The statue of Lenin has dominated the main square of Cherkassy for many years and even in the initial foment of the newly independent Ukraine back in the early 1990's, only a few of the Soviet icons were destroyed.
However, in recent years, perhaps emboldened by 16 years of independence, a more confident populous has been campaigning for Lenin's demise. Churches have been actively lobbying for Lenin to be replaced by the Ten Commandments carved in granite. Some angry voices from older citizens, who look back with nostalgia to a bygone era, were raised during the night as a giant crane was used to remove the icon but they were outnumbered by riot police and cheering counter protesters.
Imagine driving over 2,000 miles zigzagging across the country, over a 3 week period - complete with 5 teenagers and …Vic! This year's Hope Now USA Tour will be here before I know it.
When Dima, with his two older sisters, came into the care of the Hope Now foster program he was just two years old. He had been rescued from an ugly situation but came into the home of Vladimir and Larissa Kusin.
The success of the Hope Now pre-independence homes cannot be overstated. Once again the organization has developed a model, as it did with its cottage homes and fostering projects...
