A prayer walk is taking place in the streets of Kensington every Sunday in a bid to fight crime by “spiritually changing criminals”.
Every Sunday, members of the Frontiers Youth Serving Youth organisation walk to different crime hot spots in Kensington, spreading the word of God peacefully and with the aim of converting skollies.
Chairperson Cheslyn Steenberg says they want gangsters to see that there is more to life than crime, and in this way, they want to reach out and let residents be part of the solution.
The community has been plagued by gang violence and two weeks ago, the organisation, together with pastors, residents and members of the Community Policing Forum, started their prayers walks armed with only their Bibles and “lots of hope”.
On Sunday the 80-strong group walked from Sunderland Street to various hot spots in the area.
Cheslyn says these walks are unlike marches or protests, and they have no police accompanying them.
On Sunday the 80-strong group walked from Sunderland Street to various hot spots in the area.
“We are not marching and protesting, we are walking with God,” explains Cheslyn.
“This is not about fighting a gang but rising up against the principalities.
“The devil is telling our young men to kill and rob and they were once part of the church.
“We want to bring them back to the churches, the mosque and to the synagogues.”
Cheslyn says their next prayer walk will take place on Sunday at 3pm along Sunderland Street and Vliegtuig Avenue in Kensington.