Convoy Travels El Camino Real On Prayer Mission

29 January 2011

The Church of Immaculate Conception is shown on Church Street in Natchitoches, La. The Trail of Healing began Friday in this historic Northwestern Louisiana city, the oldest permanent settlement in the state.
Photo By Matt Howry

From Staff Reports
ResonateNews.com

NATCHITOCHES, La. — A convoy of prayer warriors began an intercessory journey Friday on Day 1 of the Trail of Healing. Voyagers hoped to bring peace and cleansing to locales that hold painful history, particularly for Native Americans. Natchitoches is the historic starting point of El Camino Real de los Tejas, the path that the intercessors are trekking.

Roger Merschbrock, director of Prayer Focused Ministries in Natchitoches, helped make arrangements for the event to begin in his hometown. He said the El Camino Real — Spanish for “The Royal Road” — was a major route for travel for Native Americans until it was hijacked largely for illicit purposes.

“We know there was a lot of immoral trade running through here. Drug trafficking, human trafficking and other kinds of ungodly commerce was conducted using the El Camino Real as a thoroughfare,” Merschbrock said.

The Trail of Healing began with a worship and prayer service at River Community Church in Natchitoches.

Natchitoches is the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase territory.

NEXT STOP: Nacogdoches, Texas