AVON PARK – The rain fell softly on some 500 gathered at Donaldson Park Sunday evening as children laughed or yawned, perking up when the music played. There was prayer, and there were stories of hard times that others had faced when racism or division, as it was called, made its way into their lives.

Families were torn apart, and hard times put individuals on the streets. And the message was that this division had its history in the earliest of human history. In the Bible, it was called racial purity.

Donaldson Park is on Lake Verona and is just across the street from Avon Park City Hall where legislation was drafted to make English the official language of city government and to fine or refuse business permits for those who rent or employ undocumented immigrants.

What could be the final vote on the proposed Illegal Immigration Relief Act, follows a public hearing at 6 tonight at the Avon Park Community Center. 

While those gathered were peaceful, some carried signs that set a tone, reminding everyone that this wasn’t just a prayer vigil.

“Stop the Hate,” “Our Spanish ancestors were here long before you English were, Avon Park,” and “Help those who feed you.”

And then there was the predominant sign message, “Human beings are never illegal.”

Father Jose Gonzalez lead the prayers that called for unification for justice.

He spoke of the commitment those gathered should have to oppose legislation that would make undocumented immigrants criminal felons, or make it criminal to offer immigrants hospitality, humanitarian assistance and social, educational, employment, health and religious services.

Boyd Singletary works for the city of Avon Park and thought the crowd might have been as large as 700. He said he doesn’t mind the English-only language for the city, but has a problem with the rest of the proposed ordinance.

“I don’t have a problem with the English thing. But I think those that are already here should be made legal and then do what regular people have to do,” Singletary said.

In the end, the music played again and the people sang but the smallest of children fell asleep on a parent’s shoulder as the rain ended.

Father Gonzalez asked that the people hold hands, “Because we are one body.”

They left the shelter of the picnic pavilions and drew closer to the Catholic priest, reaching for hands to hold in lines that circled the center of the prayer vigil and the music. But without his prompting, those locked hands were raised, as the lyrics played and heads bowed, “We are one body, One body in Christ, And He came that we might have life.”

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