Today I finished reading an amazing true story about the Vins', a Christian family who lived in Soviet Russia. Children of the Storm is an autobiography written by the eldest daughter, Natasha. She shares events that took place as she was growing up in a Christian home during the 50's and 60's under the Communist government of Soviet Russia. While it is rated as a book for young adults, it is a must-read for people of all ages. I appreciated the book tremendously and highly recommend it.
Natasha's father, Gerogi Vins, was a Baptist preacher and a marked man. "As Nikita Khrushchev's anti-religious persecutions began in 1959, the state imposed new regulations on the Baptist church that drastically curtailed the small measure of independence they had enjoyed. As the Baptist movement split acrimoniously, Vins became one of the leading figures in the campaign to resist state pressure. He publicly opposed the pastor of his own congregation, in Kiev, who had accepted the new measures. Vins formed his own breakaway congregation, becoming its pastor, despite a lack of formal theological qualifications. The group met in a forest outside Kiev." (Source) Despite these precautions, the KGB often discovered their places of worship and violently disrupted their services. During one invaded meeting, Natasha watched as her father was led away by the police. His crime was preaching the Word of God. Georgi Vins went into hiding so he could continue his ministry underground. After numerous arrests and brief imprisonments, Georgi Vins was sentenced to three years at a prison camp in the Ural Mountains. Natasha shares many memories of visiting her father at the prison camp during this time and other imprisonments.
Natasha's father, Gerogi Vins, was a Baptist preacher and a marked man. "As Nikita Khrushchev's anti-religious persecutions began in 1959, the state imposed new regulations on the Baptist church that drastically curtailed the small measure of independence they had enjoyed. As the Baptist movement split acrimoniously, Vins became one of the leading figures in the campaign to resist state pressure. He publicly opposed the pastor of his own congregation, in Kiev, who had accepted the new measures. Vins formed his own breakaway congregation, becoming its pastor, despite a lack of formal theological qualifications. The group met in a forest outside Kiev." (Source) Despite these precautions, the KGB often discovered their places of worship and violently disrupted their services. During one invaded meeting, Natasha watched as her father was led away by the police. His crime was preaching the Word of God. Georgi Vins went into hiding so he could continue his ministry underground. After numerous arrests and brief imprisonments, Georgi Vins was sentenced to three years at a prison camp in the Ural Mountains. Natasha shares many memories of visiting her father at the prison camp during this time and other imprisonments.
Can you imagine sending your children to school where you know they will be constantly drilled into believing that God does not exist? As a young girl, Natasha was told to stand before her class as her teacher asked her, "Do you believe in God?" When Natasha said that yes, she did believe in God, her teacher mocked her before her classmates, and then Natasha was sent to the principal's office -- a terrible shame because only bad boys were ever sent to the principal! And following that first visit to the mean-tempered, shouting principal, she was sent back regularly for "re-education."