Arbat – Danie Markgraaff

A5, 334p.

Living on the street surpassed the distressing situation at home. She could no longer stand the abuse and drunkenness gnawing away at her own peril and her brothers’. Anastasia Romanovski was only twelve when she took her two younger brothers, Max, who was eight and Timmy, who was five and escaped to live on the streets.

What initially seemed to be the better way of living was smashed to smithereens when Timmy died, and Max was taken to the horror of the world of orphanages. She struggled to survive at first but built great wealth after giving up on trying to find Max and make up for her broken promise to never leave him.

Maxim Romanovski hated his sister for leaving him, breaking her promise. He swore to find her and get back to her after finding a violent way to escape from the orphanage. While building a crime syndicate ruling his turf in Moscow and St. Petersburg, he found Anastasia. Still, he could never get past the men protecting her.

Gabriel Cronje sought business in Russia when he bumped into Anastasia. As he started to help her to look after street children on ARBAT Street near the Red Square, he unknowingly stepped on the toes of Maxim Romanovski’s empire by removing Maxim’s drug peddlers off the street. Was Gabriel Anastasia’s protector or an opportunist? Was he her saviour or her demise?

If God let all things work out for the good of those who love Him, how would He deal with the plight of these children’s hurt, abuse, compassion and hope for a future?

This compelling story was inspired by the author’s exposure to the street children on ARBAT Street while on a mission outreach during 1999 and 2000.