Power of prayer

About 100 people paraded on East Maple Avenue to walk through a troubled neighborhood and then form a prayer circle as residents looked on Thursday.
The Care for Our Community Prayer Walk is an outgrowth of an April meeting in City Hall called by Police Chief Randy Fontenot to address crime, mainly young people defying police on an almost nightly basis.
The Rev. Jermaine Tezeno, pastor of the Greater True Light Baptist Church, suggested the walk at the April meeting that included pastors and other community leaders.
“We are pushing care. We are pushing love. We are pushing peace. We are pushing unity,” Tezeno said as the walkers gathered in front of the Eunice Municipal Complex in 90-degree heat Thursday afternoon.
“Those are all the things we hope to accomplish in the community,” Tezeno said.
Fontenot said the gathering was significant for the police.
“It means a lot to see you here,” he said. “This is just a start. We’ve got a long ways to go. We’ve got a lot to do.”
Fontenot said, “We will have presence in a neighborhood that has been having problems and show that neighborhood that the community is behind them and supports them. We want them to have peace in their neighborhood as well as everywhere else in the city.”
Mayor Scott Fontenot said, “I want to do what I can with all of my powers to make things right in this town and put these kids on the right path to where they can be good citizens because they are the future of the city. We’ve got to push forward and keep praying and keep doing what we’ve got to do.”
City Judge Terry Hoychick said it was a blessing to see the community come together.
“This is not something that happened yesterday,” he said.
“When we come together even if it is 15 of us, if 100, we come out and we walk in obedience and pray in these streets. God is going to honor that. We are going to see a difference whether it is one person it doesn’t matter. It is worth that one person.”
Laura Balthazar, a Eunice native and executive director of the St. Landry-Evangeline Sexual Assault Center, said violence is not about race or economic standing.
“We have so many young men who are killing themselves,” she said. “If it is not for drugs they are killing each other fighting over things that really don’t matter. I think this is a terrific walk. It shows the community that something needs to be done and we are part of that.”
Balthazar said the same kind of marches have been taking place in Opelousas, particularly after fatalities.
The Rev. Woody Gunnels, pastor of New Hope Fellowship Church, said, “I’m looking for fruit to come out of this labor of love tonight. I believe that seeds are going to be planted.”
After the walk, Tezeno said it was successful with several instances of residents joining the walk and witnessing.
“It is a positive for sure. We planted the seed. We need to cultivate it,” he said.