"LORD GOD, we need rain." "Thank you for sending the rain."

Good morning, fellow homeschooling families,

It is 6:52 a.m. here in the "New World." Where we live is a desert and have been praying for rain to come.  However, there is so much snow east by the Atlantic Ocean, my sister, "Hurricane Katrina" told me that a child was seen in the news praying to GOD as he looks to the sky, "Lord, please make it warm!"

After hearing that I found myself saying, "LORD, please give us rain! Our side of the world needs it so bad."

Before I came to the "New World," where I used to live thirty-six years of my life since birth, with chronic asthma and bronchitis, is called the "Pearl of the Orient Seas."  It is a rain forest island of many islands.  When it is very dry where you are at the moment, you kind of envy that climate a little bit only (because it is also very humid hot, normally three digit hot when the rainy season of six months is over).  Fortunately, there is a part of the "New World" that is also a rain forest.  

And where there is a rain forest, crocodiles or alligators thrive (still figuring out what is the difference between crocodiles and alligators!).

Today, February 27th, 2014, the LORD GOD has sent rain! "Oh please LORD let it pour."  According to my husband, Cuddle, who watched the news, it was reported that there will be rain from today until Saturday!  Cuddle further said "we need three inches of rain" of which I replied, "we can have some feet of rain." (flashbacks: not so bad for someone who was used to a routine of floods, where sometimes in the past during elementary school days, I used to walk in the flood that was all the way to my ankle or my shin, and when I grew up into a woman, I walked routine floods that varied from ankle to half way above my waist in heels. 

One time, due to a non-stop heavy rain for a day or two, the news broke and everyone was sent home by two p.m. from my work.  In the process, the jeepneys and buses wouldn't even allow passengers to get in to protect the engines. Modes of transportation were halted of which I found myself walking from work to home for seven hours up and down  through the highways and streets. 

Fortunately, with God's help, I happily crossed the flood that was up to my waist with other happy strangers after we connected our hands and arms, side by side, so we could all cross the high flood in a straight, horizontal line, one person holding onto the concrete island on the middle of the road connecting the rest of us, all arms linked to one another, to the person who is next to the paved curb holding onto anything, like a post, to keep us all walking alive as we cross the flood waters [because there is power in numbers!]).  Most people just wanted to reach home as fast as we can. Since businesses and small buildings are closed, and for fear of strangers asking to come and stay inside some place until the waters are down, you have no choice but to go on until you are past the flooded area.  

Please do not be offended when I wrote that people from "Pearl of the Orient Seas" did it happily. When you are used to it, you learn to apply, "rejoice in the LORD always, again I say rejoice" with other people who experiences the same thing over and over.  Even when generous and compassionate countries sent floating boats to help, do not be surprise when you see happy people dealing with the flood.

When there is the usual (or routine),  normal flooding (because there is such every time a typhoon comes during six months in a year), we should have learned our lessons well:  Learn to happily endure, happily overcome, happily cross, and happily clean afterwards. Why?  Because after the flooding that automatically also fills in the first floor of any homes and stuff begins to float (except for those who live in high places), clean up time comes.

Now, that I am celebrating my golden year, looking back as I write this blog, I understand: 

• Why houses there where I came from are being built up floor by floor, on top of one another, one floor at a time, (some three floors high, others six or more floors high), in all the years that has passed
• Why the same families of different generations tend to stay in the same house that has gone upwards
• Why when I was very young, watching by the window, I saw some kids on our street swam happily or joyfully in the still flood waters after the pouring rain has stopped 
• why in wonder do these young swimmers could do it happily (the flood will drain down sooner and recede) 
• Why we have to move up things fast to the next floors before the flood rain starts going higher
• Why we have to clean up down the first floor after each flood that comes has receded, and
• Why when the typhoon rain starts and the waters are still low on the streets, there were times my siblings and myself stand by the gate of our home (or go to the balcony if the house has it) and play happily under the pouring rain, talking, running, and screaming to one another in fun! 
• Why?

 All because there are many ways to overcome the flood joyfully!  

Only God knows if ever it is going to pour heavy rains in days  non stop here in the desert part of the "New World."

  "Did you hear in the news that it has already snowed in India?"

 We don't know what global warming would do any further.

Despite, "Thank you so much LORD Jesus for the rain you are sending and we hope the meteorologists are right."

From the "New World,"  this is Ika Crizel reporting.