Киевская Христианская Церковь

My name is Svetlana. I am 47 and I lived in Donetsk region. I was drug addict for 8 years.

I tried just for fun, and then drugs became the reason I live. I lost my job. However, I still needed money to buy drugs and I was cheating everyone including my family to get money for drugs. It was the dead circle every day – cheating-money-drugs.

Finally, my three kids found out that I am a drug addict. The conflict was huge. I abandoned my kids and my mother had to care for them. I lived in haunts for a time, and then returned home when my body began to deteriorate from drugs.

I became dystrophic; my weight was 32 kg and my height is 164 cm. (65 pounds at 5’5” height).

I needed urgent surgery, but there was no money for it. Therefore, my daughter and her husband took a loan at the bank and arranged the surgery.

After that, I ceased to use drugs for 6 months. God showed me that it is time to quit, but I was an addict and my addiction came back. I filled myself with drugs and I was drinking much. Two deadly things together.

During that time, two of my daughters repented in their sins and were baptized. They were inviting me to come to the church service, but I was refusing – I could not conceive how can God forgive my awful sins? Children prayed for my repentance and salvation of my soul, but I continued to live my dirty sinful life. After some time God showed me the results of such choice. My son Iwan (John) was sentenced to prison term because of my lifestyle. He was 12 when I became an addict. He and daughters did not see mother’s love. I was betraying them for the drug, taking all the money from home to be high with friends.

My oldest daughter and my granddaughter finally convinced me to attend Sunday worship service. There was a communion Sunday and the sermon was that God gave His only Son Jesus Christ to be crucified for the sins of all world, including all my sins.

I had sleepless night after that service. God touched my heart and my heart was crushed by this truth, I was weeping bitterly and asked God for forgiveness of my sins. At the church, I learned that there is place of help for the addicts in Kiev. Two days later, my daughter bought me the ticket to the Rehabilitation center of Vozrojdenije church. Here I repented in my sins, accepted God’s forgiveness and was baptized. God gave me new life and clean heart and filled it with His heavenly love.

No one is hopeless for God – I learned this truth in the Rehab center.

In all the events of my life, I see His mighty hand. He leads me the righteous ways. I ask God for forgive me my appalling sins and all the torturing pain I inflicted my children and family.

I praise my Savior Jesus Christ.

With love, Svetlana