one whose mama has not had a morsel to fill her tummy. He is smiling at her with gratitude. He has no worries for he trusts that she will always give her mammary glands for him to quench his hunger. She has forlorn eyes staring at the distance praying and expecting the rains to fall. Even for a day.
Livestock have to cope with the changing times too. With too little pasture for them, leached water and scorching temperatures, some succumb. The sheep has not been shorn for long as the owner is busy fending for his offspring. The goat has been tied at the same spot for days. It has gnawed everything to the roots for as long as its cord will radiate. The cow got slaughtered for not being able to walk. All because of the drought.

They say everything was created by a supreme being. Yes, even the annoying mosquito. Wild animals have been dying of thirst in the parks. Some volunteer may get them a tanker full of water. I wish the lion would have been able to say thanks. I believe most of the water was lost through evaporation and underground seepage. But at least he tried. On behalf of the wild animals, I thank you son of soil.

After a spell of pain and suffering, the rains are back. Most of us are happy for we have plenty of water. The farm is wet and we can start ploughing and planting new crop. Our livestock will not die of thirst and neither will the wild animals. There is only one factor that will determine if next time the dry spell will be tougher than the one we experienced. Will we plant trees during this season or we shall continue clearing more to plant food?