An African preacher-in-training arrives in drought-stricken rural America intending to further his studies in religion and water conservation. Hosted by a family that is haunted by tragedy, he takes an interest in a young orphan starved for guidance—all the while maintaining an infectious optimism in the face of his obstacles. Undaunted, the preacher determines to battle—by any means necessary—the personal and political forces that threaten the ecology of his new home.