North Minneapolis prayer walks hope to combat gun violence, crime

MINNEAPOLIS — A month of walking and praying, all with the goal of combating crime and drugs in north Minneapolis.

The idea started with a pastor and a man of faith who works in the community. They hope their prayers will offer hope and healing.

People of faith and groups against gun violence gathered with a common goal.

"We're trusting, we're believing God in advance there's going to be a change here," Pastor Doris Allison of Proverbs Christian Fellowship Church said.

Allison and Dave Halstengard led the group, covering 40 square blocks of north Minneapolis, known hot spots for crime, in prayer.

"We have buried many gang members who were killed. We have buried many people from fentanyl. I have seen what youth have been facing in this community, and it's time to make a difference," Halstengard said.

So they walked, week after week on Sundays sharing their faith.

"And I'm just believing that through prayer, there can be a focus back on where we're going, how we're treating one another, what we're doing in our community," Allison said.

The group was praying for the neighborhood and for protection for the people living there.

"I believe in prayer. I believe in prayer, and prayer is a powerful tool that God has given us. We've had people to ask for prayer. And if they're asking, they're hurting," Allison said.

Along the way, they offered hope and healing. They believe each walk built on the prayers lifted the week before.

"We just go up the streets and stop with people and pray with them. And by the time the second week came around, it was very interesting to see that people already recognized us because we wore the purple prayer walk shirts and then they were already familiar with us and friendly," Halstengard said.

"If we don't get out of these four walls, we'll never touch them," Allison said.

They want the message of hope and that someone cares to resonate.

"I feel like we are really trying to be a part of a solution. It may look different to some, but I really feel that everything that we've done in the last four weeks. I pray that all of it was necessary for people to understand that the church loves them, and God does too," Pastor Allison said.

Anecdotally, the group told WCCO they saw fewer people buying drugs on later walks.