National Prayer Breakfast 2010

I just got back a few days ago from Washington, D.C. where I attended the National Prayer Breakfast with Randa Kuziez, one of the Faiths Act Fellows in D.C. The National Prayer Breakfast happens every year, and includes people from over 140 nations. The diversity and energy in the room was amazing. One of the opening speakers (a Senator) shared how the event is a Christian one, but everyone is welcome to come and be together to pray for our nation and the world. Randa and I were ushers, which meant we got there REALLY early in the morning on Thursday (around 4:30 am), and got to see and greet everyone as they entered the ballroom. It is a tradition since the ‘50’s that the President of the United States speaks every year, and Obama continued the tradition. He was introduced as Michelle Obama’s husband, which I really liked, and he gave a powerful speech about “a return to civility” as he called it.

There is always a keynote other than the President, and this year it was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She gave a compelling speech where she shared the impact her faith has had on her life, as well as her close relationship with Mother Theresa and the importance of different faiths working together. President Obama then shared the following in reference to Haiti and the difficulty of the economy in America (this is an excerpt from the transcript of his speech):

“This is what we do, as Americans, in times of trouble. We unite, recognizing that such crises call on all of us to act, recognizing that there but for the grace of God go I, recognizing that life's most sacred responsibility -- one affirmed, as Hillary said, by all of the world's great religions -- is to sacrifice something of ourselves for a person in need. “

I thought it was so powerful how he mentioned diverse faiths uniting in times of trouble. He went on to share how he gets strength from his own faith, and how he finds power in prayer. I was standing amongst famous Democrats and Republicans, men and women, Muslims and Christians and I couldn't help but thinking how much more powerful we are together than apart, waging war on social ills instead of each other. I really felt like I tasted the impact that could be while standing in the ballroom with these amazing leaders from all over the world.

It was an honor to be able to attend the National Prayer Breakfast, and so fun to experience it with Randa and share about our program with other Breakfast-goers. As leaders stood up and expressed the importance of interfaith work in front of the 3,500 person audience, I felt like we were a part of something larger, and that our work is not in vain. It is important, and supported by some of the most important people in the world.

I left feeling motivated and energized to continue sharing about the importance of interfaith cooperation; to unite with others different from me and serve those in need.

            What about you?

Amy McNair