Keynote Speaker:

Roland Warren, President and CEO, Care Net

About 100 men circled Baker Park twice Saturday afternoon, walking in complete silence as participants in the Jericho Silent Men’s March held by the Cadillac Counselor alongside Waterboyz for Jesus and I Believe In Me.

“We’re really trying to help men see that God is our true father and that we need to learn how to father our sons and daughters,” said Paul Foss, president and founder of Waterboyz for Jesus. “We need to offer our strength to our wives, stepping into the place that God intended us to, stepping alongside of women who for too long have carried almost all the responsibility for raising families and providing stability.”

Men from the three groups had marched together every day this week leading up to the event. On Saturday, they met up before the march to do five laps, and then did two laps with all the participants for a total of seven.

The march was symbolic of when Joshua, leader of the Israelites, sent his spies to Jericho before conquering it. They marched around the wall once every day for six days, and then seven times on the seventh day.

“When we fall into sin, most men fall into laziness, ignoring whatever area of life where we think we are failing,” Pastor Jonathan Switzer said before the march. “But starting last Sunday, we fathers gathered to say we are marching to see men change from being absentee, deadbeat, irresponsible fathers to men that engage, take responsibility, face our fears and show up for our sons and daughters.”

Jericho Marches are usually done in silence so the participants can pray and speak to God freely.

Foss addressed the crowd on Saturday, in addition to I Believe in Me founder Aje Hill and David Brooks, also known as the Cadillac Counselor. Roland Warren, the founder of the National Fatherhood Initiative, was the keynote speaker.

During his address to the crowd, Foss asked fathers of both daughters and sons to stand up so volunteers could pass them information about classes the Waterboyz for Jesus is offering on fathering. He also brought up the high number of men who are addicted to pornography, and how men must address this to be better for their families. Brooks echoed a similar sentiment, that men needed to confront their battles instead of running away from them.

“We have to confront our issues. Stop pointing fingers at people,” Brooks said. “Look at yourself, look at yourself and see what happens.”

About 20 other organizations were there providing resources and food to attendees. I Believe in Me was also present for a food drop, which they have been doing regularly for the last eight months to help those financially affected by the pandemic.

During his speech, Hill called for men who don’t have children to step into a leadership role, such as his mentors do in the I Believe in Me program.

“Oftentimes we get in the lane of saying, but we don’t find ourselves doing,” he said. “You don’t have to have kids to be a father.”

The event focused on the impact that having an absentee or abusive father can have on children. Foss said his group has spent a lot of time with incarcerated men, a high percentage of whom did not have a father present in their lives.

“When the children, our sons and daughters that have been most affected by our sins, begin to experience the love of their Father in heaven, that is when we will begin to see our nation change,” Switzer said.

Frederick News Post 10/25/2020

WE TORE THE WALLS DOWN SPIRITUALLY!!

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