The Audie Heier Memorial Grounds in southwest Estevan serve as a testament to a persistent and enduring faith.
A sign at the entrance to the property hails it as a site where people can pray through the Stations of the Cross. There are 15 crosses on the grounds, and then a towering cross stands at the top of a hill on the north edge of the property.
People have been dropping by the site to pray for years, and it鈥檚 just in the last few years that a gate has been constructed at the site.
The Stations of the Cross refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. So perhaps it鈥檚 fitting that Good Friday marked the first time this year that the grounds has been open for prayer.
Audie Heier鈥檚 widow, Molly Heier, said they traditionally have about 30 people drop by for prayer on Fridays during the spring, summer and early fall.
But last week she estimates they had 70 to 80 people, which is the best turnout they have ever had.
鈥淪omething is happening worldwide,鈥� said Molly Heier. 鈥淭hey tell me 鈥� people are coming out like never before.鈥�
Many of the people at the prayer session were Filipinos. Heier noted people in the Filipino community posted information about the prayer time on social media, which helped with the turnout.
鈥淭hey were praying for me,鈥� said Heier. 鈥淚 was told that some of them said 鈥楽he鈥檚 a nice lady, and I鈥檓 going to pray for her.鈥� That felt good.鈥�
It helped the prayer time was held after the Good Friday service at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, and that this was the first time the grounds have been open for Friday prayer since the snow melted. Those two reasons might have contributed to the turnout that day, but Heier believes there are other reasons.
鈥淲e鈥檙e into a year where look at the threat we have,鈥� said Heier. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e not praying because of a threat, we鈥檝e been praying for nearly 30 years.鈥�
Many of the people at the grounds on Good Friday were praying for mercy, she said.
The grounds will now be open every Friday for prayer at about 3 p.m. until the fall. Heier is preparing to see people come to pray each week.
鈥淢y husband used to say 鈥楥ome join. All we want to do is pray. Do you have a problem with that?鈥欌�� she recalled.
Heier stressed the prayer times aren鈥檛 competing with the church. Rather, they build up the church and they also encourage people to attend services.
The Heiers purchased the land where the grounds are located in the early 1990s, and they set about cultivating the area where the Stations of the Cross is located. The Heiers shared a strong faith, but Heier said it was her husband who had the idea to place the crosses on the land, including the large cross at the top of the hill.
Molly Heier says younger generations haven鈥檛 always been taught the Stations of the Cross, but Jesus lived it, and it was a tradition in the church.
鈥淲e always had trips and pilgrimages,鈥� said Heier. 鈥淲e went on just about an annual pilgrimage or retreat or conference, and these were wakeup calls to remember He died for us out of love.鈥� 聽
