Amid the darkness of war, efforts are being made to shed some light on the situation.

Tristate residents are invited to join a global movement by putting a light in their window each night during the war with Iraq. The light can be anything - Christmas string, candle, light bulb or lantern.

Promoted by the peace organization MoveOn, it's to send a message of the continued hope for peace, as well as support for the soldiers.

"It's a sign for our need for a light in the darkness and a commitment to peace, as well as a symbolic way to light the way home for our troops," said Ruth Franke, who has been keeping lights in the windows of her Amelia home.

It's not just individuals who are making the effort. In the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, the Rev. Herbert Thompson Jr. wants churches to keep their lights going, too. "I have asked priests throughout the diocese to keep their church lights on around the clock," he said in a written statement. "As Scripture tells us, `The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness is unable to overcome it.'"

Maggie Downs