Congregations across eastern New Mexico and West Texas are planning a special day Sunday to pray for rain.

It’s a reaction to a relentless drought that afflicts much of the western 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 to American Indian tribes using their traditions in an effort to coax Mother Nature to deliver some much needed rain.

The faithful gathered Wednesday night in Oklahoma City to recite a collection of Christian, Muslim and Jewish prayers for the year’s first worship service dedicated to rain.

The drought has left farmland idle, herds of cattle have been decimated, the threat of wildfire has intensified and cities are thinking twice about the sustainability of their water supplies.