According to a disturbing new BBC Report, the grisly international trade in stem cells may have taken yet another nasty turn. It seems that Ukraine has built a thriving little industry as "the self-styled stem cell capital of the world." Amid undocumented claims the tissue can help fight many diseases, cells there may have been harvested not only from commercially aborted fetuses but now also from healthy, live-birth babies--who are brutally sacrificed in the process.
The horrors of this new flesh trade was uncovered when the BBC spoke to mothers from the city of Kharkiv who charged they "gave birth to healthy babies, only to have them taken by maternity staff." In scenes reminiscent of Mel Gibson's new film about the barbarous Mayan civilization, the report describes "a general culture of trafficking of children snatched at birth, and a wall of silence from hospital staff upwards over their fate. Photos show organs, including brains, have been stripped--and some bodies dismembered."
It is a slippery slope indeed. Just as pro-life pioneers and prophets have always asserted.
While I'm surprised no one has posted a reply to this particular blog by Dr. Grant, part of me thinks I shouldn't be surprised at all.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as if abortion is the great non-issue of our day. Our politicians don't take stands on either side of the issue, and we as voters - Christian or not - act as if we really don't care where our leaders stand on this issue.
So, it shouldn't surprise me that nary a soul has responded to this blog.
That being said, what can we do about this slaughter in Ukraine?
Pray, pray, pray!!!
Being half a world away, that's about all we can do.
But, how do we pray? What do we pray about specifically?
Most of us probably don't realize that Kharkiv is a stronghold for the "Russian Mafia." While we don't know for a fact that the mafia is behind this kidnapping, it probably is a safe assumption that it is somehow involved.
Pray thier planning and scheming will come to no avail. Pray that the traps they lay will in fact ensare themselves.
Also, most of us don't realize that, like the U.S., Urkraine has a Christian President - Viktor Yuschenko. Pray for President Yuschenko that he would make the right decisions regarding this issue. Pray that he would rise up and take a Christian stand to protect these children.
For a more practical approach, there are also several Ukrainian humanatarian organiazations that can be contacted on line. Here's a link to them:
http://www.ukraineinfo.us/diaspora/humanitarian.html
Please contact them and ask how you can help.
A couple of weeks ago, I got back from Ukraine after a two week missionary trip teaching at a Pastor's school in Zaproshia, (in Central Ukraine about two hours south of Kiev) and another Pastor's School in Crimea (a penninsula in the Black Sea). The trip was sponsored through Global Vision International, which has several Pastor Schools throughout Ukraine - including Kharkiv. I will forward this blog to the head of Global Vision so that he can, in turn, forward the blog to Christian leaders in Kharkiv so they can be aware of this issue and take action - prayerfully and practically - against it.
In the meantime, let's all pray that the appropriate steps are taken to help stop this kidnapping and slaugher of these innocent children.
God bless all of you, and have a Merry Christmas!!!
Richard: Thank you for this very practical and helpful comment. May God be pleased to motivate us all to do just what you have encouraged us to do.
ReplyDeleteDr. Grant:
ReplyDeleteI woke to find the BBC article you referenced as the lead article on the Drudge Report this morning.
www.drudgereport.com
Richard Welch
Austin, Texas
Actually, I tried to reply to it all week last week. For some reason each time I tried my username and password would be ignored. One thing that has incensed me over the last several years is that abortion is being relgated to the back seat of our culture. If anything it is a key issue that must be faced. How one treats innocents is a litmus test before God.
ReplyDeleteWhy, oh why did the church ignore Dr. Schaeffer?