Ethiopia: Praying for Rain

The Bad News:

Ethiopia desperately needs rain.  Crops continue to die.  And people are not too far behind.  Starvation lurks about waiting to snare those who cannot get help.  (Click here to read more about the drought and watch a story I did on the topic.)

As if this wasn't reason enough to pray for rain to soak the fields of Ethiopia, the country needs the rain to fill its aquifers of its hydroelectric plant.  The country has been on rolling blackouts for weeks.  It poses challenges for government offices and businesses that need electricity to function.  (Click here to read more about the blackouts.)

Even more serious is the long term effects of the drought.  Commentator and economist Edward Miguel had a commentary on yesterday's Marketplace report.  He says...

"...there's evidence in African countries that a drought in a given year increases the probability that war will erupt the following year and the impacts are very large: a bad drought can boost conflict risk by 50 percent. When the crops fail, many young men find that fighting for something to eat beats starving to death in their fields and the government army, deprived of tax revenue by a stalling economy, is powerless to stop them."  (Click here to read the rest of his commentary.)

With the Somalis upset with the Ethiopians incursion in to their country last year and the Eritreans continuing to dispute its borders with their rival Ethiopia, the potential for a flare up of conflict is a very real possibility.

The Good News:

There's a fabulous article about Ethiopia in the latest edition of WORLD Magazine.  It's an overview of how Christians are working hand-in-hand with Ethiopians to offer humanitarian relief.  It's worth paying to get the on-line access to read the whole article.  With so many desperate challenges facing Ethiopia, this article by Marvin Olasky brings a refreshing wind of hope. 

While prayer is the most powerful weapon a Christian has to bring about change, often it must be coupled with action.  The story also gives believers practical ways to help Ethiopia through this difficult time. 

With so much bad news out there, it is great to see the Good News of Jesus Christ still shines brightly in Ethiopia.

Are you living in Ethiopia?  Are you an Ethiopian living abroad?  Do you have any special insight into the situation?  Drop me an e-mail.  I would love to hear from you!