A Happy End - And a New Beginning

BY IGNAT IVANOV
President of Mission Possible

Lena and Roman, two young people who were rescued from the street and drugs through our ministry, said “I do” in a wonderful wedding service held at our Moscow shelter home in May.

Nine years have passed since Mission Possible’s street patrol found Lena on the streets of Moscow. The 11-year-old girl had lived many years homeless with her alcoholic parents and had never gone to school. She had experienced all the horrors the street has in store for a young girl.


Lena’s coming to the shelter home meant a total change in her life: safe environment, school, encounter with Jesus and God’s love. She earnestly prayed for her parents who had caused her so much suffering. It was an increadible demonstration of God’s love and forgiveness working in her heart.

Lena helped the home mother in the kitchen and learned to cook and take care of household. It was hard to believe that this young, skillful young lady actually spent the most of her childhood on the street.

Roman grew up in a good, Christian family, but became involved with drugs. Three years ago he was taken to our rehabilitation center in Yaroslavl. That’s where he and Lena met each other.

After the rehabilitaton period we took Roman to the Moscow shelter home for work practice to serve as a driver. Lena also worked there as a part-time cook, at the same time studying on evening courses.

Lena and Roman were engaged but had to wait for the wedding day almost a year. It took a long time to prepare Lena’s personal ID documentation. The most of the family’s recorded history was missing.

The wedding in May was a fascinating celebration for all the shelter home family. Many tears of happiness and gratefulness were shed: Lena had been like an own daughter to us.

For us this was a happy end of a story of rescue and restoration, for them a beginning of a new life together. We don’t need to say good buy to Lena and Roman, because they will continue to work in the shelter home.

Lena on the street.	Lena and her father
On the Yaroslavl farm.	A skilled cook.