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VISION
of WCVG Prayer Walks
July of 1998 there were two shootings in the same night just hours apart, on
the East Side of Covington KY. These unrelated shooting occurred just a day
after another shooting and amidst an ongoing rash of other violent activity in the
same area. News reports pictured fearful families packing to leave because
of fear of gang activity and drug related violence. I was driving into work
the morning after the two shootings talking to God about what was happening.
As WCVG radio station resided in Latonia, just a couple of miles away from the inner
city of
Covington
, where much of the criminal activity was centered, I recognized an obligation to
respond to the violence in the community we professed to serve. I asked God
what should we do? He immediately impressed upon me the need to walk and pray
on the streets of
Covington
, in the heart of the most violent activity. Within two hours of arriving
to work, I announced on WCVG that we would begin prayer walks in
Covington
to combat the problem of crime, including murder, drugs prostitution and gang activity.
Our first prayer walk convened less than on month later in August 1998. Although
we were met with some initial resistance by those who doubted the power of prayer,
and those who said it wouldn’t last, a eight years later the WCVG prayer walks continue
without fail every month and have expanded to include the participation of churches
and pastors throughout Northern Kentucky,
Cincinnati
and to other crime laden areas. During the last eight years that we
have walked the streets praying and ministering to people we have met during our
vigils, crime has considerable decreased. There is very little news regarding
any violence happening in Covington at all since we first begun, drug houses have
closed down, streets are visible safer and quieter and both the police and media
have chronicled a dramatic positive change.
Tracie Marie Hunter |
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