Prayer road warriors - Mobile unit also provides food, transports sick

Sheldon Williams, Gleaner Writer

The fulfilment of prayer requests has been diversified with the formation of a quick-response prayer team and unit by Power of Faith Ministries Cathedral in Portmore, St Catherine. Conceptualised in 2004 by Bishop Delford Davis to satisfy a high demand for personal prayer from persons in Portmore it has since spread to other areas, including Spanish Town.

A 2001 Toyota Corolla station wagon is used in the service.

Davis emphasised that the prayer requests were so overwhelming that he was unable to satisfy everyone himself.

"Well, it was my vision because I am here on a daily basis, once I am not out of town or off the island, and I would get all of those calls. It became difficult for me as one person to respond to all the needs so I thought the best thing to do was to share the responsibility," Davis said. He added: "The very fact that some persons are home-bound and may have difficulty to come here, we thought we could go to them. I think the mission of the church is more to go than to tell people to come."

When Automotives asked the bishop if he had seen similar units before setting up the Cathedral's, Davis quickly said "no, I have never seen it, never seen this kind of service. I have not seen any other nor know of any other".

He explained that the response team usually consists of three persons; a driver and two prayer mothers (also called prayer warriors).

Interestingly, Davis said the team carries out multiple functions as they also serve as a makeshift ambulance and food-distribution unit. "For instance, somebody just fell ill and they need to go to the doctor and they also need prayer, because most times people want prayer even before the doctor's visit. So they would call the church and we would rush someone there and we would also advise, based on the observation, that the person is to be taken to the doctor and they are transported at no cost to the persons. It's a service that the church provides to the community," Davis said.

One of the more common situations for which the prayer team is requested is to challenge demonic forces that may have possessed persons. "That's one of the usual ones, because persons begin to act abnormal and boisterous and it's not normally a medical situation. Spiritual and demonic situations, we get quite a bit of that," Davis said.

He noted that as dangerous as those assignments seem, the prayer mothers are all fully equipped. "Just their spiritual power and the power of God and the Holy Spirit allows them to take charge against evil forces," the bishop remarked.

With the food distribution, he said "you would find also the call where someone is hungry and need some food. They would say, 'We are desperate we need something to eat; my children and I haven't eaten from morning.' So we respond accordingly. We provide the basic items and they make the preparations".

Davis said that the prayer team is exposed to first-aid techniques. "We have an in-house trainer who works with St John's Ambulance who gives courses from time to time focused on first aid, who shows them how to hold persons and how to transport them," he said.

There is also "spiritual training" that the prayer warriors have mastered. "We fast, we pray, we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and he gives wisdom and guidance and discernment into a situation and allows people to combat the forces of darkness," Davis said..

Davis emphasised that the response unit is equipped with a removable emergency light that is used only when transporting ill persons to seek medical attention. "We talked with the police about it and they said all we need to do is ensure that it doesn't conflict with their blue light and so we have an amber light. Most times, drivers and other motorists will co-operate," the bishop said.

The unit's services are not only for the saved. "I think it's a 50/50 situation, because you will find members of the church who will call for relatives and neighbours, among others," Davis said. While no calls are received on some days, on average about five or six calls are received weekly.

An expansion of the service is being considered as the single vehicle is beginning to show wear and tear due to the demands it has met over the years. There is also a need for more space.

"That unit is getting a little aged, because it has been with us since 2004. So we are making an appeal to corporate Jamaica to step in and assist us. We really need to upgrade that unit. Just recently I was looking at it and saying we need something a little more spacious. So I hope we can upgrade it. For sure we are looking in that direction," the bishop explained.

Upgrade or not, Bishop Davis emphasised, "We have a sense of fulfilment in providing these services. Were it not in place, some persons would have been denied quick access to prayer."

The quick-response prayer team can be contacted at 988-7638 and strives to respond within 15 minutes of being alerted. There is no set cut-off time for the service, which is described as "partially 24 hours".

auto@gleanerjm.com