We Pray America is a call for the hope of a greater America--a call for the atonement of our personal sins against one another, against the land, against poor defenseless children, against the less fortunate, and against humanity—a call to take off the blinders to clearly see the wrongness of hate and to look around and see the good that America holds for all who seek new ways to help create a better world, beginning with the United States of America. I am 73 years a patriot, born in Bullhead Township, Pitt County, NC. This is the only country I know, yet I do not presume to understand what makes a country great in the eyes of God, in the eyes of the world, or in the eyes of its citizens. But I would hope all Americans agree that fundamental greatness hinges upon Freedom, Equality, Justice, Goodness toward Humanity and Respect for one’s fellowman, and that all other failings and triumphs are but fruit of those graces, which I believe belong to all humanity. That of course is the ideal and is in no way the reality as we are all captives—subject to the same human condition , which produces a complexity of right, wrong, good, and evil. However, if every human being—every American would consider the power and purpose of the life God has given, and not use it as an opportunity to despise, distrust, divide, and destroy; we could move forward in overcoming our prejudices against one another. In 1864, my great grandfather, Frank Worthington, escaped a Pitt County slave plantation and joined the Civil War. He returned from the War with Smallpox like so many soldiers, but free. Or as free as America allowed him to be. Eventually he had free sons and daughters from whom came my father, who with my mom, sharecropped land with white landowners. But he was as loyal to this country as his grandfather had been to his owner and to the United States, and more loyal than some. He was not a traitor, not a slacker, and he certainly was not a coward. He and my mother were as American as any. I firmly believe that to affect sustainable change, we must resolve to put forth genuine effort in overturning the prejudices that divide us and persistently pursue new paths to peace. This is not easy, but I know it is possible as history has demonstrated it. Even amid appalling acts against humanity, and I dare say—war, hatred, and unspeakable atrocities against persons; peacemakers and peacekeepers have always shown us their unselfish love for others with one ulterior motive—to make a better world. I salute Americans who strive every day, listening for and adhering to the heartbeat of peace and equality. I also know that it takes all our collective prayers, dreams, and activism to leave a greater America to the next generations. To those who work untiringly to assure social justice for the good of the oppressed and for the uplift of humanity in spaces that sometimes seem invisible to praise; do not allow your discouragement to overshadow the transformative good you do to make a better world for all people. Keep the fires of hope burning.