The street children ministry has become very personal to the Leonov family. In the city of Bryansk, Russia, Oksana and her volunteer staff have been ministering to children and young people for the last 12 years. Many of these children and youth are neglected, abandoned or abused. The Transfiguration Center operates as an orphanage assisting these needy ones with spiritual and physical sustenance.

In June of 2012, Oksana met Victoria (Vika), a nineteen-year-old girl, who came to the Center with her one-year-old daughter, Anastasia (Nastia). She had an opportunity to share the good news of salvation to Vika and presented her with a Bible. Vika came to church a few times and in December gave birth to another daughter, Dasha.

In January of 2013, a small group from the Center visited Vika and her family. They brought some items to help the small family. (Vika grew up in a very dysfunctional household. Her dad died early and her mother drank heavily. Her grandmother, an invalid, sold her own homemade alcohol.) The apartment was very dirty and the atmosphere was quite unpleasant.

In April of 2013, Oksana learned that Vika had passed away. She had a fight with the father of her children. He did not want the responsibility of the family anymore; he wanted to live with another woman. Afterward, in despair, Vika took many pills to kill herself. She realized that she had made a mistake; so she forced herself to vomit, and she called the ambulance (911). She was in the hospital for a day, but she did not survive. (Oksana hopes that in her last moments, Vika reached out to God in repentance.)

Oksana and a few others went to Vika's home. It was necessary to do something. Vika's mother and grandmother were drunk, as they watched the children. The place was in shambles. Oksana took the children to her home, and her family provided the funeral arrangements for Vika. Nastia and Dasha were then placed in the department of child social services, but Sergey and Oksana knew that the future outcome for the children would be dismal and depressing. Therefore, they talked with their two children about the possibility of adoption. They all agreed that this conclusion was the best decision. The authorities allowed the adoption to proceed, and now the Leonovs have official custody of the two little girls.

Praise God that a life of turmoil has now been turned into a life of tranquility for Nastia and Dasha. Pray for Sergey and Oksana that God will help them to raise the children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4).