Russia (MNN) — The political uncertainty continues in Russia, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is blaming the United States for unrest in his country.
Thousands of people flooded the streets following parliamentary elections, and Putin is accusing Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton of instigating those protests, saying the vote was "dishonest and unfair."
Wally Kulakoff Russian Ministries says, "They always have to find someone to blame. America has been the lightning rod for many, many things. The young people see straight through it. There's great distrust, sadness, unhappiness, and a void within that country."
The protests don't appear to be over. According to reports, over 45,000 people in Moscow alone have pledged on Facebook and the Russian site, VKontakte, to join fresh protests tomorrow against the 12-year rule of Vladimir Putin and the reported victory of his United Russia party over the weekend. Many believe balloting was rigged.
Kulakoff says Russian Ministries is trying to provide hope through the Project Hope Campaign, which is being organized by Next Generation Church leaders — young people who HAVE hope that they want to share with those who are hopeless. "We are standing with orphans, with the abandoned children across the former Soviet Union–little people who need hope, people who need to hear about Jesus Christ."
These young people are planning to hand out more than 50,000 Project Hope Christmas boxes which contain "a pictorial New Testament, plus many other items: goodies for Christmas, pencils, a notebook. It could have all kinds of smaller gifts."
According to Kulakoff, these gifts speak volumes to those who receive them. They begin saying things like, "There are people who are interested in us. The government has forgotten us. There is a star of hope. There is a light at the end of the tunnel where the local church becomes involved."
You can help empower these Next Generation leaders to provide a Project Hope gift box. It only costs $25. "$25 delivers it to an orphanage, to a hospital, to a prison, to a deprived family–the most vulnerable in that part of the world. We can help them fill the spiritual void with the hope and joy that Christ brings to this world."
Kulakoff says Project Hope could be the catalyst for spiritual change. "As people come to know Jesus Christ, they are transformed from within. And this transformation from within, one-by-one-by-one, will transform society and transform a country."
For the first time, Russian Ministries will be delivering Project Hope gift boxes to Mongolia, as well as the countries of the former Soviet Union.
If you'd like to support Project Hope with your $25 gift, click here.
Here's a Russian Ministries video to help you see Project Hope firsthand.
