Misha, Marusia, and Lena ran up and embraced me. We stood for a long time like that, clinging to each other, weeping and watching Mama's grave fill up with dirt. We were four orphaned children with a future as uncertain as the swirling desert winds of this strange new country.
Vanya Iliyn's formative years were spent on the move, traveling the far corners of the world Russia, Central China, and the Americas amid seemingly impossible hardships. His journey crossed the landscape of his heart as well. Orphaned and alone, Vanya could look only to God for protection, guidance, and grace. His remarkable story, written in his own words by his eldest son, Peter Iliyn, speaks to the power and majesty of God.