WhEn iT rain...iT pouRs!

We came to our resting room dripping wet. We just finish covering our problematic barley materials at the open area. Ah yes, I’m still here in Saudi Arabia. There is rain in Saudi Arabia? Of course, there is. Some people said that the rain in some parts of the Kingdom had been too intense and precipitation is more than 3 inches. That is why, there was flooding in some areas. Why? Because they were not used to having rain most of the year and drainage canals were not part of their civil works. So, where will the water go?
I even heard that rain was included in their prayers. They wish to have rains, but were they prepared to have it? What if heavy downpour lasting for more than 15 minutes comes, were will the water go? In the last few years of my stay here, rain starts and ends the seasons. In 2003, hailstone came, and that was the first time in my life to see it. Ice, the size and like naphthalene balls (called “hail”) dribbling all around. Some said, it can even break the windshield of a running vehicle. It could be, yes. But that was the first and the last experience I had. In the coming years, only rain comes and no hailstone.

I had asked my people first to uncover the piles of barley so as to dry the canvas. We had not finished spreading the canvass when I observed dark clouds also spreading down west. And it was not just mere clouds, but rain already pouring in the area. A few droplets on my face and I asked them again to cover it.

My country, the Philippines, had been blessed with rain coming not once, twice but almost half of the year. In Manila, there will be drainage canals built for the purpose of conveying rain water to the sea, the Manila Bay. Billions of pesos had been allocated by both the national and local governments for this purpose. During summertime, some of the more responsible local leaders will decongest and clean the already built drainage canals. Others will build new ones or formulate ways and means to prepare for the rainy season. However, summertime is too short, for the others to cover their area of responsibility. Others are waiting for the release of the money for their project, submitted earlier. Hence, when the rain comes, there will always be flood.

Rain will be there and nothing can stop it. It is just like time, that whatever and however we do, it will come and pass. Anticipation and planning is nowhere to be found in our leaders. In the end, our Filipino people suffer.

When there is rain in Saudi Arabia, people are happy. We got wet when we cover our piles, but we know it will come. What do we have to do? Prepare for it.

And don’t blame on the rain.