Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 20, 1995 TAG: 9507210067
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TONYA WOODS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``I used to be wild,'' he said. ``I used to run the streets and do some of everything.''
A native of Cheltenham, Md., his love for excitement led him to run away from an orphanage when he was 9. He began hopping freight trains as a teen-ager. At 14, he hitchhiked from North Carolina to Texas with a couple of strangers, one of whom put a gun to Myers' chest when he thought Myers was displeased with his driving abilities. He also has traveled with the circus as a cook and has been in trouble with the law a few times in cities across the country.
So, at 59, what's he doing now?
Myers, a janitor at Greene Memorial Methodist Church, has toned down his lifestyle and decided it's time for prayer. Not just prayer in church, but prayer every day, all day.
His goal is to have 1,440 people pray one minute a day so there will be prayer for Roanoke Valley around the clock. He calls it Pray A Minute. So far, Myers has about 52 people on the list.
Myers said he got a little disgusted when almost all the news he read was bad news. He hopes this project will bring awareness that God is needed in the country today.
``God has helped me during the most extreme times of my life,'' he said. ``And I want people to know God can help them too. I want to get people to pray for our elected officials. People with bad hearts make bad laws.''
He did the same thing in Pulaski in 1981. While there, he was able to get 440 people praying throughout the day.
With Pray A Minute, one person prays one minute at the same time every day. People pick their own time. When they believe their prayer has been answered, they can either pray for something different or pass their minute of prayer to someone else. Myers believes this concept of prayer is ideal for ``everyday working people.''
Scott Jordan, chief engineer at WEFC, said he prays every morning at 7:59 on his way to work.
``It's such a great idea, because it requires so little,'' Jordan said. "It only takes a minute, and you don't have to do it at any special place."
``There's too much violence in the world,'' said Tim Goff, 23, a night manager at the Texas Tavern Restaurant. ``The country needs to turn back to the Lord for some kind of guidance.''
Goff works from midnight to 8 a.m.; he prays each day at 3 a.m.
Finding 1,440 people to pray one minute each day obviously takes determination. But Myers said he plans to get the 1,388 more people he needs by Aug. 28. That's when he plans to sponsor a banquet at the Hotel Roanoke to recognize the people participating.
To get people to pray, Myers simply asks them. Recently he aired a spot on radio station WWWR to spread the word about Pray A Minute. By word of mouth, Myers was able to get families praying together, even people in different states.
Marcia Midlam, an insurance agent in Olivet, Mich., said she has been friends with Myers for a while. When he asked her to pray for Roanoke Valley, she agreed - even though she only drove through Roanoke once.
``It's a common thing nationally. This gives you a feeling that you're part of a solution,'' she said. ``We all want politicians to do their job.''
Celia Wright, a professional clown and mother of four, said she has always encouraged her children to pray every day, and this is just another way to enhance that.
``This is a great thing for awareness,'' she said. ``People should just pray for the sake of prayer.''
Wright's children are 5, 8, 10, and 13. She prays with them each day at noon. Wright, 37, said it's quiet time for them.
Memo: NOTE: Also ran in July 30 Current.