By Baptist Message staff
WINDER, Ga. (LBM) – Sarah Farley Beall, a former Baptist Collegiate Ministry associate director at Louisiana State University, expressed gratitude for God’s protection over her daughter and requested prayers for all impacted by a fatal shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, Sept. 4.
Her daughter, Ava, is a sophomore at the school where the incident occurred that claimed the lives of two students and two teachers. At least nine others were injured before the alleged shooter, Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student at the school, surrendered to law enforcement officials.
Beall, who was on staff with the LSU BCM from 2011-2018 and now serves as a student mobilizer with the International Mission Board, told the Baptist Message that she was on a mission trip to Paris, France when the incident occurred. She is thankful her husband, Jonathan, was able to comfort Ava and her friends for more than five hours outside of the football field at the school.
Sarah Farley Beall
“Pray for comfort for our children, the families of the victims, our faculty and staff, our officers, our first responders, and our community,” she said. “Pray for healing of the victims that were hospitalized and hurt.
“Pray for the students and teachers as they work through survivors guilt,” she continued. “Pray for the kids and parents to be able to sleep and to find a peace that surpasses all understanding. Many are struggling with sleep and reliving the event.
“Pray for them to be able to process and grieve in a way that heals,” she added. “Pray that fear will not win. There is a fear of going back to school and a fear that this could happen again, so please pray that the students, teachers, and families would not let their lives be ruled by fear.
“Pray for parents as they work through letting their kids go back to school,” she said. “Pray for the family of the young boy that caused this chaos. Pray for the community to process the loss of security and peace in a way that brings people together.”
The Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief posted on Facebook that DR volunteers spent Wednesday evening praying for the families impacted. Additionally, the Georgia Baptist Mission Board on its Facebook page quoted Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit.”
“Our hearts mourn in the wake of today’s events at Apalachee High School in Winder,” the post said. “We ask you to join us in praying for those closest to the tragedy and the Georgia Baptist churches ministering to the community.”
