My heart is in Russia. I wish I could hug all twenty odd thousand of these devoted people who want what's best for their countrymen and their children.
Protesters carried signs with photos of each Duma member who voted for the adoption ban. The word printed across their head- SHAME.
This has become more than just a march for orphans. This is about the Russian people's voices being heard. This is their protest to Putin's attempts to return Russia back to it's soviet roots. Over 100,000 Russian citizens signed a petition against the adoption ban as well as a petition to dissolve their corrupt parliament; both petitions were turned down for review even though Russian law states they must submit and discuss any petition by the people with more than 100,000 signatures. This is the type of corruption the people of Russia are up against. This is not a battle that will be easily won.
A friend of mine is in country right now for their third trip, trying to bring their sweet child HOME. Her words:
Just visited with our boy. I had to tell you about our talk with our facilitator. She was at the protest with her family and she said it has been like a war here, and they feel like soldiers. She said at one point, there was a helicopter over the protest, and part of her thought they might bomb the protesters. In her mind, she said, she was willing to die for this cause! Can you believe that? She also says that everyone, the judges, the Ministry of Education, etc are all on our side. I asked her about the amendment and she said, "we can only hope". She had tears in her eyes when she told us about the protesters, many who were rich people. Some had brought their children. She said the signs were not all political, many were just pleas of parents. One mother had her daughter on her shoulders. Her daughter was holding a sign with some words from a popular children's poem that talked about how even when children play hide-and-seek, their parents will ALWAYS find them. Her mother held a sign that said "children don't know borders." We both had tears in our eyes as we talked about this, and I told her how all of us at home are praying and holding on to any shred of news we can get.
This has become more than just a march for orphans. This is about the Russian people's voices being heard. This is their protest to Putin's attempts to return Russia back to it's soviet roots. Over 100,000 Russian citizens signed a petition against the adoption ban as well as a petition to dissolve their corrupt parliament; both petitions were turned down for review even though Russian law states they must submit and discuss any petition by the people with more than 100,000 signatures. This is the type of corruption the people of Russia are up against. This is not a battle that will be easily won.
A friend of mine is in country right now for their third trip, trying to bring their sweet child HOME. Her words:
Just visited with our boy. I had to tell you about our talk with our facilitator. She was at the protest with her family and she said it has been like a war here, and they feel like soldiers. She said at one point, there was a helicopter over the protest, and part of her thought they might bomb the protesters. In her mind, she said, she was willing to die for this cause! Can you believe that? She also says that everyone, the judges, the Ministry of Education, etc are all on our side. I asked her about the amendment and she said, "we can only hope". She had tears in her eyes when she told us about the protesters, many who were rich people. Some had brought their children. She said the signs were not all political, many were just pleas of parents. One mother had her daughter on her shoulders. Her daughter was holding a sign with some words from a popular children's poem that talked about how even when children play hide-and-seek, their parents will ALWAYS find them. Her mother held a sign that said "children don't know borders." We both had tears in our eyes as we talked about this, and I told her how all of us at home are praying and holding on to any shred of news we can get.
PLEASE pray with me that the Russian government will wake up and listen to their people. Please pray the Supreme Court will find this adoption ban unconstitutional and reject it completely. Please pray for all our adopting families, especially the ones in country RIGHT NOW pleading for their children to have a better life outside of a debilitating institution.
Posted by
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please share your thoughts- let me know I'm not just talking to myself! ;)