Rice Drought

Second chances? We serve a God of second, third, fourth… and infinite chances. Our problem is, we stop seeking them; “tuck our tail and run”! So, how often don’t we receive them (I mean second chances)? We give up, quit asking, are embarrassed, discouraged, tired, but where in the Bible does Jesus tell us to give in to despair?

I may not feel this way, but we are blessed! We’ve gotten quite a few hits this month, but how we react to them is the challenge. Last month our rice crop was dying. We plowed it under and re-planted. I’m glad Jesus told us “Do not worry!” and the flip side of the same coin, “Be of good cheer!” Because this month our new seed is lying in crusted ground and the crop we irrigated, and are trying to save, is out of water.

Late note: As of the evening on July 8, a heavy rain shower was received. The rice we were trying to save has been plowed under and we have gone to Vietnam for more seed. The 435 acres that have been re-planted should emerge now. The 70 acres will be planted as soon as we can get on the fields.

I am greatly humbled! We planted two, $75,000 rice crops this year. Watched one die, and praying we don’t see the one we just planted snuffed out before it emerges!

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“A friend in need is a friend indeed!” We’ve gotten one rain, and we were hopeful, but now the ground in crusting over and a lot of the seed is not emerged. Please pray, I don’t see how we can do this again! There is no more seed to be purchased in Cambodia. But, we won’t quit! You guys came through! With donations from $15,000US to $5.00US, you paid for most of this crop. But, even the thought of investing another $75,000, before we build the reservoirs that can solve the problem, is risky. We need to start on the reservoir construction this fall, and we did receive a $5,000 donation to begin a reservoir construction fund. But, now, we need to trust that God will see us through with timely rains.

As Lincoln said, “It hurts too much to laugh and I’m to big to cry.” I can only hope to give you a chuckle with this story:  The retired rice farmer went into the market every morning and bought all the round nosed spades for $5.00 each. He then proceeded out to the sidewalk and set up a portable table with a sign; “Shovels for sale $4.00 each”. He stayed there until all the shovels were sold, and came back and did the same thing every day for two weeks. Finally the seller of shovels in the market was so curious, he had to ask, “Why do you come in here every day and buy all my shovels for $5.00 and then go out on the sidewalk and sell them for $4.00?” The old farmer took a deep breath and said, “Well son, it sure beats rice farming!”