{"id":17646,"date":"2022-04-28T15:34:52","date_gmt":"2022-04-28T20:34:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/?p=17646"},"modified":"2026-02-26T13:32:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T19:32:39","slug":"praying-for-peace-with-larche-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/2022\/04\/28\/praying-for-peace-with-larche-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"Praying for Peace With L’Arche Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For Putin\u2019s conversion, to be able to see our friends again soon, for a good day, for an end to war, we pray.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For over a month, every night since the war began in Ukraine, members of Faith and Light and L\u2019Arche-Kovcheh Ukraine have hosted a \u201cPrayer For Peace and an End to War\u201d Zoom service that L\u2019Arche communities all over the world have been invited to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"L'Arche
Cassidy participates in a L’Arche Ukraine prayer for peace service via Zoom. (Image courtesy of Cassidy Klein)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I tuned in to some of these prayer services from Chicago at noon central time \u2014 a midday remembering and pause. In song, silence, presence, tears, laughter and noise, in all of our different languages and ways of expression, we prayed for peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019Arche is a federation of communities around the world where people with and without disabilities live and work together. Core members are those in the community with disabilities. During these Zoom prayers, core members with disabilities were invited to share about their days and how they were doing at the end. Answers ranged from \u201cI had an okay day, did some crafts today\u201d to \u201cI really miss my friends\u201d and \u201cthe sirens went off this morning and that was scary but I\u2019m better now.\u201d At times some of them were totally in the dark, the lights in their homes turned off so that they weren\u2019t visible during air raids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In making those with intellectual disabilities central to our lives and decisions we, little by little, create a world of peace.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019Arche Poland is receiving refugees from Ukraine, and they joined in these Zoom prayers. One Ukrainian family joined from Poland, saying they miss their home and want war to end. Yet even in that heaviness, along with others at the Zoom meeting, they smiled and laughed and sang and made hand motions to simple prayers. A Lithuanian priest gave us a goodnight blessing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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