In 1984, a volunteer team was tasked by the World Conference ofReligion and Peace group in Japan, to devise some way of peoplegreeting one another at an upcoming international conference inKenya-given that many languages would be spoken there.

One ofthe team members woke up one morning and a series of hand gesturesflowed fromhim as though it was orchestrated by Creator. There were 3groups of 3 gestures for a total of nine and they were universallyaccepted and easily learned.

One of the team members was at theNairobi conference and she reported back seeing people greet each otherin elevators and meeting rooms with much laughter and excitement to beable to communicate what was meaningful to all. Within a few months,these gestures moved around the world and were used by many peaceorganizations.

In 1988 when that same volunteer team was inIndia at the opening of a rural health center, they used these gesturesin front of hundred of villagers who immediately copied them and therewas an uplifting energy experienced by everyone. Two of the members onthe volunteer team are members of the Prayer Vigil steering committee –Eleanor Kibrick and Bill Rolph, our firetender.