As the rain poured in
And the thunder cracked
It pounded my ears
And soaked my soul
Much like this journey has done
Hearing the echoes of many cries
And feeling drenched in their stories
My heart longs for calm
To be away from the misery
Yet the thunder cracks still
Relentless in its song
Harsh and brutal
So far from what I’ve known
The chill in the air numbs
And the flashes of light shock
Paths worn down by pain
Others washed away by tears
Hearts stained by blood
And memories tainted with fear
A battle over yet still alive
A church striving desperately
To play its song above the chaos
Yet the vengeance of pride
The brutality of hate
And oppression that sustains
Drown out its tune
Where are the rains of peace and equality
Where are the rains that sing a new song
One that soaks into the depths of our beings
And washes us clean from the inside out
The land pleads for the melody of esperanza, of hope
I know I saw it here before
But in the midst of damnation
The promise of eternal life seems to evaporate
For me an outsider looking in
And for those native to this land
God we plead for your vivid presence
One we can see, touch, and feel
Blessed Mother and Father we cry out
Please pour into our broken hearts
Healing faith
Healing hope
Healing love
In the midst of these Guatemalan rains
Allyson Whitney Salter is a 2006 graduate of Union-PSCE and was recently ordained and installed as the associate minister for youth and their families at First Church in Salisbury, N.C.
