Rainy Season

The rainy season has begun.  It rains most afternoons and when it rains here it often pours for  hours and sometimes for days.  We went to church the other day in the afternoon, so the rain was in full force.  It was notable at church that most people did not have even a coat on, much less a raincoat, and it was chilly.  Most of the women had on flip flops or other open shoes.  We did not see anyone with boots.  Even though we had on raincoats and boots, after just walking a short distance, we were soaked.  God, help us to be thankful for simple things like boots and raincoats.

On Corpus Christi, there was a procession of the Body of Christ through town after the 8 am Mass.  The rain was unusually early that Sunday and it was raining hard when the procession started.  The procession was due to last 4 or 5 hours.  In the States, I think the procession would have been canceled, but the people here, without raincoats or boots, processed in numbers.  Some had umbrellas or a piece of plastic sheeting that they draped over their shoulders, but many had nothing.  Again, no boots and there was running water in the streets in many areas.  This was an impressive expression of faith.