seattlepi | Along
the irrigation canal that cuts through this centuries-old New Mexico
town, a small group of churchgoers gathers to recite the rosary before
tossing rose petals into the water.
Remnants
of a tradition that stretches back to the days of Spanish explorers,
the humble offerings are aimed at blessing this year's meager irrigation
season and easing a relentless drought that continues to march across
New Mexico and much of the western half of the U.S.
From
the heart of New Mexico to West Texas and Oklahoma, the pressures of
drought have resulted in a resurgence of faith — from Christian
preachers and Catholic priests encouraging prayer processions to
American Indian tribes using their closely guarded traditions in an
effort to coax Mother Nature to deliver some much needed rain.
On Sunday, congregations across eastern New Mexico and West Texas are planning a day of prayer for moisture and rain.
