Hun­dreds of Chris­tians joined to­geth­er at Wood­ford Square in Port-of-Spain yes­ter­day to pray for mem­bers of the pro­tec­tive ser­vices.

The event was the sev­enth day of prayer host­ed by End­time Har­vest Min­istry and Liv­ing Word Chris­t­ian Cen­tre since last year.

From around mid­day, fam­i­lies be­gan gath­er­ing at the lo­ca­tion to pray, sing, and wor­ship to­geth­er.

In a brief in­ter­view, Dr Vic­tor Jo­gee and his wife Rev­erend Karen Jo­gee ex­plained that they had re­ceived a mes­sage from God ad­vis­ing them to host 12 days of prayer.

“He told us all Mon­days and on­ly hol­i­days. We did not pick this day. God chose this day,” Dr Jo­gee said, as he ex­plained that the first event fo­cused on those di­rect­ly af­fect­ed by the COVID-19 pan­dem­ic.

“God said to us to pray for the pro­tec­tive ser­vices...They are pro­tect­ing us so we must pro­tect them with our prayers,” he said.

Dr Jo­gee said that he was heart­ened sev­er­al months ago when Po­lice Com­mis­sion­er Er­la Hare­wood-Christo­pher said that the coun­try need­ed in­ter­ven­tion from God to ad­dress the crime rate.

“We want to stand with you be­cause we think you are do­ing your job but you are call­ing for a high­er pow­er or call­ing. We as the priests have to do it,” Dr Jo­gee said.

“You need an in­ter­ven­tion from God, so God sent us. We are here to stand with her,” he added.

Dr Jo­gee ex­plained that the events were be­ing fund­ed by con­tri­bu­tions from his con­gre­ga­tion, oth­er church­es that part­nered, and do­na­tions from mem­bers of the pub­lic that at­tend­ed.

We are telling the na­tion to sow in­to a vi­sion. Peo­ple have been com­ing and giv­ing all we are say­ing you want to help us, just plant a seed in­to our vi­sion.

The event was at­tend­ed by sev­er­al se­nior mem­bers of the pro­tec­tive ser­vices in­clud­ing Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty Min­is­ter Fitzger­ald Hinds, Hare­wood-Christo­pher, Chief Fire Of­fi­cer Arnold Bris­to, and Deputy Pris­ons Com­mis­sion­er Car­los Cor­raspe.

In a brief ad­dress to at­ten­dees, Hinds thanked thank for their prayers for him and mem­bers of Cab­i­net.

“Your prayers to­day for our pro­tec­tion, strength, fo­cus, and our ded­i­ca­tion is heard across T&T, the re­gion and the world,” he said.

He al­so main­tained that Prime Min­is­ter Dr Kei­th Row­ley and his Cab­i­net col­leagues all had deep faith in God.

“As lead­ers as we may be I want to give you the as­sur­ance that we do say we need you God,” Hinds said.

He al­so re­peat­ed­ly stat­ed that re­li­gion was vi­tal in the fight against crime.

“If we are to have a crime-free world we have to have a sin-free world. That is a mat­ter for every­one of us,” he said.

The fi­nal five events will take place on Sep­tem­ber 25, No­vem­ber 13, De­cem­ber 25, and Jan­u­ary 1, next year, with the fi­nale on East­er Mon­day. (DA)