It’s important for me to be out here because I’m supporting my sister and my nieces and nephews. Uh this is a really tragic situation for my family right now. So I just ask everyone to please support us in prayers and give us all the support that you can. I can tell you what I’ve seen. I’ve seen how the community has come together in unity to show their respect and their love for the families of the children who died on the mass shooting.

 And if you take a look at your screen, you can see how inside they have books dedicated to each children. And they have precious flower arrangements as well. And as I’ve been speaking to people who have come in and out, I’ve asked them how have they been dealing with the seeing the children inside.

 And they said it’s just very heartbreaking to witness the young children. And it’s not just people from Shreport who have come out and shown their respect and love. It’s also people all the way from South Carolina that have come out here to pay their respects to the families and to give support in this desperate time in this time that a lot of people are sad and heartbroken.

Sariah, Cadarian, Brila, Jayla, Shayla, Kayla, Leila, Marcaden. On behalf of the Shreport City Council and the entire community, we extend our deepest condolences to the Elkins, Pew, and Snow families. There are no words that I could express to you at this time for your imaginable loss. There are no words that are s sufficient to ease this pain.

 But what I do want you to know is that we stand with you. We stand with you. We send you our love, our support, our prayers, our intercession, and our intentionality to be with you in the days to come. Just know that the internal 8 will never ever be forgotten in the city of Shreport and in due and regular session when it is time to convene the city council.

 Just know that your children will be filed into the record. Just know that they will never and their memory and their legacy will never be lost. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Jesus. Whatever I got to do, Jesus. Whatever I got to do, Jesus. If I have to live right, I’m living to see him. I’m living to see him.  On April 19th, 2026 in Shrefport, Louisiana, Shamar Elkins shot his wife Sheniqua at a separate address, then

went directly to the home on West 79th Street where his children were. Eight children lost their lives that morning. Seven of them were his own. The youngest was 3 years old while the oldest was 11. Sheniqua survived. In the weeks that followed, the community held vigils, balloon releases, benefit concerts, and fundraisers.

Strangers showed up to West 79th Street. People came from across the country. Are  eight children that are deceased. I can’t be strong for you. I think about the mother and what this family has lost.  Just days before all of this, Shamar had taken all seven of his children to church together for Easter, the first time he had ever done that.

 He posted a photo outside the church with all of them dressed up, smiling.  Go baby, get it baby. Go baby. A visitation was held at Precious Memories Funeral Home in Shreveport. Community members lined up to pay their respects to all eight children. That was the family that walked into the funeral for the eight children that were killed in the mass shooting on April 19th.

 And shortly we will take you guys inside. This is um going on right now.  Yeah. And I also want to make um a quick announcement you guys. as well. Something that we observed the two mothers of, you know, the four four and three of the children who were killed, um, they walked in holding hands. I think that says a lot, you know, about the entire situation.

 They’re standing together. This is the day before Mother’s Day, probably a Mother’s Day they’ll never forget. Um, but they are walking in together, holding hands. That says a lot. That’s a big statement, a big bold statement. and they are there with each other grieving together. I think that says a lot you guys.  Yes, it does.

 And together is what the community has urged and has emphasized so far is just togetherness and leaning on one another. So very powerful message. Now we’re going to switch to the inside of the funeral where KSA reporter Peyton Manuel is set up for us. So let’s go to the inside of the funeral. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us. Come on, let’s give God some praise all over this place. Oh, you can do better than that. Let’s give God some praise. I KNOW THIS IS A FUNERAL, but the Bible SAYS THAT I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL.

NOT JUST SOMETIMES, NOT JUST WHEN IT LOOKS GOOD, BUT IT SAYS I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES, AND HIS PRAISE SHALL CONTINUALLY NOT JUST BE IN MY HAND, NOT JUST BE IN MY HEART, BUT IT SAID IT WILL BE IN MY IF YOU DON’T MIND FOR 5 SECONDS, LET’S JUST GIVE GOD A crazy He’s been good. He’s been good.

 IN SPITE OF HE’S BEEN GOOD. THE BIBLE SAYS, “HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD? HAVE YOU NEVER UNDERSTOOD THAT THE EVERLASTING GOD, THE CREATOR OF EARTH, he never grows weak or weary? NO ONE CAN MEASURE THE DEPTHS OF HIS UNDERSTANDING. EVEN THE YOUTH WILL BECOME WEAK AND TIRED. YOUNG MEN WILL FALL IN EXHAUSTION, BUT THEY THAT WAIT, OH, I THOUGHT THIS WAS CHURCH.

 THEY THAT WAIT ON THE LORD, THEY WILL FIND STRENGTH. THEY WILL SOAR ON HIGH like wings, like eagles. They will run and not get weary. THEY WILL WALK AND THEY WILL NOT. ONE MORE TIME. CAN WE JUST BLESS GOD FOR HIS STRENGTH? AMEN. New Testament scripture reading come from Matthew chapter 18, King James version of the Bible, beginning at verse two.

 The holy red reads, “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, verily I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 And whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. The word of God for the people of God.  Amen.  Amen.  Let us bow heads. Father God, we come to say thank you.  Thank you, Lord.  Lord, this family needs you right now. Lord, you know who they are, Lord God. You know what they’re going through. But God, we thank you for the Holy Spirit.

Cuz the Holy Spirit has come to be a comforter, Lord God. And Lord God, they need you right now, Lord God. When everybody has went their ways and went to their homes, Lord God, and they find themselves all by themselves, Lord God, allow the spirit of God to speak to them and let them know that you never leave them nor forsake them.

 Lord, we come, Lord God, asking you today to show yourself mighty, show yourself strong in this place. have thy way, Lord God, because we need a word from you, Lord God, in the name of Jesus. Lord God, we realize that be absent from the body, Lord God, we can REJOICE BECAUSE TO BE ABSENT from the body is TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.

 So Lord, we thank you for these eight, Lord God. We thank you for their lives. WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THEY STOOD FOR. BUT LORD, WE THANK YOU THAT THEY’RE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW, LORD. HAVE THEIR WAY IN THIS PLACE NOW. LORD, I ask that you comfort this family. comfort these mothers, these grandmothers, these kin folks, Lord God. But most of all, Lord God, WE PRAY FOR THESE PASTORS, LORD GOD, THAT’S GOING TO STAND AND PROCLAIM YOUR WORD, LORD.

 We realize, Lord God, there’s somebody that don’t know you and they’re on their way to hell, Lord God. BUT WE PRAY YOU GIVE THEM A WORD THAT’S IN SEASON, LORD GOD, THAT WOULD CHALLENGE THEM, LORD GOD. Lord God, give them a word like YOU GAVE PETER WHERE 3,000 SOULS CAME TO CHRIST. LORD, GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.

Move in this place. HAVE THY WAY LORD. Lord we need you here in Shriur. Lord God WE REBUKE EVERY DEMONIC SPIRIT RIGHT NOW IN THE name of Jesus. Lord we need you right now in the name of Jesus. Lord we come because we know you’re able to do all things. Lord we ask that you move in this place. Move, Lord. Have thy way.

TOUCH AND DO WHAT YOU WANT to do. Lord Lord we ask that the fire will start burning with me. Have thy way Lord. Bless God. God, we ask right now, every distraction be rebuked right now in the name of Jesus. Every demonic spirit that is not, every spirit has to leave this place, but the Holy Spirit.

 But Lord, we pray for Pastor Hall. We pray for Pastor Porter. Lord God, we need you to give them a word, Lord. Lord, we ask right now a special prayer for Summers Grove School. Lord God, we pray for Livingwood Public Charter School. We pray for all of those teachers, those principles, Lord. They need you right now.

 Those students need you right now. They’re going to school and seeing empty desks. Lord God, they need you right now, Lord. Have thy way, Lord. We ask that you move. We know if you show up, we know that your power will go and forth. Have thy way in this place. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.  Praise the Lord, everybody.

Today is still the day that the Lord has made. I pray that every person that stands here will be a strong encouragement and a reminder to this family. God is still on the throne. He is still real. Um it’s not for us to always understand. It’s just for us to know that God is God. Sometime God does things.

 He makes choices so that he can get us to just pay a deeper closer attention to him. Thank God for innocence lying before us. There are not a lot of people. There are some people who are housed in these boxes and sometimes it’s questionable. We don’t know where they’re going. But I’ve got a feeling. I said, I’ve got a feeling now. I said, I got a feeling about all eight.

Can somebody thank God for purity and innocence, the things that God LET THEM NOT HAVE TO ENCOUNTER, THE STUFF WE’RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH AS ADULTS. Thank God for the victory right here. Hallelujah. Just give me a minute without that music. I NEED SOME REAL WORSHIPPERS that don’t need no music to send this family home with A REMINDER THAT GOD IS STILL GOD.

 I NEED SOMEBODY TO PRAISE HIM LIKE HE’S REAL. PRAISE HIM LIKE HE MAKES NO MISTAKES. REMIND EVERYBODY IN HERE HE’S THE GOD OF ALL WISDOM, OF ALL LOVE, OF ALL KINDNESS. He is STILL THAT LOVING GOD. HE IS STILL THAT HEALING GOD. I know family. I’ve been where you’ve been in predicaments close to this. Not exactly, but close enough to feel the pain of wonderment to ask the question, why is this fair God? How could you, Lord? He’s still God.

 THE SAME GOD THAT HEALED you from the stuff that you didn’t want to tell nobody about. Yes, Lord.  HE’S THE GOD THAT MAKES DECISIONS LIKE THESE, THAT MAKES US WALK AWAY SCRATCHING our heads. But he is a God that doesn’t have to give us all the clues. Just know that he makes no mistakes.

 I dare somebody lift your hands and say, “Ain’t no mistakes in here.” I dare you to say, “THERE ARE NO MISTAKES GOING ON in this room.” You got to take authority over the enemy. There are people who have to live with this for years to come. But I want you to make a decision, family. We’re with you. How many of you in here with the family today? We’re not here to just spectate.

Be a part of a story. No, we’re here for you. I don’t live in Louisiana. I came from another state because I care.  I wanted this family to know that God is real.  And guess what’s going to happen even after this? He gonna make a way somehow.  COME ON, CHURCH. I SAID HE GONNA DO IT. HE’S ALREADY STARTED.

 HE’S ALREADY DOING IT. GOD’S got you. Okay. To the family, to the parents, to the aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, God’s got you. Come on, let’s have church. Tell somebody, “The Lord will make a way somehow.” Come on. IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN IN THE ROOM THAT’S HAVING TO WITNESS THIS, LOOK AT YOUR BABY RIGHT NOW AND SAY, “The Lord will make a way somehow, baby.

If your child is here, HUG YOUR CHILD.” AND INSTEAD OF IT, LET’S put our hands together. Come on. We’re here TO ENCOURAGE THE FAMILY. WE CAN’T BE SAD TODAY. Come on. Come on. Remind the family like a ship THAT’S TOSSED AND DRIVEN  A SHIP that’s driven  battered by an anger sea.  When the storms of life  LIKE THIS  AND THE fury falls on me on  I wonder what I’VE DONE  that makes this race so hard to run.

Then I say to myself, SOUND take courage BECAUSE  he’s going to heal your heart, baby. Yes, he will.  SAY it again. Like a ship that’s tossed and driven.  Come on, put love in your hands. Come on.  I hear you WITH A STORM OF LIFE. AND THE FURY FALLS on me.  Yeah. I wonder what I’ve done. Jesus  that makes this race so hard to run.

 So hard to run.  I know you’re mad, baby. But you GOT TO SAY TO YOUR SOUL. SO TAKE COURAGE BECAUSE THE LORD,  it don’t seem like it right now, BUT HE WILL. LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT. OKAY, this tedious journey, it may not be easy.  He never said that it would be. Sometimes I get so lonely and disheartened and I just don’t want to be bothered that I begin to think, Lord, tell me what have I done that makes this race so hard to run.

Come on, give me a soul clap. Come on, SOUL CLAP. SOUL CLAP. I say to my son, don’t worry BECAUSE you got to put your soul in. He will let go. He’s going to do it. Come on. Lift your head up. Lift your head up. He’s going to do it somehow, baby. Yes, he will. He’ll help you understand. He’s got another plan. He’s going to do it somehow.

He’s going to lift your spirit. He’s going to heal your heart. He’ll do it somehow. Tell him the light will make a way. He’ll do it. And I will TELL SOMEHOW somehow he’s going to do it. Let him do it. Do it for us, Jesus. He’ll do it. He’s going to take the broken pieces and men it together. He’ll do it somehow. Yes.

 YOU MAY BE ALL BY YOURSELF AND you’ll feel his touch here in your heart. He’ll do it somehow. God do it. God do it. He’ll do it. Come on, everybody tell the family, THE LORD WILL MAKE.  COME ON. I NEED EVERYBODY TO POINT AT THE FAMILY AND tell them.  IT’S HURTING RIGHT NOW, BUT WE CAME TO TELL YOU.  I KNOW YOU’RE IN PAIN CUZ I CAN FEEL IT.

 BUT I KNOW A GOD THAT KNOWS HOW TO TAKE THAT PAIN.  I know the God that’ll BRING YOU A SMILE IN THE MIDST OF IT. THE Lord will make  I love y’all. What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us. Whereas in the quiet spaces of our hearts, we hold the tender memories of these precious young lives lost in our Cedar Grove community.

Children whose laughter once danced freely through homes, classrooms, and playgrounds. And whereas our precious angels were sons and daughters, grandchildren, classmates and friends, their presence was a gift, gentle, vibrant, and full of promise. Whereas their bright smiles carried a light that needed no invitation.

It simply entered and warned every soul it touched. In their eyes lived curiosity, wonder, and a sincere desire to learn, to grow, and to become all that God intended them to be. Whereas now, their absence is deeply felt. The hearts of loved ones cry out. Teachers remember eager hands raised. Friends feel the quiet where laughter once lived.

 And neighbors carry a shared sorrow that stretches across streets and generations. The community bound together by love now grieavves together, holding tightly to the beauty these children brought into the world. And whereas yet even in grief, there remains something unshaken. The love they gave and received has not been lost.

 It lives on in the stories told, in the lessons remembered, in the kindness they inspired, and in the enduring imprint they leave upon every heart that knew them. Their lives, though far too brief, were deeply meaningful, and their light continues to shine in ways both seen and unseen. Now therefore, I, Tom Arseno, mayor of the city of Shrifport, on this ninth day of May in the year of our Lord 2026, do hereby lovingly remember Leila Pew, Kayla Pew, Shayla Elkins, Jayla Elkins, whose mother is Miss Sheniqua Elkins, Sariah Snow, Cadarian Snow,

Brillan Snow whose mother is Miss Christina Snow, Marquaden Pew, whose mother is Miss Kosha Pew, and with the entirety of the city of Shriport, I extend sincere and heartfelt condolences to members of the family, loved ones, and friends. May we honor them by carrying forward the gentleness, joy, and love they so freely shared.

 And may their memory forever rest in the sacred place where love abides, unchanged, unbroken, and everlasting. Sariah,

Cadarian, Brila, Jayla, Shayla, Kayla, Leila, Marcaden. On behalf of the Shreport City Council and the entire community, we extend our deepest condolences to the Elkins Pew and Snow families. There are no words that I can express to you at this time for your imaginable loss. There are no words that are s sufficient to ease this pain.

 But what I do want you to know is that we stand with you. We stand with you. We send you our love, our support, our prayers, our intercession, and our intentionality to be with you in the days to come. Just know that the internal aid will never ever be forgotten in the city of Shreport. And in due regular session, when it is time to convene the city council, just know that your children will be filed into the record.

 Just know that they will never and their memory and their legacy will never be lost.  Good morning. Why don’t you give the Lord a praise offering? Uh maybe y’all thought I said give me one. Why don’t you give the Lord a praise offering? If he has been good to you, why don’t you just bless the Lord right now? If he woke you up this morning, why don’t you give him a praise offering?  In spite of how things look, if the Lord has been good to you, why don’t you just tell him thank you right now? I can’t hardly hear you. This is a celebration.

There was a picture that I saw of these children and they were having fun. They were joyous and today they would be having fun. So why don’t we just take our funeral face off for just a moment and just look at somebody and say to them, “Hey Shy, give the Lord a praise offering.” If that neighbor didn’t work, why don’t you look at another neighbor and just tell them, “Hey, Shy.

” And so today, I wanted to know how could I acknowledge this family? And the only way I know how to acknowledge this family is to go to the word of God. And in his word um 2 Corinthians 5 and1 it says to us for we know  that if this earthly tent we live in is dissolved we have a building from God eternal house in heaven that is not made by hand.

So always know that when life takes an unexpected turn, God is redirecting our attention. And so today, God is redirecting our attention. Paul calls our earthly house a tent because it’s only temporary. We often live as if our tent is permanent. Our routines, our health, our plans, but unexpected turns reminds us that this world is not as stable as we think.

that sooner or later we got to move from this tent to a building. A building not made by hand. This this tent we must recognize the fragility of the tent. Paul calls it a tent because it’s temporary. Remember, there’s something greater prepared. Kind of like on Sunday morning, why don’t you shake somebody’s hand and tell them there’s something greater prepared for you?  Something greater prepared for you.

 Paul does not stop at the tent. He says, “We have a building of God, something eternal, something unshakable, something prepared for every one of us.” And so my brothers and sisters as we go up and as we leave this place we must know that from sometimes in life we don’t understand but God is redirecting our attention from the seen to the unseen from the temporary to the eternal from what we can control and what we cannot.

And so my brothers and sisters, and we know that all things work together for the good if we love God according to his purpose. God has a purpose. God has a plan. God bless you. All right. God bless you. If y’all would receive um the Kettle Parish Commission is coming. Hast thou not known? Has thou not heard? That the everlasting God faintth not? There’s no searching of his understanding.

 He giveth power to the faint, and to them that has no might, he increasth their strength. Even the youth grow weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.

 Today, we are waiting on you, Lord. I am Commissioner Stormmy Gage Watts and I’m standing here on behalf of the Cattle Parish Commission. Our CEO, Mrs. Erica Bryant, and our parliamentarian, Commissioner Stefan Jones, would like to present a proclamation at this time.  Good morning. I stand here not only as a commissioner, but a citizen of the Cedar Grove community.

As I always tell people, Cedar Grove is always where it’s at.  If you’re not from there, you just won’t understand. But we are resilient community. We will stand strong with this family and stand behind you each step of the way. Special resolution of remembrance. The Kettle Parish Commission is deeply heartbroken by the tragic and senseless loss of eight young lives and severe injuries of additional victims in Shreport on April 19th, 2026.

And whereas this unimaginable act of violence has shaken our entire community to its core, leaving families grieving, neighborhoods mourning, and our parish united in sorrow. And whereas Jayla Elkins, Shayla Elkins, Brilan Snow, Kayla Pew, Cadarian Snow, Leila Pew, Marcaden Pew, and Sariah Snow were precious children whose lives were full of promise.

 They were deeply loved by their families and friends, and all who knew them. Their absence leave a void that cannot be filled. And whereas in times of such profound grief, it is the duty of this commission to stand alongside the affected families and all those impacted, offering our deepest condolences, unwavering support, and collective prayers.

 And whereas the Cattle Parish community has long demonstrated resilience, compassion, and unity in the face of tragedy. And it is in this spirit that we must now come together to comfort one another. Whereas it is essential that we are a community and not only mourn but also commit ourselves to honoring the memory of those lost and injured by fostering love, protection, and opportunity for all children by working collaboratively and foster an environment that respects life and discourage domestic violence.

Now therefore, be it resolve that the Cattle Parish Commission does hereby express its profound grief and sorrow at the loss of these children, wishes healing and recovery for those injured victims still battling to heal, and extends its heartfelt condolences to the family, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating event.

 And be it further resolved, the Cattle Parish Commission urges all citizens of Cattle Parish to lift up in prayer and support the families and communities impacted, offering compassion, kindness, and understanding in the days and weeks ahead. And be it further resolve that we call upon community leaders, organizations, and residents to come together in unity to identify meaningful ways to honor the lives lost, ensuring their memories endure as a call to action for peace.

 protection and care for our women and children. And be it further resolved that the Cattle Parish Commission reaffirms its commitment to working with all partners to strengthen safety, well-being, and the future families in our parish. Attested by President Gregory Young, Vice President Victor El Thomas, and all the cattle parish commissioners.

 Thank you. All right. At this time, I’d like to to just take a moment to acknowledge all of the clergy that’s in the building. Clergy, clergyman’s, clergy, women, clergymen, if y’all would please stand just just right where you are so the family can uh see you. Thank y’all. Thank you. Thank y’all so much. Thank you so much. Thanks so much.

And I’d like to take a moment also to acknowledge all of the other public officials that’s in the place that’s not programmed. Uh I see uh our school board superintendent. If all of the other public officials that’s not programmed, please stand right where you are. public officials, any officials, please stand right where you are. Amen.

Amen. Amen. God bless you, Chief. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Chief Smith. We’re going to get ready and make another little shift. And um um we’re we’re excited to have Miss Charisma Evans with us. And uh she’s going to bless us uh by way of song. Come on, put your hands together and

welcome her as she come. Hallelujah. One more time. Going to keep doing it. Can we give God praise in the building? Can we just have a little Sunday morning on a Saturday afternoon and take it back just a little bit? Hallelujah. I need the I need thee.

Every hour, Lord, God knows I need peace. Oh. Oh, bless me now. save. I call you to I call thee. Lord have mercy. I come because I need thee. Is there anybody here every hour? God knows I need thee. Oh, bless.

Bless me right now. My savior I COME. STAY RIGHT THERE. Lord I come. Lord I come to you. Out loud I come to thee. Lord have mercy. And it’s oh how I I love Jesus. And it’s oh how I love Jesus. And it’s OH I

love you Jesus. You ought to throw your hands up because BECAUSE he was love. of me. Lord, help me in here. HOLY MUSIC. I AM SO WONDROUSLY SAFE FROM SIN. JESUS SO SWEETLY ABIDES WITHIN. There at the cross where he took me in. I’m singing glow red to his name. It reached to the highest MOUNTAIN and it flows to the lowest valley.

Oh, the blood that gives me strength from day to day. It will never It will never It will never It will never. It will never. It will never. It will never It will never It will never never Yes.

YOU OUGHT TO TELL SOMEBODY, TELL THEM THAT THE BLOCK STILL WORKS. TELL THEM THAT THE BLOOD STILL WORKS. TELL THEM THAT THE BLOCK STILL WORKS. HEY. HEY. TELL THEM THAT BLOOD STILL WORKS. IT WILL never It will never It will never never lose. Lord, Lord, it will never, it will never, it will never, it will never, it will never lose his power.

You ought to clap your hands and GIVE A LOT OF GLORY IN HERE. YOU OUGHT TO PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER and bless the Lord in here. LEAVE SOMEBODY AND TELL THEM THAT GOD STILL WORK. Come on, let’s bless the Lord in this place. I said, “Come on, let’s bless the Lord in this place.” There ain’t nothing like the blood of Jesus.

Oh my God. Wow. Well, well that that that blood that blood that was drawn from Emanuel’s vein. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Wow. Well, listen y’all. I’m I’m I’m I’m I’m so sorry that we got to get back to the order, but but can I just tell y’all thank you for having church right there.

Can I thank y’all for just taking opportunity to have church in that moment? Nothing. Blood of Jesus. Praise the Lord, somebody. It reaches highest mountain and it flows. Bless the Lord. Bless the Lord. Well, amen. Let’s make a shift right quick. We got some official resolutions to come and some sacred expressions and and we’re making preparations to hear from our own honorable Sam Jenkins from the Louisiana Senate and then Representative

Tammy Felts from Louisiana House of Representatives and from the honorable um Cleo Fields from the United States Congress. if y’all will please come in that order. Thank you. Good afternoon. I mean, the spirit caught on fire. I hope I don’t do anything to dampen it. giving honor to God and to the members of the clergy that are present, to this family and the many friends, the many supporters who are out this morning.

You know, there are some contentious times down in Baton Rouge, but at times like this, we stand as one and we stand unified to express our condolences to the families of these eight wonderful children. First, let me extend condolences on behalf of all members of the Louisiana State Senate.

 All 39 members send their condolences to this family. I also want to send condolences from my office, the 39th Senatorial District, where the family and these children were and our constituents. I’m standing here today with some representatives from Governor Jeff Landre’s office who also sends condolences and I want to share an executive order coming from the governor that I think is of some significance.

This is coming from the executive department. It says, “Whereas on April 19th, 2026, Jayla Elkins, age three, Shayla Elkins, age five, Kayla Pu, age six. Leila Pir age seven, Michael Pir, age 10. Brillan Snow, age five. Cadarian Snow, age six. Sarah Snow, age 11, tragically lost their lives in acts of senseless violence in Shreport, Louisiana.

 These children were the light of their homes in the heart of their classrooms. They were full of promise and found joy in the simplest things such as dancing, playing outside, and sharing laughter with family and friends. Their futures were bright and held great promise. whether they had just begun their journey at Johnny Cochran Head Start or were progressing through their studies at Summerrove Elementary and Lynwood Public Charter School.

Whereas the people of Louisiana mourn alongside the loved ones of these children, especially our mothers Christina Snow, Sheniqua Pew Elkinson, Kosha Pew, whose strength in the face of such unimaginable loss is beyond measure. These tragedies remind us of the importance of unity, resilience, and compassion in the face of unspeakable evil and hatred.

 Such acts of violence and depravity erode the principles of peace and safety that bind our communities. And it is incumbent upon us to honor the memory of those lost by standing together against such senseless violence. Whereas the people of Louisiana must stand united against acts of violence directed to our children who are entitled to our fullest protection and support.

 Whereas we call upon to support one another during times of need, especially those affected by this horrific event. Whereas it is fitting and proper for the entire state of Louisiana to lower the flags of United State and state of Louisiana as a solemn tribute to these children whose lives were taken far too soon.

 Now therefore, I Jeff Landry, governor of the state of Louisiana, by virtue of the authority vested by the constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana, do our order and direct as follows. In honor and remembrance of the victims of this tragedy, the flags of the United States and the state of Louisiana shall be flown at half staff over the state capital and all state buildings from sunrise to sunset on the following days to commemorate each of the victims whose lives were taken.

Starting this Saturday, May 9th, in remembrance of Jayla. On Sunday, May 10th, in remembrance of Shayla. On Monday, May 11th, in remembrance of Kayla. On Tuesday, May 12th, in remembrance of Leila. On Wednesday, May 13th, in remembrance of Michael. On Thursday, May 14th, in remembrance of Brillan.

 on Saturday May 16th in remembrance of Cadarian and on Sunday May 17th in remembrance of Sariah all public subdivisions private entities and educational institutions including public private parochial and post-secondary institutions are encouraged to lower the flags of the United States and the state of Louisiana to have staff during this period.

 And this order goes into effect immediately and has been signed by the governor of the state of Louisiana. I want to take this opportunity also to thank Governor Landry, First Lady Sharon Landry for their appearance here in the wake of this event and not only that, for the kind contributions and gestures that have been made since that time.

 I want to thank you for having staff members to travel here and to be present to share in this service with us today. As I said, there may be contentious times in Baton Rouge, but we want this family and this community to know we stand as one. May God continue to bless this family. May God continue to bless Cedar Grove.

 May God continue to bless the city of Shreport. And may God continue to bless the great state of Louisiana. Thank you. Good morning. Still on behalf of the city the community of Cedar Grove, I stand before you as a resident where I grew up, where I still live, and where I have the opportunity to represent that um community in house district 3.

 along with my 105 colleagues, we do have a resolution and I have with me uh today representatives um I’m not sure if Representative Walters is here, Stephen Jackson, um Dennis Bamberg, Michael Melerine, and Ed Laredane. Thank you all for traveling here today. Um Congressman Steels, and Congresswoman Gfords, thank you so much.

To Superintendent Burton, thank you for the information that you shared with um about their students in their classrooms. and we this is a part of our resolution just to not belabor the time um I just wanted to get the highlight part of our resolution. Therefore, it being resolved that the House of Representatives of the Louisiana Legislature does hereby express heartfelt condolences on the loss of Leila Pew, Kayla, Shayla, Jayla Elkins, Sariah Snow, Cadarian Snow, Brilan Snow, and Marcum Pew, and does hereby extend sincere wishes to their

families, friends, and loved ones that find comfort in their shared memories of these eight beautiful angels. We know that God’s plan is not our plan. God received new eight new angels on April the 19th. The eternal eight is most fitting to the family, Miss Pew, Elkins, and Snow, Mr. Ferguson, who knows my family.

 We say to you that we celebrate their lives today. For we know that there is only one Lord God who sits high and he looks low. Jeremiah 31-13 reminds us that I will turn their mourning into laughter and their sadness into joy and I will comfort them. But we want your family to know that we pray with you for the strength to know and remember that God still is the great I am.

first given obedience to God to lead of my life to Bishop Kimell, Bishop Hall, all the members of the clergy. Thank you uh to this family for just giving me a small little part on this program. Snow Pew and the Elkins family. Before I came up here, um I was thinking about a lot of things, but I want to share just one thing in particular with you.

This is not a Shripp port morning. This is a nation morning.  And the thing that impressed me the most, the phone calls that I received just because I represent Streetport. And one call in particular was from former Congresswoman Gabby Gford and her husband, Senator Mark Kelly. And I didn’t know what to tell them to do.

And then on yesterday, she called and she said, “I’m being shreport. I’m coming to the funeral and I want my former colleague, Congresswoman Gabby Gfords, will you please stand? She just wanted to come and just let the family know that this pain is not just in Louisiana. This pain is all across the nation. Pastor, I often wonder why do good things or bad things happen to good people? And um I thought about that and then I thought about my mama would always say God is good  all the time and all the time God is

good. You know we’ve been may do it just for a night  but joy going to come in the morning. And I just want this family, these families to know that God got your back.  I know it’s tough. I’ve had some tough times. Y’all know I always go through tough times, but God always had my back. And I want you to believe in him.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith, it is impossible to please him.” So right now I’m going to tell you these uh precious kids, you know what they doing? They’re probably up in heaven and they’re organizing probably the Cedar Grove choir, you know, and and and they are singing their hearts out looking down on their mas  and their grandmoms and their, you know, all of their friends and family members.

 You be encouraged today because this too shall pass. These these young souls, you know, that’s that’s that’s just those are just bodies. They’re that their souls are with the Lord. God bless you and God keep you. I do have a resolution for each of you. Wow. Wow. Thank you. Thank you, Congressman Field.

 Listen, we’re we’re going to shift now. Um, and we have all of the other preliminaries behind us now. And we’re going to make a shift over into worship. And um, we’re going to get ready to to have these men of God make deposits into the lives of this family. because if we are to go beyond this spot, it’s going to be by the grace of God.

Uh and it’s going to take a word from God. And so we’re getting ready to do that. uh Bishop um Melvin Porter is um going to come right now with a word of comfort and and then after that we’ll have a sacred selection uh by overseer Don Pope uh and then we’ll be be ready to receive Bishop Joseph Hall. Amen. Let’s church say amen.

 Church say amen again.  Come on. Let’s give the Lord a great big hand of praise, will you? To Bishop Kimell, to Pastor Hall, to all of these men of God, to this family. Y’all help me thank God for these three mothers. Will you just help me praise God and honor God for these three mothers? Earth has no hurt that God cannot heal.

 This grief is too heavy for words.  This grief is too heavy and it’s beyond ordinary sorrow. This is a grief that don’t go away overnight. There’s no phrase I could say to make sense of it. There’s no sentence powerful enough to erase your pain. But earth has no hurt  that God cannot heal. That’s right.  In the book of Job, Job declared with trembling faith, “THOUGH he slay me,  yet would I trust in him.

”  Job was a man that reverenced God and he loved God.  And I’ve discovered, church, that you cannot truly love God without first loving people. I wish I had a witness. Come on. Yes, sir.  Streetport. We have to love people. In spite of how they act, we still have to love people.  That’s right. That’s right.

 Love must be paramount. And it is in moments like this where love becomes more than a feeling. It’s moments like this where love becomes a ministry. It becomes presence. It becomes comfort. Yeah.  And shreport we spend so much time talking about success, politics, opinions, and entertainment. So many INTERESTING TOPICS, BUT RARELY DO WE TALK ABOUT THE TOPIC of love.

 I wish I had a witness in there.  Let’s do ourselves a solid and pause long enough to center ourselves in love.  That’s right. Love is the very hinge that holds together our community, comforting one another in times of tragedy. It is love that compels us to sit with those who mourn. It is love that compels us to pray with those who are broken.

 It is love that compels us to remind families that they are not carrying this burden alone.  That’s right. That’s right.  As a community, Streetport, we must understand the importance of comforting one another.  Even when they get dark, when they burdens may get heavy,  we got to let them know to hang on to God’s hand.

 And anybody in here know that if you put your hands in the Lord’s hand, I wish  he will bring you through.  Yes, he will. And even in the face of violence and devastation, love is still stronger than anything.  That’s right.  And I thank God for our prayer warriors. I thank God for the organizers and the intercessors. We thank God for you.

 We thank God for the prayers.  But we must also become a people who pray not just when things happen, but we got to pray after before things happen. I was That’s right.  Job  lost everything he had.  Come on, man.  But yet the Bible says he continued to worship.  He continued to witness  and he continued to wait.

He worshiped the Lord while he was wounded.  And sometimes family, the pain is too heavy. We cannot lift up our heads, let alone lift up our hands.  But I heard David saying, I will lift up mine eyes  toward the hills which cometh  my help.  Anybody know that all our help comes from the Lord?  And is there anybody in here who the Lord has been good to and you don’t mind nobody knowing that the Lord has been good to you? Anybody in here, the Lord has made a way for you.

 And you don’t mind nobody knowing that THE LORD HAD ANYBODY IN HERE, HE’S FOUGHT YOUR BATTLES. He’s healed your body. He’s made your enemies your foottool. AND YOU DON’T MIND FOLKS KNOWING. YOU OUGHT TO SHOUT, “THANK YOU, JESUS.” There there are moments when grief weakens our body  and crushes our spirit.  But we must understand that God is still in control.

 So we mourn today.  Today we cry. We stand with these families  in love and prayer, but we also hold on to hope.  Yes, sir.  As I go to my seat, a story once told of a mother who went into a flower shop to buy a rose that would never die.  Come on, man.  It was something that was unheard of by the store clerk, but she found a rose and the clerk advised her to take it home and plant it.

The rose grew where it was planted until one day it wasn’t in the place that she had planted. That mother went back to that same flower shop. Talked to that same clerk. She said, “I asked you for a rose that would never die.” Clerk says, “Come show me where you plant it.” She showed the clerk where she planted it in the front yard.

 and they begin to talk. And as they talked, they walked out of the gate. They turned downside the house. And as they were talking, the clerk told the mother to look on the ground. And the rose had came up on the other side of the gate. In other words, the eternal ate ain’t where they planted, but they have made it to the other side.

The other side where the wicked shall cease from troubling. The other side where the weary shall be at rest. The other side where tears wipe from eye to eye. THE OTHER SIDE WHERE BROKEN hearts are made whole. THE OTHER SIDE WHERE LITTLE CHILDREN LAUGH AGAIN, run again, and forever be in the presence of God.

The other side where joy is eternal, peace is unshakable, and love will never die. AND ONE OF THESE OLD days when this life is over, anybody in here, YOU GOING TO THE OTHER SIDE? YOU GOT YOUR TICKET. to this family on this afternoon. Isn’t it a blessing to know that when life literally have you in pieces, there’s the availability of having the peace of God and having the peace with God.

Can you just encourage someone and just say, “I declare peace on today. I declare peace on today.” No matter how rough it is, thank God for peace. Thank God that I can talk to him without posting to Facebook. Thank God that I can send an elevator of concerns and he brings down an escalator of results. Thank God for peace.

 When I don’t have a 40, I still have my communication to God. I pray this song is a blessing to you.  I’m going to see if we can do this in about 3 minutes. I will keep you in. Oh. Oh. As long as your minds stay on the I will keep you inoo long as your

Hallelujah. See the earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof. The whole world they that dwell therein. He watches me so when God set me free.  So I  tell me why. Tell me why. Tell me why. Tell me why. Oh,  he has

lifted. I need your witness in here to say he got to get out of here. This is my favorite part. Come on here. Don’t you know THAT WILL MAKE OUT OF NOWHERE DO I HAVE A YEAH SO he walks with me. He talks with me. HE

TELLS ME I’M HIS IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR. WHEN MY PILLOW IS FILLED WITH TEARS, say you want to lift your hand, want to give you joy. Oh, SO everything that I need, everything that I want, my soul, anybody courage, YOU WANT TO LEAVE THAT GOD WILL NEVER BELIEVE YOU. NO ONE save you. Yeah. Yeah. Come on AND GIVE GOD A WAVE in this

place. Anybody glad that he’ll keep you? I DIDN’T LOSE MY MIND. I DIDN’T LOSE MY JOY. I DIDN’T LOSE MY PEACE. BUT I THANK GOD THAT HE GAVE ME PEACE. HALLELUJAH. Can we bless God in this place? How many know he will give you perfect peace? Amen. with your mind stayed on the Lord. We give reverence to God, to his holy spirit, to his son Jesus, and to our presider. We honor the grace bishop

Kimble, to this these families, and to all of our clergies, to politicians and family and friends. Um, I know you feel like me. You’re wondering why we here at this time. I know you said like me, this don’t this should not have happened. We should not be in this place at this appointed time. But I heard somebody say, “God is still in control.

Equally accolade and all this, but I I need them to help me cuz I help y’all.  That’s right.  God is our rescue. God is our strength. God is a very present help. I I want to talk about I want to talk for the next 10 minutes and I mean 10 the next 10 minutes I want to talk about I need the Lord for this.  Okay.

 Look at your neighbor say I need the Lord for this. I  sir.  Somebody shout with me. I need the Lord.  I need the Lord  for this. First thing I want you to know this afternoon, I want you to know the first thing I want you to know is that um and it’s going to bless you the rest of the s if you get this. God is not afraid of your honesty.

 Okay? God is not afraid of you being honest this afternoon  because you came just like me. You did not come here pretending that you understand everything that done happened.  We did not come here with easy answers. Matter of fact, let me go on and throw this in here. God can’t bless a pretender.  If you walked in here pretending that it’s all right, I got some good news.

 I got some bad news. It’s not all right.  The struggle is real. Yes, sir.  But I got some good news. It’s going to be all right. Many of you walked in here at this eternal 8 service and and and and you came here hurting. You came here grieving.  You came here still in shock.  And if WE BE HONEST, WE’RE NOT ALL RIGHT. We’re struggling.

 But but but I I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION. I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION. UH BUT GOD, I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION. I want TO ASK THIS QUESTION, CLEOP. HOW DO WE respond to something that you are not ready or prepared for?  WHAT DO YOU DO  WHEN GOD PUT YOU IN A PLACE with no history?  Well, what what watch this? Watch this. WHAT? AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT FAMILY.

 I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WHAT IF THE PLACE THAT WE’RE TRYING TO ESCAPE IS THE VERY PLACE THAT GOD WANTS TO meet us at?  MAYBE WE’LL GATHER THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE GOD WANT TO MEET US RIGHT WHERE WE ARE. Now the fact Psalms 34 and 18 that SAYS THAT HE’S NEAR THE BROKENHEARTED.  HE SAVED THOSE WHO ARE CRUSHED IN SPIRIT.

 When I read that family, it blessed me. It’s going to bless you BECAUSE IT SPEAKS OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL WOUNDED BY LIFE,  who’s been disappointed,  who’s grieving, who emotionally exhausted, who’s hurt BY LOSS, WHO HURT BY PAIN. DAVID WAS SAYING THAT THE PLACE I AM IN NOW, YES, IT hurts  because I believe all of us can share the same sentiment because all of us have been paralyzed by this present situation.

 But I got good news. God is nearest when you feel the heaviest. David saying, “I’m mentally tired. I’m emotionally drained. I’m struggling to keep going.” Is there ain’t anybody here?  But I came to tell you, God is near the brokenhearted. I I came to tell somebody that that if we’re going to go from here to where God want us to be, we going to need the Lord for this.

GOD. GOD IS OUR RESCUE. GOD IS OUR STRENGTH. GOD IS A VERY present help IN TROUBLE. AND I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE SAYING BECAUSE SOMETIME PEOPLE THINK THAT FAITH MEANS YOU DON’T HAVE TO CRY.  FAITH IS NOT PRETENDING YOU ARE STRONG. FAITH IS KNOWING WHERE TO GO when you are weak. AND THAT’S WHAT THE WRITER IS SAYING IN this song. HE’S SAYING, “LIFE GOT HARD.

LIFE GOT HEAVY. BUT GUESS WHAT? I KNOW SOMEWHERE I CAN GO.” BIG MAMA THEM SAID, “AMEN. I CAN TAKE MY BURDENS TO THE LORD AND JUST LEAVE them there. I ain’t got no help.” AMEN. IS THERE ANYBODY KNOW THAT THE LORD IS ABLE? Even when you don’t understand the moment, we can still trust God who holds eternity. Sometime pain is so deep that uh friends cannot fix it.

Sometime the pain is so deep money cannot heal it.  Sometime pain is so deep explanation cannot remove it.  And if you WANT TO GO FOR GOD I FEEL HER HELP RIGHT THERE. You going to need the Lord for this. But I came TO TELL YOU FAMILY THAT GOD WILL GIVE YOU strength when your strength runs out.  I came to TELL YOU WHAT THE PSALIST SAID. AMEN. HE SAID GOD IS OUR STRENGTH.

Is there anybody this afternoon that know God is your strength? AND YOU KNOW WHY THE REASON WE MADE IT HERE TODAY  IS BECAUSE GOD I WISH I CARRIED US. And I DON’T KNOW I DON’T KNOW WHO I’M PREACHING TO BUT I FEEL I DO. BUT LORD AMEN. SOMEBODY SHOUT LORD I NEED YOU for this.  LORD I NEED YOU TO HELP ME BREATHE AGAIN.

 I NEED YOU TO HELP ME SLEEP AGAIN. I NEED YOU TO HELP ME TRUST AGAIN. I NEED YOU TO HELP ME TO LIVE AFTER THIS again  because God, you’re going to need the Lord.  I was listening to a song this morning, families, and it said, “THROUGH ALL I HAVE GONE THROUGH,  LORD, It was you.  It went on and say it was you  pulling me through.  Somebody going to help me after a while.

And the next verse say when I stumble,  WHEN I CRIED,  WHEN I FELT LIKE, COME ON, SOMEBODY I WANTED TO DIE. LORD, IT WAS you pulling ME THROUGH. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE KNOW THAT THE LORD IS ABLE TO PULL YOU THROUGH? I heard God said, I’m closing. I heard God say, family, that God that he’s going to hold you together until you get it together.

God is above all things.  He’s before all things.  He’s alpha  and omega. He’s the beginning and he’s the end. HE’S THE FIRST AND HE’S THE LAST. HE KNOWS ALL THINGS. HE KNOWS THE PAST. HE KNOWS THE PRESENT. And he knows THE FUTURE. HE’S OUR WISHER HAS IT. THERE’S NO LIMIT OF HIS KNOWLEDGE. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING BEFORE IT HAPPENED.

 HE’S A SOVEREIGN GOD. HE’S GOT ALL POWER. I WISH I had some help here. He’s omnipotent. He’s unpleasant. HE’S ALL KNOWING. AND WHAT WE GOT TO DO HERE IS I’M DONE. WE GOT TO TRUST GOD WHEN IT DON’T MAKE SENSE. Come on. I SAID WE GOT TO TRUST GOD WHEN IT DON’T make sense. YOU YOU YOU YOU YOU GOT TO LEAN AND DEPEND ON GOD BECAUSE SOMEBODY KNOW HE’S ABLE TO MAKE A WAY OUT OF NOWHERE.

SOME PEOPLE ARE PRAYING. SOME PAIN IS SO DEEP THEY CANNOT CARRY YOU BY YOURSELF. I WISH I HAD SOME HELP HERE. BUT GOD SAID HE’S YOUR REFUGE. HE’S YOUR STRENGTH. HE’S A VERY PRESENT HELP. AND I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT ONE THING I WANT TO TELL YOU AND I’M DONE. SOME BURDENS ARE TOO HEAVY TO CARRY WITHOUT GOD.

 You going to need the Lord when all this is over. You going to need the Lord when everybody going back home. You going to need the Lord WHEN EVERYBODY the phone calls to stop the drive. I wish I had some help here. You going to need the Lord. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE who know the Lord will see you through? Is there anybody here that know that God will pull you through? And all you got to do is hold on to God’s unchanging hand.

And big mama said, “He may not come when you want him, but he’s always ON TIME.” NOW, I THOUGHT I HAD SOME CHURCH FOLKS IN HERE. Is there anybody here that know he’s an ontime God? SURE MAY RISE, WIND MAY BLOW, BUT GOD will Whatever y’all do, listen at me if you don’t hear nothing else. You going to need the Lord for this.

But know he promised y’all, mother, three things. Listen at me good. He promised he’ll be a refuge. A refu is a place you can go.  Sometime you got to go by yourself. There are some places in the next seven days God going to pull you. You got to get all by yourself. You got to get people out your ear.

 Get people out your bed and just get away and have a little talk with Jesus. And I know somebody know a little talk with Jesus make everything all right because he’s our refuge. Then the second thing he said he’s your strength.  PEOPLE CAN’T GIVE YOU STRENGTH.  ONLY GOD CAN GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH THAT YOU GOING TO NEED AFTER THIS.

And then everything is going to really bless your mother. It’s going to bless your family. He said he’s a very present help. You know WHAT THAT MEAN? THAT mean whatever you need God for right now.  See, some of y’all waiting till tomorrow or later on. LISTEN, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT WHAT’S GOING TO happen later.

 All I KNOW IS ALL WE GOT IS RIGHT NOW. AND HE’S ABLE TO HELP YOU BEAR YOUR BURDEN. I WISH I HAD SOME HELP. SOMEBODY SHOUT RIGHT NOW AT THIS VERY MOMENT. And is there anybody here this family snow peers? If y’all don’t have a relationship with God,  when when you get to reading those accolades and those resolutions and all that, um, make sure you put it down and pick this up.

Because only what you do for Christ going to last.  And if you don’t have a relationship with God, won’t it be a good day?  On the day that Eternal ate we we laid them to rest on this side that you can SAY, “LISTEN, I I I NEED THAT RELATIONSHIP. I NEED THE LORD.” AND I FOUND OUT THE OTHER DAY THAT I CAN’T DO THIS BY MYSELF. UH I NEED THE LORD.

 IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT CAN SAY, “LORD, I NEED THE LORD AND I NEED HIM NOW.”  I SAID ALL THAT TO SAY THIS AND THIS WHAT I REALLY CAME FOR. I KNOW YOU’RE HERE, BUT I CAME TO TELL YOU PRAYER CAN CHANGE THINGS. HOW MANY KNOW PRAYER STILL WORKS? HOW MANY KNOW JESUS IS STILL REAL?  And guess what? We got pastors from all over this country, all over here.

We ain’t trying to get you to join the church yet. We just trying to get you to get a relationship with God. And once you get that relationship with God and you have y’all to here, God is sending you. I ain’t got no help here where you need to go cuz he’ll have his spirit. And I wish I had 10 of y’all right there.

 HE’LL GIVE YOU, YOU GOT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. WHAT SWEET NEED. WE NEED RELATIONSHIP with God. If you are here, you don’t have to come. If you’re standing, we going to pray for you right where you are. If you’re here and you say, “Listen, I hadn’t been to church in a while. I needed, but this shook me.  This messed me up.  I thought I had it going until the other day and I realized it could have been me.

AND I JUST, YOU CAN’T MAKE ME BELIEVE THAT GOD ALLOWED THESE EIGHT BABY TO WITHOUT SENDING A MESSAGE TO US.  If you’re here, you just need prayer. We just going to pray with you because stop lying to yourself.  We all need the Lord. Okay, I’mma tell y’all something. Don’t y’all tell nobody else. I need the Lord.

 I know these other pastors ain’t going to agree with me. You know, they got it all going on, you know. Amen. I know. I know these politicians ain’t going to say it. But let me tell y’all, there are some days I can’t get it together. I ain’t got There are some days I be ambushed with my emotion.

 THERE ARE SOME DAYS I STRUGGLE. THERE ARE SOME DAYS I DON’T WANT TO GET WALK INTO THE PULL PIT AND PRE OKAY, I WISH I HAD 10 OF YOU. THERE ARE SOME DAYS I CAN’T GET IT TOGETHER AND I NEED THE LORD. HEY, OKAY, SOMEBODY TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR, I NEED THE LORD. I NEED I NEED THE LORD. THE OLD SAY THAT IF THE LORD DON’T HELP ME, I CAN’T STAND THE STORM.

COME ON,  if you’re here, I just we just want to pray for you.  We’re going to let Bishop Kim, you here, just stand. Say, “Lord, I got to get it right. I got to get closer. I got to get closer to the Lord.  I know one of y’all here.  I just need a closer relationship with God. Come on. I I know you’re here. Come.

 I just want to pray for you. Bishop Kim going to come and pray.  There you go, baby. Connect. Thank you, baby. Thank you. Okay. Y’all miss what I open up with. I said when I open up the sermon, I said, “It’s all right if you be honest.” I said, “Okay.” Yeah. I said, “You don’t have to pretend to be something.

” I know. I know a lot of us church folk walk into church and act like we ain’t got nothing going on. But that ain’t that that ain’t true. Everybody walk in church got something going on. And with sh but we just have to praise your way through it. HEY SOMEBODY. OKAY. HOW MANY KNOW EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU JUST GOT TO PRAISE YOUR WAY THROUGH IT.

 YOU YOU GOT TO LIFT UP I WILL BLESS THE LORD. I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIME. THANK YOU BABY. Thank you. Thank you for being honest. Thank you. Come on. We getting ready to pray. Bishop Kim is coming. Come on. We just want to pray for you. Lord, I need you. I need you for this. Cuz if you think it going to get easier, see, grief is tied to your level of love.

 GRIEF NEVER DIMINISH.  It’s never stop.  You going to deal with grief till you gone.  Okay? And it depend on your level of love for whoever you’re GRIEVING FOR. THAT’S WHY FOLK CAN’T TELL YOU HOW TO FEEL. THEY WE NEED TO STOP YOU. THEY CAN’T TELL YOU HOW TO CRY. DON’T CRY. NO, BABY. YOUR GRIEF AIN’T MY GRIEF.

YOUR LEVEL OF LOVE AIN’T MY LEVEL OF LOVE. Cuz you’re here. We getting ready to pray. Thank you, baby. Thank you, love. Thank you. Would that be another? We’re going to pray. Going to pray. Going to pray. Thank you, love. Praying. Thank you, baby. Thank you. Love you. Thank you, love. Thank you, baby. Thank you.

you here. Thank you, baby. Thank you. Thank you, man. Thank you, love. Thank you, baby. You ain’t got to YOU DON’T DON’T DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHAT FOLKS SAY, who they looking at. You It’s for you. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, baby. He got you. He got you. He got you, Lord. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, baby. Thank you.

THANK YOU. BLESS. THANK YOU. BLESS YOU, MAN. THANK THANK YOU, DOC. THANK YOU, MAN. THANK YOU, BROTHER. THANK YOU, MAN. Thank you, Doc. Thank you, BABY. THANK YOU, BROTHER. THANK YOU. Thank you. Thank you. Thank Thank you. Thank you, man. THANK THANK YOU, BROTHER. DADDY, THANK YOU, MAN. Thank you, man. Thank Thank you, Doc.

Thank y’all, baby. Thank y’all. Thank you. Thank you. I SEE YOU. THANK YOU. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Come on, [ __ ] Thank you.  Bless the Lord. Bless the Lord. Bless the Lord. Bless the Lord. Listen at me. Remain standing. Those of you all that stood when the prayer call was issued. Now, let me say this.

 I believe Bishop Hall to be an anointed man of God.  And I believe that the very presence of the Holy Spirit is in this place. And so if you didn’t move and you felt God tugging at the altar of your heart, I want to give you a chance to get on your feet right now. Don’t be afraid, don’t be ashamed.  The word of God teaches us if we want him to to own us before the father.

 That’s right.  Then we can’t be ashamed to own him down here.  So this is the last and final call all over this place. If you need prayer, stand on your feet.  Right where you are.  If you’re unable to stand, then just throw your hands in the air and let the Lord see you. You see, I believe that the very moment you you got on your feet that God heard your prayer even before anything was uttered.

 Uh because of the sovereignty of God, he knows our hearts before we ever move. He knows what we need before we even ask because that’s the kind of God he is. Father, in the name of Jesus,  we thank you, Father, for these that have stood on their feet today, acknowledging, oh God, that they need you. They need you.

 And God, I thank you, Father, for the word that has come from the lips of Bishop Hall this day. And God, I just know, Father, you are such a gracious God. Been through a lot, God, but your word has made known to us that there is absolutely nothing you can’t do. Now, Father, it’s been a long hard trying two weeks, but here we are now, God, down to the end of this experience.

And Father, if we are to go from this place, Father, it would be your grace to carry us. So, help the healing to begin right now, oh God, right now. Touch hearts right now. open up minds right now. Thank you, God. I know you won’t put no more on us than we can bear. God, I know that the spotlight is on Shreport, Louisiana, but God, Shreport, Louisiana loves you with all their hearts.

 God, we thank you. Even now, as hard as this is, we thank you, God, help us as we move from this spot because we know, oh God, grief is only temporary. And if we’ll put our hands in your hands, you’ll lead us through this. You’ll get us through this. Yes.  That mother that’s struggling, that’s that father that’s struggling, those children that are struggling, have mercy, oh God.

Thank you now. Meet our needs according to your riches and glory in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Come on, bless the Lord in here. Come on, bless the Lord. Mother and family, y’all be encouraged. You may God bless you. We’re we’re making ready um to leave this spot. There’s a few things just before the undertakers come.

 Um they’ll be coming in just a moment. Um I want to remind you all that there will be bus transportation. Uh if you desire not to drive to the uh grave site uh and you can leave your vehicles right here, the uh city bus will bring you back to this spot. Okay. In our acknowledgements earlier, I I think we failed to acknowledge the presence of those persons from Lynwood Public Charter School, which which the majority of these kids attended.

 So we so we want to thank you all for for being such a positive influence on their lives. If y’all would please not please please not leave at this point if you can help it. We’re getting ready for the recession. We won’t give you a benediction at this point. We’ll give you a benediction at the grave site. I just

with the Lord I I shall give him his children. I’m living life to him.  And with the Lord with the Lord, I know that I shall  I shall not stray.  I shall not stay with his children.  I’m living his life to him. And with the Lord and with the Lord I know that I shall  I shall not stray.  I shall not stay to his children.

 Oh the night in the night he shall return.  That’s the day that he’ll come.  He’ll come and fly away. Jesus will help me.  Oh, I’m living this life.  And with the Lord, I know that I  shall not.  Since then, Sheniqua has been active on Facebook. She shared a post that read, “I was once asked how long I would continue to care for and worry about my children.

 My answer was simple, until my last heartbeat.” And in a separate post, she wrote, “Lord, as these tears fall from my face, I put all my trust in you. Whatever it is you need me to do, I am at your service. Do with me as you will. Mold me.” The world keeps spinning and so does crime. Stay observant, listen to your instincts, and don’t ignore the warning signs.