

As
the
drought
continued
for
what
seemed
an
eternity,
a
small
community
of
mid-west
farmers
were
in
a
quandary
as
to
what
to
do
next.
The
rain
was
important
not
only
to
keep
their
crops
healthy,
but
to
sustain
the
townspeople's
very
way
of
living.
As
the
problem
became
more
urgent,
the
local
church
felt
it
was
time
to
get
involved
and
called
a
prayer
meeting
to
ask
for
rain.

In
what
seemed
a
vague
remembrance
of
a
Native
American
ritual,
the
people
began
to
arrive.
The
pastor
on
his
arrival
watched
as
the
congregation
continued
to
file
in.
He
slowly
made
his
way
to
the
front
to
officially
begin
the
meeting.
Everyone
was
taking
the
opportunity
to
visit
across
the
aisles
to
socialize
with
close
friends.
The
pastor's
thoughts
when
he
reached
the
front
were
on
quieting
those
present
and
starting
the
meeting.

As
he
began
to
ask
for
quiet,
his
eyes
scanned
the
crowd
and
he
took
note
of
an
eleven
year-old
girl
sitting
in
the
front
row.
Her
face
was
beaming
with
excitement
and
she
quietly
sat
in
her
place.
Next
to
her,
poised
and
ready
for
use,
was
a
red
umbrella.
The
beauty
and
innocence
of
the
girl
made
the
pastor
smile
as
he
realized
the
faith
she
possessed.
No
one
else
in
the
congregation
had
brought
an
umbrella.

They
had
all
come
to
pray
for
rain,
but
she
had
come
expecting
God
to
answer
with
the
needed
rain.

"Hope" is
featured on "Hopes, Dreams, and Meditations" by Margi Harrell

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