Alexey, 31

I was born and grew up in Svietlagorsk. While at school, I went in for sports, and everything went smoothly in my life. In 1991 I entered a technical school. It was when I tried drugs for the first time. At that time it was cool and new, something that many age-equals of mine didn’t even hear of. It never occurred to me it would change my whole life. At first, drugs helped me to feel superior to others; new opportunities seemed to be on the horizon. I came to like it, and was sure that drug-addiction was not as black as it was painted. I always thought I was strong enough to give it up, but on the contrary I quickly went into drugs, and suddenly realized I couldn’t live without them. The seamy side of my addiction came out. They no longer brought pleasure, and I only hunted for them to allay physical pain and to be able to eat and sleep. All my time, all my money- I put everything on the altar of my addiction. Things kept getting worse day by day. I desperately needed money in order to get drugs. I found myself involved in thievery and trickery, I lied to my parents. Constant quarrels resulted in me leaving my home. My mother didn’t accept it however, and she kept trying to do for me whatever she could. But nothing seemed to be of help. I could think of nothing but drugs; I was plagued by these thoughts. This horror lasted for eight years. Seeing no way out, I had decided to meet death holding a syringe in my hands. In autumn of 1998, I came to my parents asking for help and shivering with hunger for a dose. When I was refused, I locked myself in the bathroom and slashed my veins. A grave scandal followed, but I was allowed to stay home for the night though. Next morning I got up totally ruined, my body demanded a dose. Finding that the door was locked from the outside, I broke the lock and got out of the room. That day I received what I craved for, and went home. But the door was locked, and I couldn’t get in. Realizing I wouldn’t be allowed to stay home any longer, I’d decided to take a rash act. My parents’ apartments were on the fourth floor of five-storied building. I got up on to the roof, fixed a rope and started climbing down trying to get in through the window and take the valuables in order to sell them for new doses afterwards. But my plan failed. The rope parted and I had a very bad fall. Multiple fractures of my body made my prognosis helpless, but I survived nevertheless. I was confined to bed for five months, without knowing whether I would ever be able to get on my feet. At that time I had had no opportunity to get drugs, but I couldn’t help thinking of it, and, to unedge my desire I drank much. When I could walk on crutches, I started hunting for drugs again. All my body was one aching wound from countless injections. The spots of injections were constantly recrudescing, which had entailed blood-poisoning. My mother was told that I wouldn’t live much longer. It was when I gave a serious thought to which kind of life I was leading. I didn’t want to die! After a time my former companions in drugs visited me at the hospital. I was surprised to see that they have become entirely different men. They told me there is a way out of my situation, there is the One Who has helped them and is able to help me too. Witnessing powerfully of Jesus Christ and His love, they had encouraged me to read the Bible and pray. My new friends often visited me, prayed for me, and I gradually started praying myself. With their visits the pain in my body alleviated, and I felt better. Soon I left the hospital and arrived home. My friends kept coming to me. They told me about the rehabilitation center, and suggested my going there daily. I followed their advice, and a new stage in my life started. I still needed crutches, but I recollect this period as one of the best times in my life. I felt God was helping me in all situations, filling my heart with joy and peace. Gradually I got rid of the thoughts of drugs, and the feeling of freedom I’d experienced was beyond any description. Jesus entered my life and completely changed it. I was healed both physically and spiritually. I no more needed crutches, neither did I need drugs. I made it up with my parents. What is more, God gave me a family: a beloved wife and a wonderful daughter. We my wife and I has decided to help those who are enslaved by drugs. We know what to tell them. We now know from our own experience that there is a loving all-powerful God Who provides a way out whatever happens, and there must be no room for desperation; what He wants to see in us is implicit trust in Him, and He will work miracles in our life.

Anya, 28

I used drugs for five years. First time I tried it when I was 15 years old. After school I entered a college in Mogiliov city, and then I was admitted to the correspondence university. After graduation I found a good job with an outlook for making a career. During all this time I used drugs secretly, and no one could ever guess I was a drug addict. By the way my family is a decent one; even smoking had always been regarded as something indecent. But there is nothing hidden that won’t be revealed, and the time of truth has come- I was caught red-handed by my parents. The incident brought about a grave scandal. My mother rushed into seeking for ways for setting me free. We visited the doctor, and he said there was no a single chance for me of breaking with this habit, and I was doomed to be a drug-addict for lifetime. For my mother, it was a heart-breaking verdict, but she didn’t give up. She learned about the rehabilitation center in Astrauchitsy, and told me about it. I rejected to go there however, as I had never thought myself a drug-addict. But in spring of 2000 I met the young men from the rehabilitation center notwithstanding. It was like this. Getting money for a dose had always been an actual problem for me, and so my grandma (she joined my mother in her attempts to save my life) had set up a deal with me. She told me that she would give me some money if I visit the rehabilitation center and listen carefully to what is spoken at the meeting. There was nothing else to do but go together with her. It was at that meeting that I had first heard the message about Jesus Christ, and learned that He is able to help me. But these words didn’t produce good fruits immediately. At first I took them as related to somebody else. I thought that it was somebody else, not me, whom Jesus was able to help. On the one hand I visited the center from time to time, and was beginning to like it, but on the other hand, I still liked drugs as well. As if I was trying to sit on two chairs. I found a boyfriend, and we prepared a deadly mixture together. I was falling deeper and deeper. Gradually I quit visiting the center. The problems at my work job were increasing. I left my home (to be honest it was my parents who didn’t let me to go in any longer), got involved in drug-trade, and suddenly realized that drug addiction began to mean much more to me than just pleasure- it became an integral part of my life. Without them I couldn’t sleep, eat, walk etc. I was like a prodigal child having walked away from God and people. Once I was lying awake in the night crying and thinking about how aimless my life was despite my young age- I was just 20. I cried and prayed saying, O Lord if you her me help me please. I believe that the Lord had heard me - things around me started changing. My mother arranged my visit to Novinki; I renewed coming to the center making my first steps toward freedom. It was when I discovered I was three months pregnant. My mother was in panic- she was glad I was visiting the center, but she didn’t want to have a deformed grandchild. She found a doctor to have my pregnancy terminated. As for me, I didn’t know what to do: it had to be my decision however an outcome it might result in. Once I came to a home group (one of the groups from the center gathering together regularly), and told my story. The Lord touched my heart and I lifted my prayer of repentance. It was as if a very heavy load had been taken off my soul. I wept for joy. A young woman named Anita suggested my staying at the center for a while, and advised against terminating my pregnancy. Even though it was not easy for me to take a right decision I decided to follow her advice. It was when I experienced a first miracle: God had healed my child. The results of examination were bad at first, but I kept praying, and many people prayed for me at that time. Two weeks later I was examined again, and I was told my child was absolutely all right! I gave birth to a girl and named her Uliana (all the inmates of the rehabilitation center took part in the discussion on the name-giving question). After the rehabilitation course I decided to render some help to a family in need. It was a time when the Lord was changing my heart, healing it and making it softer. He has opened new prospects for my life for which I am so thankful to Him! Two years later I met Alexey and came to love him. I asked the Lord of revealing His will, and so did Alexey. God answered our prayers, and we got married. Now I have a wonderful husband, the very good one. Formerly I never thought of getting married, of wearing a wedding dress, but the Lord’s plans had been different. Our wedding was magnificent, we all were absolutely happy. We now live at Saligorsk and serve the Lord. The life I lead now is like what I’d dreamt of in my childhood, and it is the Lord who has done all these miraculous things. I am thankful to all people who prayed for me, who believed in me. I thankful to my mother and to the people from the rehabilitation center as well. But most of all I am grateful to the Lord, Who has loved me even when I had been a lost sinner, and Who keeps loving me and helping me. All the glory be to Him!

Igor, 41

I was a drug-addict for more than 20 years. Five times I was imprisoned, and spent behind the bars some 10 years off and on. I served my military service in Afghanistan, and the environment conduced to drug-taking, as it was an ordinary thing there. I am married for about 20 years, and my wife was a drug-addict too. My health was completely destroyed. I couldn’t imagine my life without drugs. I was told about God, but I never gave it a serious thought. Of us two my wife was the first one who repented before God. As to me, I kept taking drugs nevertheless, and was imprisoned twice more. After getting my liberty I decided to try whether it is true that Jesus heals and sets free from the addiction. I didn’t want to find myself in prison anymore, but knew not how to get along. A bit more than a year ago I gave my life to Jesus. I couldn’t even imagine that God will transform me so radically! I no more use drugs; I quitted smoking and drinking and swearing. I no more lie. I work at a plant (even though I have never worked before, even when in prison). God has restored my relationship with my family, those around me confide in me. I feel a great desire to live, for which I am greatly thankful to God.

Nadezhda, 27

I live in Saligorsk. My parents loved me very much, and gave me the best they could. Like many other teenagers, I was driven by the desire to try everything, and so let drugs enter my life. At first everything was fascinating, but later a serious addiction developed, and all my attempts to break away from it had failed. It happened once that I got acquainted with young believers, who had previously suffered the same problems, but had been set free. They told me their life stories, and suggested my visiting the church located in Astrauchitsy village. It was astonishing to me to see the freedom they had, the love and warmth they emitted. And these people had been drug-addicts up to quite a recent time! At that moment hope sprang within me. It was possible to break from drugs; it was possible to get healed and be set free! At 2006 God entered my life, and his love entirely transformed it. I have never dreamt of it! And now I can assuredly say that God is alive, He has healed me, and now my life belongs to Him!