By Alicia DesMarteau
As Ottawa witnessed the changing of the guard, a new breed of soldiers took their place on Parliament Hill.
More than 5000 participants from across Canada rallied on Parliament’s steps for a youth-initiated gathering with a single focus – to stand on guard for Canada in prayer.
The event, known as The CRY (Canada’s Revived Youth) united thousands more through a live internet webcast.
“There is a weight of responsibility that’s coming upon the youth, the Christian youth in Canada, to stand in the place of influence for God,” said Christina Groot, Media Spokesperson for 4 MY Canada, the organization that hosted The CRY.
Concern for tough issues facing their generation moved participants to call on God through prayer, worship and commitment to personal purity.
4 MY Canada director Faytene Kryskow and other youth leaders made passionate declarations from the steps of Parliament, to the enthusiastic response of the crowd.
“Some of the key strategic battle points for this moment in history,” said Kryskow, “have to do with family, have to do with the unborn, have to do with sexual purity, have to do with all these moral issues and there is a contending for these things.”
Essex, Ontario MP Jeff Watson attended the gathering. “I can tell you what it says to me as a member of Parliament,” he said. “It says that there’s been a firm line in the sand that’s been drawn and that the young generations in Canada desire transformational change.”
It was not a typical rally on the hill, as participants came not to condemn or protest, but instead to honour and pray blessings for the government and all members of Parliament, irrespective of party.
4 MY Canada leadership team member Kayle Mumby said: “Whereas in the world we see hatred, we see brute force or we see condescension or something like that, in the Christian world our strongest weapon is love, our strongest weapon is blessing, and our strongest weapon is truth.”
As the youth rose up and took the lead, believers from all age groups found their passion contagious.
Desert Stream Christian Fellowship pastor Rev. Todd Pratt said that denominations aside, and churches aside, coming together to pray for the peace of Canada against the backdrop of Parliament Hill was “so significant.”
The CRY participant Evelyn Kuek expressed the enthusiasm of many at the event. “I have hope for Canada,” she said. “Canada has a huge and awesome destiny ahead of it. And I know that God is powerful enough and big enough that He can change this nation. If we will pray, He will change this nation.”
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