Rusya’s Story

Rusya was found sifting through a garbage dump looking for potato peels to cook when she was five years old, and was taken to a local rescue shelter for orphans.  While staying in the government run center Rusya started coming to a weekly Bible club at the local church.

At 7 she was taken in by the newly married couple, Anya and Sergey, just a week after their wedding, and became the first of what would end up being a large family full of foster brothers and sisters.  This is one of the homes that First Love missionary Rosa Prough oversees.

Rusya was a natural leader and emulated the Christ-like example of her adoptive mother, serving alongside her in orphanages and summer camps. At 16 she made her own profession of faith and was baptized.

As Rusya grew into a young woman she was active in the youth group at church and began to lead Sunday School and work as a leader at various Christian summer camps. She graduated from trade school in 2018 and now ministers weekly leading Bible clubs in children shelters and surrounding villages. One of the clubs is held at the very shelter Rusya lived at when she was 5 years old.

This year she’ll be 21 and alongside her fiancé Kevin – a Christian she met in Germany a few years ago – will be married. They look forward to serving the Lord together.