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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview With Judith Haynes
Aired November 03, 2001 - 11:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Some people are declaring today a national day of prayer and fasting. Organizers say it is designed to bring peace, healing and justice in America.
Judith Haynes is the director of Global Peace Initiative, and she joins us now from Washington with details about this special event.
Good morning to you Judith. Thank you for being with us.
JUDITH HAYNES, GLOBAL PEACE INITIATIVE: Good morning. Thank you.
SAVIDGE: Is this an annual event, or is this something that was started particularly after September 11?
HAYNES: This has started after the September 11 attack. It did, however, happen one time before -- 1999 when the embassy in Kenya was bombed. Dr. K.A. Paul, who is founder and president of Global Peace Initiative, also at that time called for a day of prayer and fasting. And today we're doing this again as a result of the September 11 attack.
SAVIDGE: And what is it you're asking of Americans, or all those who take part?
HAYNES: We are a nation who -- we're hurting. We need healing. And we're asking people to fast and pray today, and just seek in an act of humility, God. And sometimes when we don't have the answers, we look to a higher power.
And it's been very interesting; we have had about, I think, 20 governors from various states, both Democrats and Republicans -- it's really cut across political lines, and it's cut across religious lines as well -- 20 governors have also made the proclamation, declaring today, November 3, as a day of prayer and fasting for their states.
SAVIDGE: Well prayer, obviously understandable; but why fasting?
HAYNES: Fasting is, again, is an act of humility that we do to seek the face of God.
SAVIDGE: Well, let's move on then.
HAYNES: OK. SAVIDGE: Let me ask you -- obviously it's a very strong point there, but I was just curious whether -- are you trying to ask the world to, perhaps, grow sympathetic with others who may not have food? Say, the plight of the people in Afghanistan? Or is it strictly faith-based when you ask people to fast?
HAYNES: Well, people of faith have been fasting for centuries. Of course, Gandhi was one to fast. And we do sympathize. We do take into consideration those people who are hungry, those people who need help.
Global Peace Initiative is a humanitarian organization, and that's one of the things we do: We feed children, we make sure they have a home and a safe place to live in certain Third World countries.
So yes, indeed, we are mindful of those things that are happening all over the world, yet fasting is a way to seek God to people of faith in all religions. And, of course, that's what we do; when we don't have the answers, for centuries people have fasted to hopefully find answers to their questions.
SAVIDGE: All right, well Judith Haynes, thank you very much. We wish you and your organization good luck. We also want to point out that if those that are watching may have some questions about this, you can call a telephone number. And that number is 1-866-YOUSEND; that's 1-866-968-7363.
Judith Haynes, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
HAYNES: Thank you so much.
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