GPIW was founded on the premise that spiritual efforts can help alleviate the suffering of people in conflict areas and that qualities of the feminine can foster healing. Although in recent years GPIW’s focus has been on healing our rupture with Mother Earth and her vast communities of life, GPIW’s initial intention of highlighting the voices of women spiritual teachers and peace workers has not left our purview. Our activities in conflict regions began with Dena Merriam’s visit to Bosnia soon after the war, planting a seed for GPIW’s creation. From there women called us to Palestine and Israel, and later a convening of young Sudanese during the war in Darfur. In 2006 we met with Iraqi women and in then 2008 with young peacebuilders from Iraq and Afghanistan. GPIW brought a delegation to Lebanon and Syria and organized a goodwill mission to Iran with a delegation of faith leaders during the time of the nuclear deal negotiations. GPIW has held programs in Cambodia, a country still recovering from the Khmer Rouge regime that brought on so much death and suffering to the people there. GPIW has also organized programs in Kashmir, India where conflict has been ongoing for several decades. Now our attentions turn to Ukraine, where the world is witnessing massive human suffering. We offer deep admiration to brothers and sisters in Europe who are working on the ground to provide assistance and support to the millions of refugees who had to flee. We must also believe that our prayers, when sent into the ethers with serious and sincere intent, will bear results and in some way help unknot the karma that has led to this tragic situation. Many organizations are gathering to offer prayers. Let our voices come together with theirs. Please join your hearts for a global prayer for an ending to this war in Ukraine.
Within the darkness, the light always seeks to shine.
