Sit down, stop the war, sit down, stop the war, sit down, stop the war, sit down, stop the war.

Let's go back to 2003, after 9-11, when it appears ever more likely that the United States will lead a military attack on Iraq, as part of President George Bush's War on Terror.

Around the world, millions protest.

An Australian woman hears a former American Marine on the radio,

suggesting that Westerners go to Iraq as human shields

to prevent bombing by coalition forces.

It was an amazing idea, and then he put the question out, who wants to come?

And I just stood there in the room. I was in, my heart was beating very fast, my hands were

shaking, and I thought, this is it. This is a way that I can show my opposition to the war.

This is the documentary from the BBC World Service.

I'm Mike Waldridge, and in this edition of Heart and Soul,

I'll be hearing how Dona Mulhern put her body on the line

because her Christian faith told her it was the right thing to do.

Donna started out as a journalist in Australia

and later became a political advisor.

Then, in her early 30s, life took a very different turn.

I had recently had an experience that was quite transformative for me

and that I discovered the rich, long history of the contemplative Christian tradition.

You know, the history of the early desert fathers and mothers who prayed in silence and even

Jesus who lived as a contemplative. So prior to that, my faith had been, like many people,

was quite noisy. A lot of talking, a lot of noise, a lot of singing, a lot of clapping,

a lot of all of that, and very little silence or stillness.

...