Sahsa was orphaned when he turned 10. His mother died and his father was a drunk. Sasha was placed into an orphanage where he lived until he was 14 years old. Because Sasha was dark (a tatar) and small in stature, he was always picked upon. Many times Sasha ran away to the streets so that he would not have to put up with being beaten up or abused. It was easier for him to sleep on the streeets then to endure the hiting and the abuse. When he turned 16 he ended up in prison he worked out and became very strong and was able to hold his ground in any fight. He became a leader of one of the prison gangs.
At the age of 18 in prison, Sasha describes having a personal encounter with God who, in Sasha’s words ‘cleaned up his heavy heart’. As a result he was released from prison at the age of 19. He committed himself to working with orphans and street kids from a similar background. Today Sasha is 23 years old, happily married and oversees the Manna Children’s Centre in Perm, Siberia.
Sasha with a young street girl