The region surrounding Trichy City in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where the Congregation of Holy Cross has several ministries, has been suffering from an eight-year drought, which has even forced some people to migrate. Coupled with the drought, a cyclone in 2018 flattened many of the area’s trees.

To respond to the critical need for better water management, the Holy Cross community introduced rainwater harvesting systems, helped the people conserve village ponds, and worked with them to clean, fence, and plant trees around the water sources.

The tree planting was a collaborative effort, including the Vidiyal Community, the horticulture department, and private nurseries. This season Holy Cross and the local community are on target to plant 10,000 trees.

Due to the fact that most of the people in the region are farmers, Holy Cross also helped introduce drip irrigation for better water management. This is critical because the state of Tamil Nadu receives most of its rain from the Northeast monsoon from September to December.

“We are happy that the butterflies and the larks are back in the sky. The rain is back again, and we hope to see farmers cultivating paddy and other crops as the land recovers its vegetation,” said Fr. Leonard Fernando, C.S.C., Ministry Coordinator for the Province of Tamil Nadu. “Miracle is a collaborative venture. We plant, and God rains!”