SYRACUSE -- Joan Anderson can’t imagine life without her grandson, Matthew, who was adopted from Russia six years ago.
"I think Matthew was not only the answer to our prayers but I hope the answer to maybe a Russian Grandma's prayer's." she said.
Matthew is one of an estimated 70,000 Russian children adopted in the U.S. in the past twenty years. Anderson says orphans like Matthew will suffer the most from Russia’s adoption ban.
"I think it is very sad. I do. Because I think Americans can provide very good homes and a lot of hope for these children." she said.
Judith Geyer, executive director of New Hope Family Services in Eastwood, has dealt in international adoptions. She says many Russian orphans face bleak futures.
"Many of them might never be adopted they could come to an age in Russia where they are not going to be allowed to stay in the orphanage." she said.
Joan Anderson says all Russian orphans should be given the same opportunity her grandson had for a better life.
"When my children went there, there were so many kids in the orphanage and they all needed homes."
