I was spurred to write a request for prayer here by the current rain that is falling on our roof. It has been on and off today, but we’ve probably only had about 1mm, if that.

The previous drought prayer thread was in May/June. We had a stack of rain then, and predictions of much rain later in the year. In our area we were expected to get lots in Sept. We had 1.6mm all month. It rained once in all of Sept. The long term average for Sept is 37mm. Year to date the average by now is 465.9mm. We’ve had 287.8mm so far this year, and most of that was in about May/June. There’s been little significant rain since early June.

Around here many farmers are putting stock on their wheat, or selling it as hay. Those who were fortunate enough to be permitted to irrigate from bores have had some small success, but only enough to break even.

What has made it worse is that many had their hopes up for drought breaking rain, and committed emotionally and financially to it. Now that it has not come it is devestating. The effects are widespread. Simon, my husband, had a bloke come to our door a few weeks back and spend about 3 hours chatting with him because he didn’t want to go ahead with the suicide plan he was considering. The teachers at the school are noticing that children are being more effected as they see their parents despair.
It’s really not good.

As rain has fallen on the coast there is also the feeling of being forgotten. We are fortunate that we are forming strong ties with a church in Sydney who have been a great blessing. They, along with some other churches, have allowed us to supply fodder to some farmers, and are going to do so again. They will also be coming up for a mission which will give them an opportunity to see things for themselves. The fodder we supply barely covers a days worth of feeding, but it does give them some reassurance that they are not alone, and that someone does care.

Pray for those of us who minister to farmers, and who live alongside people who don’t know God. Pray for opportunities to speak to them of a true hope that will not disappoint. Of a promise that will be fulfilled.

Pray for rain. We will get more this week, but probably less than 1mm each day. It’s really nothing. We are in desperate need of rain right now. I spoke to a friend in Leeton the other day. The rice harvest this year is going to be very low also. It’s been no better there than here. Please keep those in rural Australia in your prayers.

Erin, you can be assured of the prayers of all of us at Penrith; we issue a two-monthly prayer diary, with a different point for each day- today we are praying for God’s unwarranted mercy in bringing rain to the drought-stricken areas of our country.  We always have this or similar in the Prayer diary once a month, and it is a regular weekly prayer point in our bulletins. 
For those of us in metropolitan parishes, the drought mainly impacts on us only when our lawns brown-off, our cars get dirty and we pay more at the green-grocers or butchers, but in country areas, it isn’t just the farmers, it is the entire community that is being destroyed.  My heart breaks for the pain suffered by our country family and friends who are not only losing their businesses, but much more.

Erin,

Thanks for your encouragement to persist in praying for our rural community and our drought affected nation.

The rains did not come as hoped for most of the Riverina/south-west slopes. The disappointment has driven many farmers to despair. Thoughts of suicide are constant companions for some farmers as they look on their failed crops once again. The strain on those Christian farmers who are caring for such suicidal farmers and their families in the midst of their own burden is great. Yet they do so knowing they have God’s love and compassion to offer.

Should we not come before the throne of grace and plead for mercy upon mercy?

Would it not be a praise worthy mercy of our good God’s if a time came when our rural community and our nation would repeat the words of Habakkuk 3 and mean them:

2 LORD, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD.
Renew them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy…

17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.
For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

Please, please pray.
Angela

We’ll all be rooned” said Hanrahan

the lack of rain makes many doubt God’s goodness or even his existence. It is just so hard for people to understand what is happening or more importantly why?

Richard Dawkins and his friends are having a wonderful time. Yet they dont have an explanation either.

We got some hail here today, some of the farmers will be happy enough for we had some rain in winter but those -and there are a few still-who grow vegetables without irrigation are pretty desperate. Another one I know bit his pride off and applied for social security the other week. He is in his 60s worked all his life, never been sick- etc etc and he has nothing to show for it all.

And this is well watered country

How can the Riverina, such wonderful country as I remember it- full of smiling wheat fields, of orchards, of dairy cattle (in the Victorian parts) survive.

Why God why? is what many ask.

.

Having been in both Sydney and Brisbane in the school holidays it struck me even more how much of an impact the drought has made in our town. As I drove through Wollongong, where I previously lived, I saw so much new development, new cars, people just getting on with life. It made mre realise how little of that is going on in our area, how the drought is impacting everyone, everyday. How much our towns future hangs on the weather. I guess I didn’t realise the rest of the world don’t think about it every day, and have it as part of nearly every conversation. I mean I must have known, but hadn’t noticed how much it had taken over nearly everything we do.

On a good note - there is a fair bit of rain predicted here in the next few days. Well any rain counts as a fair bit. Pray it falls.

Also, while there will be little to no cotton planted, what crops, of any type, do succeed will fetch good prices. So ok for the crop farmer. Not so much for contractors and agribusiness, as the amount of work around is still hugely short of the norm. And still a problem for our farmers with stock, although failed crops have meant there is more stock feed around to purchase. Businesses of all types feel the ongoing effects of this.