ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Sunday evening a welcome back prayer vigil was held to offer healing after last week's tragic events.
Students at the Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School will return to class in the morning after a shooting Wednesday afternoon.
“Let us pray," begins Kristen Hubbard, a varsity cheerleader at OW High School, "Lord I come to you as humble as I know how. Forever thankful for sparing the lives of all of the students and the entire faculty and staff at Orangeburg Wilkinson High School," Hubbard read a prayer Sunday night, at the vigil for healing after Wednesday’s shooting, “It’s sad to know that this happened but we’re going to get through it.”
“You prepare for it, but you never think something like this would happen," says Rahim El-Amin, Principal of OW High School. He along with prayer leaders in the community prayed for students and staff as they return to school Monday. They prayed for healing and hope and for healed trauma.
“Darkness will not overcome light but light will overcome darkness," was read while a candle was lit in the OW High School gym, "In honor of those students, first responders and members of the community, we light this candle as a sign of our hope and the promise for the future.”
Three students were injured during the incident but according to the high school’s website, they have all been released, “We’re going to take a moment, one to reflect on the fact that we are thankful that we’re not at a celebration of life, a funeral, we’re not gathered for that," said Bishop Donald Oliver, "our young people are recovering.”
Students will return to school Monday with the community’s prayers upon them and hope for the rest of the school year.
Principal El-Amin said, “That one situation does not represent what we do at Orangeburg Wilkinson High School and it will not represent what we do here at Orangeburg Wilkinson High School what we do here is educate students.”
The school says their counseling services will continue for as long as they are needed.