Thousands to pray all night in Kendal

About 4,000 members of more than 105 churches across the island are expected to gather at the Kendal Camp and Conference Centre, Manchester on Friday, to pray for 10 hours in the annual National Healing The Land All-Night-All-Parish Prayer and Strategic Intercessory Conference for the nation's healing.

The event is being organised by Prayer 2000, a partnership prayer ministry that was created to sufficiently raise the awareness of, the need for and level of prayer throughout the country in order to facilitate the presence-based transformation and revival of our nation.

The prayer conference will be held under the theme 'Humility: The Transforming Grace; The Attraction of God', and is scheduled to begin at 8 p. m. It will culminate a month-long series of prayer and strategic intercessory sessions, which began on January 4 and are expected to be held in 48 locations in the 14 parishes.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen has expressed his desire to attend, while invitations have been extended to custodes; mayors; representatives of the agricultural sector, as well as the president and chief executive officer of the Jamaica Broilers Group, Christopher Levy among others.

The prayer and strategic intercession will be punctuated by praise and worship teams from Montego Bay, Kingston and Manchester as well as gospel performers Kevin Downswell, Carlene Davis and Keneisha 'J Sparks' Smith.

"We will cater for all persons in attendance and particularly for diabetics and children, but there will be no official refreshment break throughout the night. Each person will quietly slip out to refresh him/herself as necessary," said Reverend Dr Naila Ricketts, president of Prayer 2000.

Better agriculture

Reverend Dr Ricketts said God revealed to members of Prayer 2000 that the pillar of the economy and business should be targeted in this year's month-long conference and that "a corporate cry should be made to Him for the restoration of His wealth to Jamaica. So, the focus of our prayers will be the agricultural sector and grain sufficiency, in particular, for Jamaica."

"In the 2006/2007 conference, we were led to pray strategically as we journeyed in prayer around the island. Since then, we have seen numerous miracles take place in the lives of many Jamaicans and our nation," Reverend Dr Ricketts told The Gleaner.

He added, "In fact, over the past 14 years since the annual National Healing the Land prayer conference was launched, God has shown Himself in a very special way to people throughout the parishes and we know that He will be doing great things in the lives of those who seek Him in 2015."

Prayer 2000 started in 1999 with eight executive leaders and today the movement comprises approximately 213 member leaders. It has given prayer support to a number of events, such as Jamaica Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, Best Dressed Fun in the Son, as well as the Market Place, various government and church ministries.

For more information, visit www.prayer2000.org.