Redemption Story

About Two Sundays ago we had an opportunity to meet Natasha. Natasha is 23 years old and living in a city one hour outside of Kiev. She was a heroin addict for about 4 years and is now pregnant with her second child. She lives by herself, works in a factory and is raising a boy that is 6 years old.
When I arrived at her house I was taken aback by the roughness of her hands. They where the hands of a woman that is accustomed to manual labor. As we sat behind a cup of black tea her story started to unravel. With a tale of a mom dead, growing up with out a father and a list of men who wanted to use her, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of loneliness. She continued to talk about how she got involved with heroin and how she ended up getting sexually involved with a drug dealer.
When she was one month pregnant, she decided to sit in at a local church service, and while there my friend Serga was ministering. As the worship music was playing Serga got a word from God, “Natasha was pregnant and wanted to get an abortion.” At that time Natasha had not told a single person, and when Serga approached her with this information, she was shocked. He told her that she couldn’t have an abortion because she would have a boy and she would love him.
Time passed and Natasha has stopped using heroin and unfortunately can’t stop using marijuana. She has however seen that God loves her, because Christians like Serga have not forgotten about her. This has given her the strength to seek help. She has kept in contact and has said that if we can find her help she would let us use her home for a rehab center for free.
Serga called me about three weeks ago to meet her, and see if her home is something that we might be able to use in the future. To tell you the truth, I thought “rent free building, alright.” When I showed up at the door I saw a woman who was one year younger than me and I couldn’t help but think, “This could be me!” For our entire stay with Natasha, God was showing me how I am really no different except for the fact that I have spent more time in His grace than she has. And if it wasn’t for a father that found me some years ago I could be where she is. Before we stepped into our car to start our journey back she gave me a hug and I was a bit uncomfortable when she didn’t let go. When she took a step back the tears in her eyes stole my strength. I drove home quite and broken.
In one month she will be going to a woman’s rehab center in the south of Ukraine. The center is geared towards women who have come out of prison, but after the director had heard Natasha’s story he couldn’t refuse. She was so grateful that she has this opportunity that she wants us to use her home as a rehab center for drug addicts her in Kiev. There is no doubt in my heart that her story is a miracle.

Changed Lives

About Two Sundays ago we had an opportunity to meet Natasha. Natasha is 23 years old and living in a city one hour outside of Kiev. She was a heroin addict for about 4 years and is now pregnant with her second child. She lives by herself, works in a factory and is raising a boy that is 6 years old.
When I arrived at her house I was taken aback by the roughness of her hands. They where the hands of a woman that is accustomed to manual labor. As we sat behind a cup of black tea her story started to unravel. With a tale of a mom dead, growing up with out a father and a list of men who wanted to use her, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of loneliness. She continued to talk about how she got involved with heroin and how she ended up getting sexually involved with a drug dealer.
When she was one month pregnant, she decided to sit in at a local church service, and while there my friend Serga was ministering. As the worship music was playing Serga got a word from God, “Natasha was pregnant and wanted to get an abortion.” At that time Natasha had not told a single person, and when Serga approached her with this information, she was shocked. He told her that she couldn’t have an abortion because she would have a boy and she would love him.
Time passed and Natasha has stopped using heroin and unfortunately can’t stop using marijuana. She has however seen that God loves her, because Christians like Serga have not forgotten about her. This has given her the strength to seek help. She has kept in contact and has said that if we can find her help she would let us use her home for a rehab center for free.
Serga called me about three weeks ago to meet her, and see if her home is something that we might be able to use in the future. To tell you the truth, I thought “rent free building, alright.” When I showed up at the door I saw a woman who was one year younger than me and I couldn't’t help but think, “This could be me!” For our entire stay with Natasha, God was showing me how I am really no different except for the fact that I have spent more time in His grace than she has. And if it was not for a father that found me some years ago I could be where she is. Before we stepped into our car to start our journey back she gave me a hug and I was a bit uncomfortable when she didn’t let go. When she took a step back the tears in her eyes stole my strength. I drove home quite and broken.
In one month she will be going to a woman’s rehab center in the south of Ukraine. The center is geared towards women who have come out of prison, but after the director had heard Natasha’s story he couldn’t refuse. She was so grateful that she has this opportunity that she wants us to use her home as a rehab center for drug addicts her in Kiev. There is no doubt in my heart that her story is a miracle.

A Change in Winds

Sometimes you can be sailing along, with out a care in the world, and out of no where storm clouds start to roll in. The air seems to thicken, and as the wind fills the sails, the ropes in your hands pull a little harder. You get scared, then make some changes, and start to head in a new direction, a little faster, scarier, and more exhilarating.
About three months ago Elya and I had a change of winds. For two years we where on one course, working with street kids at a day center, when out of the blue I received an invitation. It was an invitation to see Teen Challenge Romania. Like a storm cloud on a distant horizon I had no idea what I was in for.
When I arrived at their men’s rehab center I saw drug addicts freed from chains of addiction, talking about Jesus’ good news and praising God. I saw people who once had no family calling one another brother. I saw something I wanted to be a part of for the rest of my life.
So with a new wind, we where called to set a new course. There was no messing around the direction we would have to head now was faster and a lot scarier than our previous direction. The church we where at, did not feel called to work with this ministry. Also my wife and I did not think we where equipped to do this sort of work.
With in a short time God sent us other Teen Challenge leaders to help direct us. God also blessed us with workers and two buildings we can use for rehab. There is also a church that wants to support us spiritually, and with a coffee house. We are amazed how much God is answering prayers and moving with in the beginnings of this ministry. I have heard it said that everything under the sun belongs to our Father, I know now that this includes the wind!