UPFRONT October 23, 2006 Issue

Praying for 'never again'

WARREN BOLON, SENIOR WRITER

A group of Liberian women has gathered in a field to pray, their arms raised, palms turned upward. One woman wears a T-shirt with PEACE? YES printed on the back. Below this, a red "X" crosses out the picture of an assault rifle—the standard weapon of both rebel fighters and government troops. Underneath that symbol of rejection, her simple cotton canvas pleads, NEVER AGAIN!!

This scene of protest for lasting peace — in the Apostle Paul's words, for "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding" (Phil. 4:7) — was captured a few months ago by photographer Betty Press. Betty included it when she sent us photos of contributor James Langford, whose account of escape from extreme dangers during Liberia's civil war begins on page 9.

I can almost hear the chorus rising in that field: Lord, hear my prayer...Praise God! ... and I imagine the women singing, demanding with all the spiritual authority of motherhood, Let us never again be so divided!

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