Angels of the Blockade: The Story of Marina Sergeyevna Karetnikova

Book excerpt: God was not absent or silent during the "900-Day Siege" or Blockade of Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg, Russia). The compelling story of little Marina Sergeyevna and her parents demonstrates the significant role that one family of Christians played in surviving the Blockade, and how Russian Christians helped other people survive it with dignity and with faith in God. They did so at great political and personal risk to themselves. This story could not have been told during the militantly atheist, soviet era, but it has an important message to convey to post-soviet Russians, who believe that chance or their own strength saved them from fascism. God did not abandon Russia. Faith in God was the secret of strength in weakness. Ideal for classrooms and home-schooling environments, Angels of the Blockade includes project ideas to accompany any unit on World War II on age appropriate levels from about 4th grade and up.