Prayers from the Hearts for Social Justice second annual State House prayerwalk
"...we ask God to grant all of those who gather within these walls the vision to truly see the people they serve so they may continue their good work."
For the second year Hearts for Social Justice RI, “a group of United Methodists advocating for social justice,” held a January 1st prayerwalk outside the Rhode Island State House. [I covered the first event, last year, here.]
“As we gather today, we celebrate the accomplishments of the Rhode Island legislature in 2023. We honor their work to address the needs of the unhoused tenants, the differently abled, and the elderly. We commend them for the legislation they passed for healthcare, education, and the environment,” said Reverend Effie McAvoy. “Yet, as we welcome this new year, we recognize that there is still much work to be done and we ask God to grant all of those who gather within these walls the vision to truly see the people they serve so they may continue their good work. A vision perhaps, a new way of seeing, [or] a new way of seeking solutions to the problems that face our state. The clarity of vision that sees the truth of the world as it is today with the forces that seek to draw our sights away from justice and peace, away from the work that will bring equity to all those that call Rhode Island home.”
The group of nearly two dozen people walked and prayed outside of the State House, speaking out about the issues that moved them, such as homelessness, gun violence, the environment, and more. They moved first to the Senate side of the State House, then to the middle, where they petitioned prayers for the Governor, and then finally to the House side for prayers there.
“I want to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for my senator, Ryan Pearson,1 who's the Senate Majority Leader, and also thanksgiving for the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, chair Senator Louis DiPalma,2 and all members of the Senate Finance Committee in appropriating funds to increase the state's capacity to help those experiencing homelessness as well as added funding for nursing homes serving our seniors and veterans,” said participant and organizer David Larson.
“I'd like to ask if this year the senators please consider getting the gun safety legislation out on the Senate floor for a vote,” said a woman. “It's been stuck in committee for years. Let this be the year that that it happens.”
“The people have mental health and substance use struggles,” said a man. “It's a serious issue and we need to do more than acute hospitalization, be it peer support or recovery coaches. We need more services because it's a real crisis here in Rhode Island and all over the country.”
“I pray that special interest groups will not be self-centered and will make decisions for the best of the community - continuing to lift up prayers for housing and education and that there's more consideration of [the needs of] teachers, students, and families... I pray for the discernment and wisdom of our legislatures as they make decisions.”
Some of the most interesting testimony/prayers came from Mike Cole, who sits on the board of Aldersbridge Communities, a nonprofit nursing home in East Providence.
“We are experiencing a severe shortfall in Medicaid funding. Our average cost to care for a resident is $411 a day and Medicaid reimburses us $256 per day. So we are losing about a hundred thousand dollars a month and we're not going to be able to stay in business much longer. There's something called a rearray where the state looks at how much it costs to take care of Medicaid recipients in long-term care facilities. And the last time they did that, it went into effect in 2013 and at that time the legislature promised to do it every three years.
“They will do it again in October for the first time since 2013. We are praying that it will be enough, although none of us thinks that it will be. We are also hoping that they somehow will give us some bridge funding to get to October or move up the rearray. We'd love it if it were in January, but they're saying the earliest they could do it is July. So we pray that they'll come around and realize that those folks are residents of Rhode Island too and they deserve to be cared for. Six nursing homes closed in 2022. There're more going to close if this isn't fixed.”
Later, Cole spoke about Governor McKee’s executive order preventing fines from being assessed against for-profit nursing homes that fail to meet mandated safe staffing levels. [See: here and here.]
“I know, as somebody who's pretty close to nursing homes, that we don't want to make it okay to give residents less than good care, but what [the Governor] said was that it is okay and [that] just can't be right. Let's hope that he sees the error in his ways and realizes that what [nursing homes] need is not worse care, but better funding.”
When addressing the Governor, the statements and the prayers became more pointed.
“We ask God to give you the compassion to work for the security of all Rhode Islanders and the courage to do what is right,” said the woman leading the prayer, before inviting those in attendance to offer up prayers for the Governor's administration. “I'll start with requesting a prayer that Governor McKee's heart be opened to the poorest, the elderly, and the neediest residents of our state as he makes decisions.”
Another man added, “Praying for kindness and compassion. A lot of people are angry and very unkind. We need a little kindness and compassion.”
“We pray that the Office of Housing and Community Development will do all it can to assist those facing homelessness and to be vocal and persistent in calling for the resources they need,” added David Larson.
“I would like to thank the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and other state officers who have come out in support of the assault weapon ban as well as gun safety legislation, which did not get a vote last year. I pray that they'll continue to do whatever they can to influence the legislature to make these necessary changes.”
“We pray for the Secretary of State that all voting officials and volunteers that they be allowed to safely administer our elections in 2024.”
The side of the State House where the Rhode Island House of Representatives meets and has offices brought the following prayers:
“We pray that the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, chaired by Representative Bennett, will work on an environmental justice act this year and pass it to the floor for a vote... We pray for progress this year.”
“I ... pray that this year, the gun safety [bills, the] assault weapon ban, and the safe storage act get out of committee. [They] deserve a vote [and] they won't let it out of the committee. They can't even get that...”
“I continue to pray for the right, for women's bodily autonomy,” said Reverend McAvoy. “We ask that the representatives continue to move to support a woman's right to choose what happens with her body with her doctor and her family and that the government stays out of her life.”
“I pray that special interest groups will not be self-centered and will make decisions for the best of the community - continuing to lift up prayers for housing and education and that there's more consideration of [the needs of] teachers, students, and families... I pray for the discernment and wisdom of our legislatures as they make decisions.”
“I believe that the solution to most of our problems is education. In the City of Providence, the kids don't get a good education. I pray that the schools become better funded, that teachers become better educated, and that our children want to go to school every day.”
The event ended with hot chocolate and cookies. Here’s the video:
Senator Ryan Pearson (Democrat, District 19, Cumberland)
Senator Louis DiPalma (Democrat, District 12, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Tiverton)
