A high school in Howardville, MO, has a unique locker in its hallways—one devoted to prayer. The Eagle Prayer Locker was started by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at the New Madrid County Central High School. Locker #365 is a continuous reminder to students of the need for prayer 365 days a year.
Almost immediately after establishing the locker location, the requests started pouring in. In the first few hours there were already seven requests! The prayer locker supplies prayer-request slips and pens. Students can write a confidential request and slip it into the locker, assured that the FCA group will pray over each request.
A Facebook post alerted others to this prayer opportunity, and people started reaching out to FCA with offers to add the requests to their personal and church prayer lists. The response was contagious.
The FCA team recognizes that many students and staff carry painful baggage or burdens, so the presence of the prayer locker provides a lifeline. The goal is to bring Christ back into school as the hope that everyone needs. The school administration supports the project 100 percent.
The FCA adult leadership first reviews the requests, then they share only basic information with the students in FCA, keeping the requests confidential. Personal details are kept private to protect the people submitting the requests. Then FCA students meet and pray over each need.
Prayer requests have included the following: Please pray that my grandma can be happy again and not be sad all the time. Another asked for prayer for another student who seems sad all the time. One person asked for prayer for a school employee, loved by many of the students, who passed away suddenly. The requests often move the students to tears as they pray.
The mission of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at New Madrid County Central is to be bold for Christ in both school and community. Students hope to inspire more high schools to incorporate a prayer locker. So far, they know of two other schools that have started them.
The students believe the prayer locker is just the beginning of their journey of pouring out love and prayer on New Madrid County and influencing their community and school by focusing on Christ and His gift of salvation.
GLORIA HOUSTON is the Fellowship of Christian Athletes sponsor at New Madrid County Central, Howardville, MO.
