With the threat of the COVID-19 virus spreading and social distancing recommended, residents of a New Iberia community are finding ways to come together for prayer.

April Mullen, a resident of New Iberia and a member of Highland Baptist Church, said that on March 13, her pastor decided to suspend the church’s normal worship service because of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ mandate to suspend social gatherings of more than 10 people.

An idea for togetherness

So the following Sunday, Mullen and her neighbors at the Southwood Subdivision gathered together for a prayer service.

“I felt this was time we needed prayer more than any other time,” Mullen said.

Mullen started thinking of ways she and her neighborhoods can come together to a time of prayer and she sent out the idea to a few of them. After getting a positive response, Mullen moved forward with the Sunday prayer service.

“We let our neighbors know we would have a prayer gathering and we asked them to bring their lawn chairs for themselves and to practice safe, social distancing,” Mullen said.

To get inspiration, Mullen looked up different scriptures for prayer groups that had already been done before, she used a proclamation that President Donald Trump put out.

Mullen and her neighborhood focused on four different areas to pray for — one, for their leaders on the national and local levels; two, for wisdom and understanding a hedge of protection around them; three, a prayer for peace and calm; and last, a hedge of protection for everyone.

The four different prayers were read by four different people in her neighborhood, the last one based on Psalm 91.

A neighborhood united

The 40-minute prayer group saw over 30 residents come together at Armentor Park for a small form of worship. Of the 30 residents, each family stayed their distance in smaller subsets but united for one common goal: worship and togetherness.

“It worked out really well,” Mulled said. “We had a good response. We were pleased.”

Mullen said the prayer group reminded them all where their strength comes from, and it’s from up above.

As a realist, Mullen saw the closures of schools and restaurants and how much everyone else was affected by COVID-19.

“I just started praying about it to replace those thoughts with Him,” Mullen said.

As she practices Bible reading every day, Mullen found peace in spite of so much going around her.

“It just shows her that what happens, we may feel like we are walking alone in something, but God is always there,” Mulled said. “And His words tell us He will never, ever leave us and He reminds us that He didn’t give us a spirit of fear but of a sound mind.

A different way of thinking

With that in mind, Mullen and her neighbors were able to look at their way of thinking because they are counting on each other for support.

“If I say I am a Christian, I show that we are human but if I trust in the Lord’s power, I am going to be able to get through this,” Mullen said.

Mullen said despite the threat of COVID-19, she has enjoyed seeing everyone spending more time together outside.

“That’s been the really neat thing,” Mullen said.

Though they have no plans to have another prayer group anytime soon, Mullen said the neighbors are going to discuss it.

There for one another

Mullen said having the support and love from her subdivision affirms the notion that neighbors are doing good things for one another.

“We were there for each other and we came out of it thinking we are going to be fine and we are going to support each other,” Mullen said.