From Ukraine to America : Ivan and Olya's Story

Ivan and Olya were your typical siblings who teased each other. They lived in Izmail, Ukraine, with their babushka, who took care of them and often reminded the two to be kind to each other because one day, all they would have are each other. They were very poor and often did not know when their next meal would be, but that did not change the fact that their babushka loved them very much.

One day, their babushka grew ill and could no longer care after Ivan and Olya, and that was the day their lives changed, or so they thought. They became orphan children and lived with hundreds of other children longing for a family and to be loved. Ivan and Olya were separated and did not see each other for weeks until finally they were reunited on the playground. Getting used to orphan life, Ivan gave up on the fact of being adopted until one day, a beautiful young American woman came into the orphanage, and that was truly when their lives changed forever.

Ivan and Olya's story is a story of how two siblings fought for survival and clinging to each other, ensuring they would always take care of each other. Through this story, you can see the hand of God through it all and how God gave these two orphans a reason to live again.