THE EDITOR, Sir:

THE RECENT National Prayer Breakfast held last month was broadcast on Bro. Ronnie Thwaites' 'Independent Talk' show on Power 106FM. I listened to the programme in its entirety and was moved by the power of Rev. Carl Johnson's sermon: the message was a recap of what's wrong in our nation and why our people continue to suffer.

Someone mentioned during the broadcast that this was the 27th prayer breakfast. One has to wonder, based on the grim reality detailed in Rev. Johnson's sermon, why God has not heard our prayers. Instead, the poverty, corruption, murder, crime and violence continue unabated and the cry of the people becomes unbearable.

Why, after 27 years of praying, the sins we ask tobe forgiven are still with us? Could it be that we humble ourselves, and we pray, and seek His face but fail to honour the fourth part of the agreement? For God to hear from heaven and forgive our sins and heal our land, we must fulfil the fourth part of the agreement - we must turn from our wicked ways ... we have to give up the sins ... lies in our personal and professional lives. Be it national laws that are ungodly and immoral, injustice, economic enslavement, sexual enslavement or whatever. We have to repent to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Truth that manifests positive changes in the individual and the society.

In the early '90s Washington D.C. was the most murderous city in the United States. Some 4,000 Washingtonians organised themselves into a prayer partnership and prayed for their city. At the end of the year the chief of police went on CNN and told the world that murders declined by 25 per cent. Prayer does work when all the conditions are met. God is Justice, Love, Truth and Life and will manifest His perfect will in our lives when we do the right thing.

I am, etc.,

BRO. LEEROY JAMES CAMPBELL

P.O. Box 830

Ocho Rios

St. Ann