Prayer walk through FC scheduled for Saturday morning

A local non-profit group is organizing a "Prayer Walk for Unity and Healing" to be held in Forrest City.

Faye's House Inc., is helping organize a prayer walk that will begin at the Forrest City Sports Complex on Highway 1 South and continue to the Kids From the Future site on Highway 1 North near Caldwell.

The walk is planned for Saturday, July 30, beginning at 6 a.m.

"It's a six-mile walk," said Johnnie Isom, one of the organizers with Faye's House Inc. "We will meet on the exit side of the Forrest City Sports Complex."

Isom said that so far, 11 churches have agreed to participate in the walk, with each taking a half mile "leg" in the walk.

"It is a long walk, so we are splitting it up into pieces," said Isom.

Isom said she was inspired to organize the walk in February due to rising crime and violence in the area, adding that prayer is also an important aspect of Faye's House Inc., which offers assistance to women.

"Faye's House is basically designed to help people in the community working primarily with young ladies," said Isom. "It came to me dealing with the scripture 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Jeremiah 29:7.”

"It says, ‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will heal their land,’” said Isom. "I got to thinking, God is true to His word, and if we do what He says, He will heal the land, so we wanted to put it together to get people to unite in prayer and pray for the city."

Isom said the prayers will be offered for the community, families, youth and others, adding that recent violence is not representative of the city as a whole.

"We want to break those bad cycles," said Isom. "Sort of like how walking around the walls of Jericho broke down those walls."

Isom said participating churches so far include Salem Baptist Church, ConnectPoint Church, Solid Rock Outreach Ministry, Prosperity M.B. Church, Lane Chapel CME Church, Riverside Baptist Church, Beth Salem Baptist Church, Kynette

United Methodist Church, Day's Temple COGIC, First Baptist Church and Mt. Calvary.

"Each church will walk a half mile, passing the torch at the end onto the next church," said Isom. "We picked Washington Street because it is the main street through our city."

She said the walk is an effort to unite Christians, and the group welcomes all participants to pray and walk the full six miles.

"Some of the churches will also have their vans at the end to transport participants back to their vehicles at the Sports Complex," added Isom. "The pastors and churches will be praying while we walk.”

Water will also be provided along the walk for everyone, according to Isom, who added that first responders are also helping with the event.

"We are asking the community to join us as we unite and pray for our city, Forrest City," said Isom.