A drop of rain hit me on the face, like one of those early raindrops that turns up five minutes ahead of all the others to let you know it's time to take shelter. After endless days, weeks and months of the golden sun and having come to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful to God.

 This rain drop brought another much appreciated feeling and sensation that for example comes with raindrops pattering upon the roof top in the middle of the night. In my sub consciousness, the rain drops created a lullaby as I listened to them through a thick, isolating blanket of clouds. Like the tinkling harp of water droplets, a moist breath whistling through pine leaves and a soft song of compassion for the brokenhearted, I subconsciously welcomed the rain.

 I noticed that it is such uncomplicated gifts of nature that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness, such pure pleasure at being able to breathe in a fresh breeze that the fresh September rain has enveloped our homes, work places, markets, and the very air that we take in. The feeling so invigorating that is almost tangible and sends boundless energies though the human system that propels us forward.

It was just in September that the withering plants, dusty roads of Kampala, congested with human traffic and the endless stream of noisy vehicles got washed down by God’s natural blessing that we popularly refer to as the ” Raindrop”.

The dusty roof tops in the city suburbs which looked as though they had been rusted for centuries got washed by the down pour that watered the fields and washed the plants, roads and wild animals of the grime that had characterized the city for the past months. Surely the rain drops straight from heaven above too touch people’s hands and faces and fill them with love making the moon reflect their smiles and hence soothing to their hearts.

But just like every flower has a blemish, every wave washes back upon itself, every ocean embraces a storm, every slithering snail leaves its silver trail, every butterfly flies until its wings are torn and every sound has an echo in the canyon, so does every raindrop.

That’s how it was with my soul before I met this special person in my life. Just like a rain drop, he cleansed my soul, rejuvenated my heart, reshaped my future and made me stronger. The love, support and loyalty awoke the silent withering aspects of my person to shine and glow for the world to witness. Forgetting what our Lord promised us in Psalm 91:14-16 that “Because she loves me, … I will rescue her, I will protect her for she acknowledges my name. She will call on me and I will answer her, I will be with her in trouble, I will deliver her and honour her. With long life I will satisfy her and show her my salvation”. This I had long forgotten that I possessed till that the rain drop brought it all back to me … in my life.

So just as I lay outside in the courtyard, staring up at the raindrops… feeling them hit my body… trying to guess where one would land next and enjoying nature, it just occurred to me how important rain drops are in our lives.

By Ms. Sharon Katuura, Programs Intern Akina Mama wa Afrika