The Ozarks region called out to Russian-speaking immigrant families after the fall of the Iron Curtain; many of the individuals who settled here left behind them years of persecution and worshipping in secret.
Now, their community is experiencing growth as a second generation emerges. The series "Generations" investigates the social and political challenges between old and young in this unique immigrant community.
The series is reported by Missouri State University journalism students as part of their International Reporting class, taught by KSMU contributor and MSU Journalist-in-Residence Jennifer Moore. "Generations" airs on Ozarks Public Radio the week of December 11 at 7:45 AM, and will be archived below.
Editor's note: The names in this story have been changed because the sources were concerned about privacy. A young woman, whom we're calling Elena, is…
Rows of chairs line the modern sanctuary, filled with worshippers from teens to older adults. Some pray in Russian; others are speaking in tongues.The…
On a rainy morning outside her church near Willow Springs, Missouri, Anastasia Gantyuk sits in her minivan with two of her children. A kids' DVD plays in…