Prayers

Prayers for the stopping of the heartache and misery and loss in Russia today.

Three days ago hundreds of children with their parents and teachers were taken hostage in a Russian school. It was the first day of school, a group of radical Chechnyans stormed in and took over.
Earlier, a group of about 25 infants and adults were released.
Today when the terrorists agreed to release the dead, children began to escape and when the militants noticed them they opened fire on the escapees. This drew return fire from the soldiers surrounding the school and a spur of the moment siege. It's been 3 hours of a firefight now, many hostages have escaped, several have died. There are still hostages in the school, but the Chechnyans have set off blasts, part of the school roof has collapsed, and in the gymnasium where the children had been gathered there appears to be a pile of bodies.
No one knows anything for certain. Who are these people? How many were there? What do they want? How did the initial group of hostages escape? How many hostages were there initially? How many are dead? How many militants remain? Why are the children practically stripped of clothing?
Watching the children return to their families has me in tears. What heartache. What misery. What sadness.
And what joy for the miracle of safe return.