Prayin' For Rain!

by: Bobby McDonald

 

The noon hour on Tuesday found a large group of prayerful residents in Hopkins County gathered on the downtown square, in front of the Hopkins County Courthouse. The gathering was sponsored by the Hopkins County Ministerial Alliance, as a public plea for much needed rainfall in Hopkins County.

The Hopkins County area has been plagued with drouth for the second year and finds pastures, hay meadows, and home lawns in dire need of rainfall. "It certainly is not the only way that people can ask their Lord for needed rainfall, but we wanted to publicly proclaim our faith in God to deliver our needs," expressed one of the local ministers. "We want everyone to continue to pray individually, but this was just a public profession of our faith!"

 

Farmers, ranchers, businessmen, and public citizens gathered on the downtown square to ask for Divine intervention in the weather conditions and to bring much needed relief to Hopkins County. "Our agricultural sector, which is a large part of our local economy, is severely threatened," expressed Hopkins County Agricultural Agent Larry Spradlin. "We have beef cattle producers culling 'mama' cows, because they are out of grass."

 

One local hay producer reported that he had already "missed" the essential three cuttings of hay and wouldn't receive anymore tonnage for the season, without significant rainfall.

 

Thus far, Hopkins County has avoided water rationing, but the lakes and local water supplies are quickly "drying-up!"

Forecasts called for slight chances of rain, for the area, but most of the rainfall was to be farther south in Southeast Texas.

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