ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / September 25, 2000

LAPLACE – Despite the muggy heat and the blanket of mosquitoes, parents and children showed up at schools all over St. John the Baptist Parish Tuesdaynight to participate in the first annual Prayer Journey 2000.

All over the parish parents gathered at flagpoles to pray for the safety of their children for the academic year.

Julia Rexford, organizer of the Prayer Journey, was happy with the way things turned out.

“This is our first year, and we didn’t know what to expect,” Rexford said.

“But now I consider it a big success.”Rexford said over 353 parents showed up around the parish to pray for their children’s safety.

“This is just so exciting,” said Rexford.

Prayer Journey was started several years ago in Jonesboro, Ark., after a child killed several school children in one of Jonesboro’s schools. The event was a way for the parents to show support for the school and the students. After awhile the prayer meeting grew in popularity, and in the next couple of years over 100,000 parents showed up at flagpoles all over Arkansas for the yearly event.

Prayer Journey soon spread across the country and has now come to St. John Parish. It is accompanied by the program, Meet You At the Flagpole the next day, where the students gather to pray for a peaceful, violence-free school year.

“With all the killing and violence going on in schools, I think this will help,” said Rexford.

Rexford gathered her parents and children at John L. Ory Magnet School in LaPlace. There was a gathering of about 40 parents and some students along with Ory principal Teri Noel.

Rexford led the group in prayer as they formed a circle around the flagpole.

After that, other parents gave their own prayers for the health and safety of the children.

According to Rexford, the parents were enthusiastic about the program.

“Everybody thought it was a great idea,” said Rexford, “and they look forward to doing it again next year.”

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