From 3pm on the Thursday to 3pm on the Friday, students from King’s, along with their counterparts, offered a constant stream of prayer coming from one or other of the schools, praying for the refugees in Europe and around the world. They shared their concerns to God and showed how much they cared.
On the day, each school logged into a Facebook page as they started their hour and then “handed over” to the next school at the end of the hour—with a photo.
More than 100 Year 9 and 10 Boarding students were involved at King’s. After taking some time to imagine what it might be like experience what the Syrian refugees are going through (inspired by the morning’s front-page of the NZ Herald and a 'Save the Children’ clip,) students were invited to take part at four prayer stations.
At the first, students sat with images of people caught up in the crisis and offered silent prayers and lit remembrance candles for them.
At another, students wrote post-it note prayers for those helping the refugees and pasted them on a huge world map.
In one area students were led in a guided, reflected reading of Matthew 25, and The Sheep and the Goats which inspired the students’ spoken prayers.
One of our Deputy Prefects, who was recently Confirmed, led the students on a prayer walk with written prayers in front of them. This enabled them to show solidarity and pray for those on the move from Syria to Western Europe.
The vigil was closed in prayer with The Message version of The Lord’s Prayer via a Youtube clip from Mark Pierson and World Vision NZ.
It was a very meaningful time for all the students. They participated with sincerity and really connected with the plight of the refugees’ predicament in the process.
