Cry Canada: More than just a prayer meeting

By Emily Wierenga  |  Special to ChristianWeek

Hundreds of people gathered on Parliament Hill to worship and pray during the Cry2. Organizers are hoping for a similar turnout for the 2008 event. PHOTO: COURTESY 4MYCANADA

OTTAWA, ON—Thousands of Canadians will march across the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge to pray on Parliament Hill this August.

At least that’s the hope of Faytene Kryskow, founder of 4MyCanada. “It’s not an anaemic prayer meeting,” she says. “It’s not a concert or a conference. It’s ‘The Cry’.”

Initiated in 2002 by evangelical leaders who saw a need for Canadians to stand up for righteousness and justice, The Cry was assumed by Vancouver-based Kryskow in 2006. More than 10,000 Canadians attended, both online and onsite.

Kryskow is hoping for just as many to participate in Cry3 on August 23, but says the event is not about numbers. Neither is it about names, despite some of the biggest in Christian music and parliament leading worship and prayer. Details are purposely withheld so people attend for the right reasons.

“It’s a movement of young and young in spirit who have a mind to see Canada reformed for God’s purposes,” says 33-year-old Kryskow.

Cry Canada is one of five planned events; the others are regional. Edmonton’s occurred this past spring; Nunavut and Toronto will host gatherings this fall, and next February it will be St. John’s.
With 2008 marking Quebec’s 400th birthday, Cry3 will honour Canada’s French heritage by starting off the day in Gatineau, Quebec, and including French worship leaders and members of parliament throughout the day.

Reclaiming Quebec for Christ is one of many items on Cry3’s prayer list. Others include restoring the institution of marriage, approval for the unborn victims of crime act, and most recently, concern about Dr. Henry Morgentaler receiving the Order of Canada.

“If there was ever a time for us to be motivated to pray, it’s now,” says Kryskow.

Robin Noel is a 28-year-old Naval Reserve Officer who became an intern for The Cry after witnessing the effectiveness of prayer at Cry2. “In the past two years we’ve seen Canada’s relationship with Israel strengthened,” says the Torontonian, citing an example. “When we pray, stuff actually happens.”

Another intern, 21-year-old Sven Johnson, also attended in 2006. “I came expecting to give, but I received so much,” he says. “God started to talk to me about working with youth, and shortly afterwards a door opened up for me to youth pastor.”

Kryskow believes The Cry will change both legislation and the hearts of Canadians. “We’re going to continue to show up and hammer on the door of heaven until we can look back and see that history books are writing about it.”

For more information, visit www.thecry.ca.

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