Beslan sorrows; a ministry mobilizes its response.

Russia (MNN)–Thousands of Russians filled Red Square with anti-terror rallies Tuesday, as Beslan buries more dead.

Funerals filled the streets beginning Sunday. The Chechen standoff at School #1 in Beslan ended in disaster, with as many as 600 dead, many of them children.

In the wake of the catastrophe come mixed emotions ranging from utter grief to outrage against the rebels. President Vladimir Putin has ruled out further talks with the Chechen militants and he also ruled out holding a public inquiry into the storming of the Beslan school.

Russian Ministries’ Anita Deyneka says their memorial service at the U-S headquarters yesterday coincided with the demonstration. It also took place at the same time as a group memorial service in Beslan.

Officiating pastors at the memorial service in Beslan include Pastors Sergey and Taymuraz Totiev, local clergy with eight children who had been in the tragedy. “Between the two families, they had eight children held hostage in the school. We now know that six of those children have died. One is severely injured.”

On Tuesday, a large crowd gathered in front of one of their homes, angrily expressing their views on the injustice of what happened. According to Deyneka, the pastor used the opportunity to encourage people not to seek revenge, but instead, to seek forgiveness and allow God to avenge their losses.

Russian Ministries’ personal link to the tragedy led to the establishment of a ‘Terror Relief Fund’. Deyneka says it came about due to the amount of inquiries from Americans believers who wanted to help. “As of today, I believe 13-thousand has been donated to this fund and any money that comes to this will be going directly there to help with food, clothing, funds for funerals, and of course, we’re continuing the ongoing ministries.”

Working through three Evangelism and Church Planting Centers and its network of local churches and Christians, Russian Ministries will serve as a connecting point between victims at their time of need and caring Christians and local churches.