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НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ • Березень-Квітень 2025 9 The amazing impact of sharing this Bethlehem Peace Light was discussed. It has made an impact not only on Ukrainians, but also on others who ex - perienced the transfer of the “flame” from candle to candle. Just to show how far the Peace Light has travelled, Oksana shared the story of how in 2017 she sent a candle infused with the Light to her son who was on deployment in Afghanistan. Once a candle has been lit with the Peace Light, it is in - fused with the flame even if blown out. She had sent another candle to his future wife in Savannah, Georgia. On Christmas Eve, they both lit their can- dles together on FaceTime and, thousands of miles apart, shared a special moment of peace and hope. Dora Horbachevsky, also a member of the Hrebli sorority, recounted her moving experience when she shared the light on the U.S. border with Cana - da on the Rainbow Bridge (at Niagara Falls), where Ukrainian and American Plast scouts met halfway and exchanged the Peace Light. Our Christmas theme meeting continued with members sharing some of their longstanding family traditions during the Christmas season. Among them: receiving gifts under their pillow on the Feast Day of St. Nicholas, children writing letters to St. Nicholas and leaving them in a spe- cial stocking, St. Nicholas leaving a small gift to these children in the same stocking the follow - ing morning, and waiting for the first star before sitting down to Sviata Vechera (Holy Supper). A long discussion was held about the symbolism of kutia , whether one ate kutia at the beginning of Sviata Vechera or at the end, and the symbol- ism of throwing a spoonful of kutia up to the ceiling and the occasional mishaps of doing so. This brought an amusing chuckle to all! We all agreed that these memories must be cherished and passed on to our children. It was evident from the members that the Peace Light ceremony and Christmas memories shared via Zoom across the U.S. in December 2024 will remain with our Members-at-Large throughout 2025. Olya Czerkas wished a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Photo: Tamara Denysenko From top left: Maria Holian, Tamara Denysenko, Nadia Cwiach, Oksana Stanko, Tania Bardyn, Alexandra Hursky, Dora Horbachevsky, Olya Czerkas, Inna Walker. In attendance but not in photo: Nadia McConnell, Andrea Kulish Wilhelm, Irene Bihun.
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