The testimonies of former drug addicts

Dear praying friends, As we have already written before, we are working on a new type of tracts for our ministry in Tel-Aviv - the testimonies of former drug addicts the Lord let us meet and share the Good News with. Here we would like to share one of these testimonies with you. You can see in it all steps of our ministry - from street evangelizing till the stage when the addict is ready to start a new independent life. This testimony is not just another story. It's a fruit of your prayers and support. It is our mutual joy. Let's praise the Lord together!

“I arrived in Israel in the age of 21 – to help my aged parents who had come here earlier. I worked hard and earned big money. I found good friends: none were taking drugs. In fact, I had always disliked drug addicts. Back in Russia we used to beat them. So how did I start taking drugs myself? It was not something I paid much attention to. Somebody brought the drug, I tried it... As if in a dream – I did not realize where I was going to, though I had never considered myself a fool... When we were on high we could talk through the whole night solving global problems! But all that was a lie: the more you take drugs, the duller you become.

I started steeling from my parents, then withdrawal pains began – the most terrible thing. I was so weak in the mornings that I could hardly get up for work. Heroin became my medicine, but I did not realize that in the midst of my suffering. I did not see that I had been loosing weight, becoming frightfully skinny. This is how satan claims the young...

I could not survive without heroin. It became everything to me. A drug addict lives just for today: to steal from home, to let down a friend, to betray the parents... You are a zombi, a slave of heroin, a complete loser, hated by everyone. The time flew by, the imprisonments began. I was swept off my feet as if by a huge powerful wave, a man in me was turning into a beast, my soul began to rot.

I could not get out of that abyss, and my suffering went on and on. I had no home. My parents threw me from their place several times (when I had some money, I would leave their home myself). I was destroying my health (withdrawals, steeling, living with what I could find in the garbage). I wanted to save myself and tried rehab programs and psychologists. I wanted to get rid of drugs, but knew I would not be able to succeed because of the physical pains, insomnia... Once I established a record: stayed clean for one year! But then I met my former “friends”, tried the drug once and my old life was back in no time.

I had 23 convictions: steeling, street robbery... Tel-Aviv prison became my second home. One day, on the streets of Tel-Aviv, a believer approached me and invited to a Bible study (the place was just nearby!). I remember my reply: “You have mistaken me for someone else. I am not worthy to enter a church. I am too dirty. I've done so many bad things for the past 7 years.” I tried to persuade a friend to go with me, but he ran away. I remember my fear to step into the church (though I was quite fearless committing crimes on the streets...).

Then I remember praying before a court hearing. I promised God to go to a Christian recovering center if the police did not send me to prison again. In the courtroom I said that I wanted to go and live with believers. To my surprise, the persecutor said: “Who are we to deprive him of this opportunity?” - instead of sentencing me to a couple of years in prison! So when the believers invited me to come and live with them – I immediately agreed. I threw away everything, even the cigarettes, and went with them. Nobody among my old friends will believe me, but many people in the recovering center saw it: I had neither withdrawal pains nor insomnia! I was feeling weak and that's it...

There is a real, living power here, and it helps me. My eyes are opening wider and wider as the months go by. I read the Bible every night. In the past I was sure I would never get rid of drugs. I even wanted to commit suicide twice in my life. But God turned me into a living testimony of His love. What amazes me in my new life? How God helps me, and how my new friends, believers, love me. It is the first time in my life that I have seen such love. Here people help you unselfishly – and with a sincere joy.

I see the power of Jesus. It is impossible to love me for my actions – one can only hate me for what I've done – but Jesus died for me... Recently I have met my younger brother. We have not seen each other for 3 years. He did not even know if I was dead or alive. What do I want to do now? I want to reconcile with my parents, to start working, settle down in life. And most importantly – to trust God and not myself. To live in peace...”

And here are some other news:

Our Bible studies for the victims of human trafficking continue. We are grateful to the Lord for working in the hearts of the women. Their lives have been extremely difficult and full of emotional and physical traumas, but they share with us that their faith in God is becoming stronger, that they have become less stressed, and now it is much easier for them to look to the future. They do not even fear deportation anymore, for they understand God will be with them anywhere they go. Please keep praying for this ministry.

I am also grateful to the Lord that by the end of 2010 He had given us helpers and co-workers we had always needed so much, and now we can work more effectively in all areas of our ministry. Moreover, all our activities can now go on without me for some time if needed. (It is important, since any day we can find ourselves in hospital with Yossi again, and I do not want my absence to affect the ministry).

Dear praying friends, thank you very much for all your care and support!
Have a blessed new year!

Dov and Olga Last Updated ( Wednesday, 19 January 2011 )