Texas Governor Rick Perry, facing wildfires across his state, has called for the next three days, beginning on Friday, April 22, as "Days of Prayer for Rain" in Texas.Thus, April 22 has the honor of not just being Good Friday, or Earth Day, but also for being the first day of the "Days of Prayer for Rain." Governor Rick Perry made the proclamation on his website, stating: "I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal way of life."
Texas has had a confluence of things come together since the beginning of 2011. Unprecedented droughts, low humidity and strong winds have combined to produce conditions that have allowed wildfires to run rampant throughout the state. Hundreds of homes have been burned. Wildfires have burned over one million acres. There are more than 8,000 individual wildfires.
Perry, a Republican, has served as Texas governor for 11 years. Perry is not the first governor to ask for prayer in times of hardship.In 2007, in the midst of a drought, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue hosted a prayer service for the southeastern drought.
At this point, the prayers don't appear to be working. The forecast for Austin, TX, the state capitol on Saturday is for 92 degrees, and partly cloudy.
The fully, and officially written proclamation is below:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:
WHEREAS, the state of Texas is in the midst of an exceptional drought, with some parts of the state receiving no significant rainfall for almost three months, matching rainfall deficit records dating back to the 1930s; and
WHEREAS, a combination of higher than normal temperatures, low precipitation and low relative humidity has caused an extreme fire danger over most of the State, sparking more than 8,000 wildfires which have cost several lives, engulfed more than 1.8 million acres of land and destroyed almost 400 homes, causing me to issue an ongoing disaster declaration since December of last year; and
WHEREAS, these dire conditions have caused agricultural crops to fail, lake and reservoir levels to fall and cattle and livestock to struggle under intense stress, imposing a tremendous financial and emotional toll on our land and our people; and
WHEREAS, throughout our history, both as a state and as individuals, Texans have been strengthened, assured and lifted up through prayer; it seems right and fitting that the people of Texas should join together in prayer to humbly seek an end to this devastating drought and these dangerous wildfires;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICK PERRY, Governor of Texas, under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Texas, do hereby proclaim the three-day period from Friday, April 22, 2011, to Sunday, April 24, 2011, as Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas. I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal way of life.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and have officially caused the Seal of State to be affixed at my Office in the City of Austin, Texas, this the 21st day of April, 2011.
RICK PERRY
Governor of Texas
