CHILDREN IN PRAYER PATROL MEET PARTNERS

Habits are hard to break, and that's just what Marsha Edwards and others at Cape La Croix Methodist Church are counting on.

For the last month about 120 children from the church have been saying special prayers. On the receiving end of those prayers are 70 Cape Girardeau firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel.

Names of personnel were distributed to the children who had pledged to pray daily for emergency crews. Along with the name came information concerning the partner such as rank, family members and church affiliation.

Sunday, the prayer partners met at a reception held on the church grounds.

"This is a way of teaching kids the importance of praying for people they don't know," said Edwards, coordinator of the event.

Police cars, ambulances, a fire truck, Air EVAC Lifeteam and the Lifebeat helicopter converged on the church Sunday so youngsters could get a firsthand look at the tools their prayer partner used.

Emergency medical technician Jeffery Crites wanted to make sure he participated in the program. Crites and his family moved to Cape Girardeau from Texas last August.

"They didn't have any programs like this in Texas," he said. "It's really nice to know you're thought about several times without fail."

He was also impressed to learn the children had not only been praying for his safety but had been praying for his family as well.

"When I met my partners' parents, I learned they knew all about me and my family," he said.

Bryrna Downing, 7, has been praying for firefighter Mearlin Allen and her sister Amity, 9, has been praying for "Policewoman Judy."

"Seeing the helicopter was really neat," said Amity Downing, but her biggest smile came when she finally met her prayer partner, 18 year Cape Girardeau police veteran Judy Gentry.

"This program helps create a respect for the profession," said Gentry, adding that she hoped beliefs and values that are created at an early age will continue.

Children were encouraged to not only pray for their partner at night, but every time they heard a siren. If the children heard a siren while they were in church, they would just stop what they were doing and pray.

Armbands for the children and praying hands for the refrigerator, both containing the partner's name, helped remind the youngsters of their pledge to pray daily.

This is the second year for the Prayer Patrol, and fire Capt. Robert Kembel is thankful he became involved last year.

"Today lets us meet the kids in a way that we usually don't get to," he said. "It lets you know they care about you."

Kembel and his wife, Debbie, are thankful for another reason. The couple had been searching for a church. When they attended last year's meeting, they liked what they saw.

"The church offered what we were looking for so we stayed," said Kembel.

That's another goal of Edwards. Coming to meet prayer partners gives people a chance to visit the church.

"It's a great time of fellowship," she said.

In addition to a close-up inspection of emergency equipment, children could also have their face painted. There was plenty of food and beverage on hand thanks to Dairy Queen and Pepsi.

"We really appreciate Boomland donating the use of a tent," added Edwards.

The program will be held again next spring, but organizers hope the children continue to pray for their partner throughout the year.

Destiny Marshall, 5, prayed for firefighter Max and for police officer Dan Seeger, her partner from last year. She's looking forward to adding a new name to her list next year.