CHARLES TOWN, St Mary – An American pastor, Reverend Zakiyyah Lana, of Pathway to Freedom, is spearheading a day of prayer on Sunday at Palm Ridge Retreat in Charles Town, St Mary.

Lana, who has been in Jamaica since March of this year, is hosting the prayer vigil in light of the continued killings across the island, which have passed the 900 mark. The vigil starts at 5:00 am and is scheduled to end at midnight.

“When I came here, I came with the vision of an island of one love. All the commercials you see in the (United) States say ‘Come to Jamaica, it will make you feel so good’, but there is a lot of doom and gloom and negativity in the minds of Jamaicans,” Lana told the Observer on Tuesday.

But the pastor said she has been having negative responses from some of the people who have been invited to attend the vigil.

“.I’ve had people turn me down saying ‘we don’t believe in the concept of universal love’, ‘we don’t believe in bringing all things together, no we’re not going to come’,” Lana said.

Invitations have, however, been extended to the Jamaica Council of Churches, Hands Across Jamaica for Righteousness and several other organisations and individuals to attend the vigil.

“I am asking all my brothers and sisters, people of all faiths and those who have none, to join with us on this day of prayer. Join with all who will have the consciousness of love to let go of the old thought patterns of separation and let’s honour our oneness and come together as one human family,” said the invitation from Lana.

Among those who have confirmed participation are Elder Everton Shand of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church; Brother Winston White of the Mennonite Church, entertainers Mackie Conscious and the Live Wyya Band.