Breaking free from addiction

Kostya has worked at the local factory for many years. Like most men in the village, Thursday is pay day and so Thursday evenings are spent in the village bar. It is an unwritten expectation that nobody works on Fridays, they are a recovering from the night before. This is the way of life that Kostya has been a part of since he has been old enough to work. Until recently.

Kostya’s son started spending time with the Pastor from the new church down the road, lots of time. Valyera always seemed so happy when here turned and his whole demeaner started to change. After a year or so the church building that Valyera had been helping with opened and they began Sunday meetings there, so Kostya decided to go and see what it was all about.

Two months later, on a Friday morning, Kostya made his way to work. His boss was in disbelief, what was he doing there? It was Friday, and this was the second week in a row that Kostya had shown up like this. The factory director was so surprised by the change in his employee that he had to ask him what was different. Kostya told his boss that he had been attending the local “hut” next door and had decided to change his life, he did not want to drink anymore, he wanted to be free from addiction and the Pastor was helping him.

Since then, the factory Director has been so impressed by the change he has seen in Kostya that he has met with Pastor Sasha and offered him some space and resources to use for ongoing ministry of the church. We praise God for the testimony that Kostya has been and pray for his own continued journey of coming to trust the Lord. Pastor Sasha is in discussion with the local authorities as to how the church can use the facilities that have been offered. It is so exciting to see God at work powerfully in this village.