March for Jesus fills downtown with prayer

Diane and Eric Sifre stood in the middle of Broad Street on Saturday morning waiting for the march to begin.

“It’s our first time and we are thrilled to be here," she said. "It is a worthy cause. People need to know that there is a living God.”

Hundreds of people gathered downtown for the fifth annual March for Jesus Augusta. Diana Sifre said she didn't realize how many people were going to be in attendance, but she was pleased with the turnout.

“It’s good community involvement. It’s good to have people, neighbors, that’s how you learn to love each other, be there for each other," she said. "Let them know that God is alive and we are here to love each other.”

Dorothy Spaulding, the president and founder of Watchmen Broadcasting, came up with the idea for the march five years ago. She said she was just following orders.

“The Lord told me to do it," Spaulding said. "He spoke to me (and) said, ‘Get the people together and march down the road proclaiming my name.'"

The march began around 8:30 a.m. at Broad and 13th streets in front of Curtis Baptist Church and made its way down to Augusta Common, where music, prayers, speakers and food continued the celebration until noon. Motorcycles led the way, with an escort from the Richmond County Sheriff's Office. Colorful flags, shirts and dancers filled the street. Spaulding said people from all over the country came to the march and celebrated with them.

Doris Foreman, of North Augusta, came to the march with her daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughters. She has been attending the past couple of years and said the event has grown a lot since it started.

"I enjoy it. It’s a good fellowship to be all of us in one accord for the Lord Jesus Christ, and we do it all in his honor," Foreman said. “It’s a big thing and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Spaulding said she hoped the march was able to bring people together in unity. The first march attracted about 12,000 people, and she hoped this year about 20,000 attended. 

“I love to see the people loving each other," Spaulding said. "Red, yellow, black and white, we don’t have a problem. The world has problems, what they need is Jesus, but we don’t have that kind of problem.”