More than 10,000 Christians led by over 200 pastors are expected to converge on the St William Grant Park in downtown Kingston on August 1, Emancipation Day, for fasting and intercessory prayers asking God to halt the rise in murders, crime and other problems affecting the country.

But before the event, church leaders organising the event, called Jamaica Bawl Out 2, want the Government to change the location of the statues of national heroes Sir Alexander Bustamante, founder of the Jamaica Labour Party, and Norman Manley, founder of the People's National Party.
Bustamante's statue stands at the southern entrance to the park, while Manley's is mounted at the north gate.
"We are asking that Government give serious consideration to bringing the statues . of our national heroes and political party leaders, Norman Manley and Sir Alexander Bustamante and place them together," said Al Miller, pastor of Fellowship Tabernacle and chairman of the Jamaica Bawl Out series.

"This, we believe, will create a powerful visual impact of unity rather than being opposite to each other, looking in different and opposite directions, perpetuating the divisiveness. It will send a message to our nation that we should come together as one under God," Miller said at the launch of the second Jamaica Bawl Out, last Friday at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.
The first Jamaica Bawl Out, held in 1999 at the National Arena, drew over 10,000 believers who engaged in corporate prayers of repentance for the nation. This year, the focus is on 'spiritual warfare', Miller said. Jamaica Bawl Out 3, he added, will seek to rededicate the country to God.

According to Miller, many persons question the need for prayer. But with the prevailing problems, including a murder toll that has climbed above 700 by mid-year, 40 of which were committed in the last two weeks, and the other problems, corporate, public prayer by Christians was "the most powerful means" of effectively dealing with these issues.
Using scripture to support his argument, Miller pointed to 1 Timothy 2 in the Bible which states that "supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks (should) be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence".

Said Miller: "We are convinced that with all the practical efforts that are made to redress the present ills of our society, there must be more intensive efforts made to go beyond just the physical, beyond the practical action to the root of the problem which we believe is spiritual, moral, attitudinal. These are the influences governing behaviour and . are deeply rooted in the culture of our people. We believe that many of these can be broken but they can only be broken through prayer and fasting."
Jamaica Bawl Out 2 will be the culmination of seven days of fasting. A series of prayer sessions will follow at symbolic sites, including the court houses, institutions of learning, markets and commercial offices, political party offices, recording studios, media houses and religious centres, to petition God for cleansing and restoration in these areas.

At the end of the prayer sessions a closing rally will be held on October 31 at Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay.
Asked whether the 1999 event had seen answers to prayer, Miller said "Many of us believe that at that season there was a stay of what could have happened at that time: a lot of national calamity and hurricanes that miraculously, through prayer, turned away from us."
He added that the increase in crime and murders was not an indication that the prayers were not being answered.

"They are not bad indicators. They are indicating that something is happening, they bring exposure, we expect there will be more exposure," he said.
He also said that there were 'roots of iniquity' that were helping to perpetuate the problems, such as ignorance, injustice, immorality in its various forms and i dolatry or witchcraft.
Miller urged all Christians across the island to join in the national prayer and fasting.

Halle Berry and her picture-perfect family co-ordinate in grey

Cheating PS

'What was I thinking?' Chris Brown speaks out