LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In unity, dozens of people from different religious groups walked and prayed in Las Vegas, to start to heal the wounds of injustice and pain in the African American community and in memory of George Floyd.
This event, organized by City Serve Las Vegas, also involved Hope Church, Faith Community Lutheran, Calvary Chapel Las Vegas, Balm of Gilead, Prayer Center Revival Church, Centro Familiar Cristiano and more churches around the Las Vegas valley.
It started near the Las Vegas Police Department's Downtown Area Command and had 5 prayer stops throughout, including the governor’s office and other churches along the way.
While people were walking, Macie Scott and her husband waited for hours at the Martin Luther King Jr. statue in North Las Vegas. That was the final location of the prayer walk.
For Macie, it was important for her to participate because she remembers that when she was younger, back in Iowa, there were no rallies or demonstrations like this one. Also, she wanted to show her support to young people who are now taking action against racial injustice.
RELATED: Las Vegas-area churches unite for prayer walk against injustices
“All of us have a George Floyd in our family. I have a grown son, my father, my husband, my brothers, my cousins they have all experience being harassed, stopped, abused, mistreated and followed by the police. Never an apology by the police department. It never ends up the news unless we’re going to a funeral or a going to get someone out of jail. So, like I said, it’s time for it to stop. We’re not going to shut up, we’re not going to go away and we are no longer going to look the other way and take it”, said Scott.
Having a peaceful demonstration was important for Macie, as well as the pastors that were part of it.
“The violence really didn’t have nothing to do with Mr. Floyd, there are other organizations that are trying to use that to incite violence and that is not good so we decided to walk to those places, just trying to set a standard of peace for those who will come afterwards”, said Michael Hatch, pastor of Balm of Gilead Global Ministries.
In front of the Martin Luther King Jr. statue, he led a prayer, while sitting in a police car, surrounded by participating families and cops who helped and assisted in this prayer walk.
One of those families were the Montos.
“We brought our daughter because we want to raise her as well, knowing that race isn’t something that separates is, it is something beautiful”, said Nikki Monto, while carrying her 5-month old baby in her arms after walking for at least 3 hours.
Pastor Michael Hatch said they’re planning on having more walks and demonstrations like this one, since it’s a good way of healing under so much pain.
