Musings from Graceland

WHILE WE'RE FACING STORMS HERE

While many parts of America are facing bad storms right now, including ones that have destroyed homes and taken lives, another destructive storm system is heading into South Eastern Africa. Cyclone Irena (their word for hurricane) is hitting the Africa Coast and is expected to head right into the heart of Swaziland.

I've placed an arrow on the map to show you the projected path of this potentially vicious storm.

Just in January, when we were there, Swaziland was hit by another cyclone which resulted in destruction and loss of lives.

Please pray for the people of Swaziland, Mozambique, and Eastern South Africa. Hurricanes and their ilk are always hard things to face. But when you're living in a mud hut with a thatched roof, well, you can only imagine what that's like. Heavy rains can easily make walls collapse. High winds rip off tin roofs. And swollen rivers wash away crops, homes, and dirt roads. There are no Red Cross evacuation centers set up with hot meals provided in strong buildings. Heavy rains also can destroy the crucial mealie (corn) crop that is due to be harvested this month.

And when the destruction is over, places like Swaziland don't have the resources to help with wide-spread recovery efforts like we do here.

Please pray for all those in the path of the storm. Pray it weakens. Pray for protection. Please, just pray.