this past month, i took a trip to russia to visit orphanages around moscow, st. petersburg, and ryazan. the following photos show what i saw and experienced. it was an experience that i will not forget anytime soon. the beauty of the people and the country is astounding. the colors... the leaves of fall... the simpleness of the culture... this is what i was in awe of. things that we take for granted, like the nature and even the food, is done so well and crafted so differently that it causes everything to be so much more awesome.

and the children we visited were so full of life, that it is quite a shame that they are stuck in orphanages. and the government doesnt allow much in the way of foriegn people to adopt. it is a serious problem in russian culture when one of the orphanges that had been there for about 10 years was only now having its first adoption. and it is a problem when most of the orphans become involved with prostitution, trafficking and the black market after they turn 18 because they have nowhere else to turn.

we are planning on returning sometime next year, possibly in april or may, in the hopes that we can do something for this country, and its children, in need.