A community of Christian churches in St. Martinville are uniting to pray for peace for the upcoming school year
The Christian community hosted their fourth annual “Back to School Community Prayer Walk” on Saturday.
They went to six schools in St. Martinville to endeavor to protect them with prayer.
“We pray for the parents, we pray for the children, we pray for the staff,” said Pastor Byron Hypolite as the group gathered in front of St. Martinville Middle School on Saturday morning.
Christians across several denomination in St. Martinville want students in their community to know that they have their support.
“We have them not only covered in prayer, but we are a voice for them, we’re an asset to them, and we always want to stand with them in all of their endeavors,” said Pastor Darren Benoit of Union Baptist Church.
The prayer walk passed by six school ranging from an early development center to the St. Martinville High School.
“We’re laying hands on each school. We’re praying. There’s so many things going on in the generation today, in the community. So we’re praying that there is gonna be peace in the community and in the school,” said St. Martinville Primary School employee and mother of two.
Her daughter Caneriya hopes the prayer walk will protect her classmates from potential dangers.
“(I hope) they come with a good heart, and not with a bad one. And, they come with a good intention, God. And, it just helps us learn better so there won’t be any shootings, and it just help us,” said St. Martinville Primary School student, Caneriya Marshall.
For the Christian community, covering the schools in prayer as on unified coalition is an important symbol.
“God is all about unity. Unity is so powerful, you know. There was a scripture in The Bible, in The Book of Genesis, where the enemy came together and was unified, and God stopped them because he understood the power of unity,” said Pastor Byron Hypolite of Desciples of Christ.
A show of unity that will help defend their school.
“And, the stamp of The Holy Spirit approving your unity, then you have almighty God saying I’m behind you. I’m not behind your enemy, but I’m behind your unity,” said Pastor Hypolite.
