In 1971, the Rev. Millsaps Dye Jr. was working in Vero Beach, Fla., when he encountered a bitter, hard-drinking man. Dye asked the angry man if they could pray together.

&#8220He said ‘no,’ and I decided to respect that,” Dye said this morning at the Kiwanis Community Prayer Breakfast at the Vicksburg Convention Center. Then he told the man, &#8220At 2:05 a.m., I’ll be on a plane on my way back to Atlanta, and I’m going to pray for you then.”

Dye and the man parted ways, but it wouldn’t be the last time they’d meet.

This morning, the Rev. Dural &#8220Raggy” Ragsdale of Porters Chapel United Methodist church and president of the Port City Kiwanis revealed that he was the bitter man. He related the story as part of his introduction of Dye, the speaker for this morning’s breakfast.

&#8220I wanted him to have an opportunity to touch your life,” like he did mine, Ragsdale said.

About 100 people attended the annual event, which corresponds with the Kiwanis International Week of Prayer and is designed to bring people of all faiths together in fellowship.

&#8220It’s a smaller crowd this year, but it was still great,” said organizer and Vicksburg Kiwanis member Donna Osburn. This was the 21st year for the event, a joint effort of the Vicksburg and Port City Kiwanis clubs.

Dye’s remarks were preceded by music by the Jerry Stuart trio from Bovina Baptist Church.

Sometimes, &#8220we need to slow down and give opportunity for the Lord to speak to our hearts,” Stuart said before the trio began singing &#8220Voice of the Father.”

As the group buttered biscuits and sipped coffee, Dye, pastor of Briarwood United Methodist in Jackson, told them that prayer isn’t what most people think it is.

&#8220Prayer is not a way to talk God into doing what we want God to do,” said Dye. It is also not a technique to get God on our side or a way to force our will on others, he said.

Instead, prayer should be a means by which we ask God to show us what we need, what we should want and what God would have us to do.

&#8220We live in a world where everybody will offer their opinion,” said Dye. And too often, he said, we listen to human opinions before heavenly ones. &#8220All of you in politics probably understand that very well,” he said and smiled. More than a dozen local community leaders were in attendance, including Rep. Chester Masterson, District Attorney Gil Martin and Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace.

Dye closed his remarks with a prayer: &#8220God, we ask that you will instruct us and inform us when we don’t even know what to pray for.”