Paintings and Poems for Ukraine
24th February
News reports "there is war in Europe".
War in Europe!
Not a historical tale
It's happening today.
Russian troops have entered Ukraine.
World leaders are meeting,
talking,
deciding what they can do.
To halt this course of action
To stop war from escalating
But diplomacy is failing
So I am praying

Finding peace in art
Amidst the horror of war
I keep on praying

Week commencing 28th February
Ripples of prayer
Circulating round the world
We're calling for peace

Praying for Protection
Praying for Peace
Praying for Political resolutions
Praying for the People
Praying for Practical interventions
Praying for
Praying for
Praying for Possible solution
Praying for every Precious life

Refugees fleeing
Desperately leaving
Everything
Everything!
Taking only what they can carry
Can you imagine?
What would you put in a bag?
A suitcase
For your whole family
I bet you struggle with holiday packing
And this is most likely
For EVER
Women
Children
Elderly
Disabled
Leaving suddenly
Separated from family
Lives in catastrophe
As their men go to war
This is the reality
Of life as a refugee
And yet politically
They're seen as....
Greedy
Needy
Unworthy
Disgustingly
How dare we!
This could be
You or me
By luck of our birth
We live in safety
Work professionally
Whilst doctors and nurses
Teachers and engineers
Flee from their lives
To futures unknown
The least we can do
Is open our doors
And offer new homes
In safety

Praying for Ukraine

Connected around the world praying for peace

We cry tears of frustration
Not knowing how to respond
As situations around the world overwhelm us
Prayer keeps us strong

Week commencing 7th March
A storm is on us
All of us
Swirling
Whirling
Building
We have no way of knowing
How it will end
Some in boats float past
Barely noticing
Whilst others cling to flotsam
Crying
And I feel so impotent
All I can do is paint
And poetically rant
But what help is that?
So I pray
With too many words to say
Yet the words won't come
My voice is numb
But thankfully
God needs no words to be said
He knows what's needed
What's in our heads
Hope starts to build
And I remember that the world is filled
With goodness in people everywhere
For them I give thanks in prayer

He can destroy homes
Makes families refugees
But their hope remains

Praying
Praying
Praying for peace
Praying for the injured
Praying for the dead
Praying for the grieving
Praying for the refugees
Praying for compassion
Praying
Praying

Women and children Targeted in hospitals These are war crimes
Clouds of refugees Fleeing to safer places
Far from clouds of war

Calling poets, writers and artists to submit for a book about and by refugees. "Light of Hope" will raise money for the charity Phone Credit for Refugees and will be published by Refugee Week in June 2022.

Open up the doors Making enough room for all Gift of hope and love
Houses of Hope
In every shape and colour
Opened for strangers
