Victor Ekong
A video from the riots at the Capitol last week shows Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester praying as protestors tried to enter the Capitol.
Christian author and worship leader Carlos Whittaker posted the video to Instagram. In the video, Blunt Rochester begins to pray as she and other lawmakers shelter-in-place in the House gallery.
“Father God you are all-powerful,” she says.
“We know all things work together for the good so we trust in you right now in the name of Jesus, that you have this under control. Right now in the name of Jesus. All things work together, all things.
“Peace. Peace in the land. Peace in this country. Peace in this world.”
The congresswoman had asked to sit in the gallery of the House chamber so she could have a bird’s eye view of the certification of the election results, which would ultimately lead to the confirmation of President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of November’s election.
“And the next thing we know, the rioters were right there at the chambers,”
she told a Delaware radio news station.
“Typically, I think I would be just scared or nervous, but it was more react, react. ‘Where do I go? What do I do? How do you open this gas mask?'”
The rest of the House chamber was cleared and evacuated, but people in the gallery were told to hide. She said U.S. Rep. Val Demings also prayed.
“She grabbed my arm, and I grabbed her arm, and she just looked at me and said: ‘Lisa, we know God is in control or God is bigger than this,’ but that was the moment where I just kind of laid down my sadness and my anger, and I just started to pray— pray for healing, pray for peace, pray for everyone’s safety.”
Blunt Rochester prayed: “Lord we ask you for a healing. Right now. Right now in the name of Jesus … Protect those who are trying to protect us.
“Protect all of our brothers and sisters in this Congress who protect America Lord. We just thank you. We praise you. We give you all honor and glory because you, you are powerful. Above all, we thank you right now in this moment.”
