Lighthouse Trails Research Journal
20
Natasha Vins, Daughter of Former Soviet Religious
Prisoner Georgi Vins, Passes Away at 67
EDITOR’S NOTE: The editors at Lighthouse
Trails have been aware of the Vins’ family
since the late 1970s when Georgi Vins was a
prisoner for his faith in the U.S.S.R. Today,
Lighthouse Trails is the publisher for two
of Georgi Vins’ books and carries one book
written by his daughter, Natasha Vins. This
family continually exercised courage and
faith in the midst of persecution and are
an inspiration and an example to the body
of Christ, especially in a day and age today
when freedom and liberty to worship God
are at such risk of being lost.
attend church anymore. This was a great
disappointment and heartache for Natasha
and her family. Eventually, secret outdoor
church meetings in the woods began in
which the Vins’ family participated (with
Georgi often preaching), but it put them in
great danger. Yet, there was never a ques-
tion as to whom they should serve—God
or man. The Lord had their unwavering
devotion. In Natasha’s biography, Children
of the Storm, she recalls:
There are no greater riches than
Christ, and you feel this especially
keenly when they want to take Him
away from you, when they forbid
you to share these riches with people
. . . But people need Him so much!
Jesus—is there any name more dear
to a redeemed soul?—Georgi Vins
“A Legacy to Remember”
n December 21, 2019, Natalia (Na-
tasha) Vins departed from this world
and joined those who have gone before her
into the arms of the Lord and eternal life.
Natasha was born November 27, 1952
in Kiev, Ukraine to Georgi and Nadia Vins
during a period when Ukraine was part of the
atheistic U.S.S.R. Her father was a Baptist
preacher, and when Natasha was just nine
years old, her father was arrested for preaching
the Gospel. Over the next 17 years, he spent
a total of eight years imprisoned for his faith.
Because of the unrelenting hostil-
ity by the Soviet State against Christians,
throughout Natasha’s childhood she and
her family suffered greatly. Not only were
she and her younger siblings deprived of
their father for many of their childhood
years, they suffered persecution in their
community and schools. There was also a
law established when Natasha was in 1st
grade that children were not allowed to
VOLUME 8—NO. 1
disobeys the Lord’s commandments.
There are many other things going
on that have forced us to start a new
church. But you are still too young
to understand it all. Just remember
the most important thing—your
parents love Jesus and want to live
according to the Bible.” That is how
our carefree childhood abruptly
ended: for me at the age of nine; for
Peter at six; and little Lisa was not
even big enough to remember the
days when Papa spent his evenings
at home, reading us children’s books
and taking us to the playground in
the park. Our family entered a harsh
period of persecution that was to last
several decades. (p. 6)
In school, Natasha experienced much
ostracizing and ridicule for her belief in
God. She describes one particular day:
O
Many changes took place for Peter
[her brother] and me after that first
worship service in the woods. Papa
explained to us, “The police might
come to one of our meetings, arrest
me, and take me to prison because I
preach from the Bible. . . . He also
said that difficulties might come not
just for the grownups in our family,
but also for me in school. “You
are already nine, Natasha and can
understand a great deal. For many
months, you and Peter couldn’t go
to church, because children were
forbidden at the worship services.
Unfortunately, these regulations
were made by church leaders who
gave in to pressure from the atheistic
authorities. But when the church
submits to such unbiblical demands, it
In October of 1962, a long article
criticizing Christians appeared in
the Evening Kiev newspaper. My
parents’ names were mentioned
in it. The next day at school, my
teacher Mrs. Alekseeva was telling
us about cavemen, their customs,
and religious practices. Suddenly
she exclaimed, “Children, can
you imagine that even in our
day there are people who believe
in God just like those cavemen
did?” The kids giggled. “Science
has proven that there is no God,”
the teacher continued, “and
progressive-minded mankind
rejected all religious beliefs long
ago. But occasionally even today
we encounter people stupefied by
religion. And such a girl is in our
own class!” Mrs. Alekseeva stopped
and peered at the class. Everyone
was silent, waiting for what would
come next. She turned to me.
“Natasha Vins, come forward,
stand before the class, and tell your
Concludes on next page
SPRING 2020