Ariz. students organize prayer marathon
Pastor Dale Morgan
Ariz. students organize prayer marathon*
By John Faherty, The Arizona Republic
TEMPE, Ariz. — In the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, in
the middle of the Arizona State University campus, it is easy to miss
the students sitting with their heads down and their hands together.
They are part of a group of Christian students on the Tempe campus who
are praying 24 hours a day for 21 days.
All through the day and night, they pray outside the Danforth Meditation
Chapel, their stillness and quiet in marked contrast to the nearly
constant rush of the 51,000 students on the campus.
Most students walk by, oblivious of the spiritual event in their midst.
But every once in a while, a student will slowly step forward and start
praying.
"That's when it's really great. We get caught up in the busyness of our
lives," said Chris Ngai, who organized the event. "It's a place where
people can speak to God and see the beauty of everything around them."
Many students on campuses nationwide are speaking to God, or, at the
very least, hope to.
A survey of more than 112,000 incoming college students in 2004 —
today's seniors — by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA
revealed that a significant number of them describe themselves as spiritual.
• Eighty percent have an interest in spirituality.
• Seventy-six percent are searching for meaning or purpose in life.
• Eighty percent attended a religious service in the past year.
"Our data shows they are invested in spirituality," said Jennifer
Lindholm, the project director for the study. "They have expectations
that college will help develop their personal values and their
spirituality."
Emily Verrelli, a 20 year-old junior, had strong religious convictions
when she first arrived on the ASU campus from her home in Long Island,
N.Y., as a freshman. She prayed daily and attended services regularly.
Verrelli believes college students may turn to prayer because of their
environment. They are away from home for the first time. Some are facing
new pressures and new temptations.
"I've always prayed, but moreso now," Verrelli said while taking a break
from prayer.
The patch of lawn next to the Danforth Meditation Chapel has informal
stations where poster board and pens allow students to write down what
they are praying for, or who they are forgiving, or Bible verses that
have resonance for them.
There is no particular agenda. It is, instead, prayer for the sake of
prayer.
"We pray for the big things, but sometimes, we pray for the small
things," Slate Stout, 21, said one night during his 9-to-10 shift. "It's
just a bunch of people hungry for God."
One afternoon, during the worst of the Southern California fires, Richie
Romero stepped hesitantly toward a group of praying students. He was
asked immediately if there was anything for which he needed prayer.
Romero told the group that he had family in the area where the fires
were burning houses.
The students asked God to spare Romero's family, for the winds to stop
and for the safety of the firefighters. When the prayers were over,
Romero thanked them and walked away.
"It always feels good to pray. Some people need that comfort sometimes,"
Romero said on his way to class. "I pray every day but by myself."
Ngai and the other organizers decided to pray for 21 days simply because
it seemed like a good length of time. They also chose to suspend the
prayers at the end of the day each Friday and begin again at midnight
Sunday because many students went home on weekends.
They started praying on Oct. 8, and will continue to do so through Monday.
So far, more than 200 students have signed up to cover shifts, and
countless others have simply stopped by to join them.
"What's really amazing is that people come down expecting to pray for
maybe a few minutes, and they end up staying for three or four hours,"
Ngai said.
So far, there has been no controversy regarding prayer at a public
university. Yuhchang Hwang, faculty adviser for a Christian Students
club on campus, said the rights of students to express themselves are
paramount.
"People should be able to express their ideas and their faith," said
student Jacqi Nicholson as she passed the group. She did not stop to
pray. "Especially on a university campus. This is a place for free
speech and free thought. It's kind of what America is about."
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