Becky Holland/Piney Woods News
More than a two dozen attend prayer vigil
By Becky Holland, pineywoodsnews@yahoo.com
MARSHALL – In lieu of the tragic event that has rocketed the core of our country, Marshall Against Violence (MAV) held a prayer vigil at the Harrison County Historic Courthouse Friday, June 17 at 6 p.m.
Balloons of various colors, banners stating Pray for Orlando and candles representing the lives of those who died lined the sidewalk as around two dozen citizens – white, black, Hispanic, male, female, young, old, Christian, non-Christian, homosexual, not homosexual – arrived to pray.
Former Marshall Mayor Ed Smith and his family were there, as were recent City Commission candidate Jonathan McCarty, Fire Chief Reggie Cooper, his wife, Gail and members of the Marshall Fire Department.
There was not a lot of fanfare, though a news TV crew was there, as was Ron Munden of East Texas Exposed.
Demetria McFarland, president and founder of MAV, spoke eloquently and profound as she said the vigil wasn’t about supporting a particular lifestyle or not supporting that lifestyle, i.e. homosexuality, it was about doing our duty as an overall Christian nation to support humanity. “The MAV mission is ‘In it together, to end it together.'”
Watching the crowd present, you wouldn’t have been able to have seen if there were anti-gays, anti-Christians, racists or any other label today’s politcally correct society puts out. Tonight in Marshall, though the number was small, those people stood together for the common good of all men, women and children.
Sheets were sent around for those there to sign. Those sheets were going to be sent to the governor of Florida as well as the local emergency personnel in Orlando in appreciation for their service in the tragedy, and to let them know that Marshall, Texas was praying for them.
Balloons were released after the service.