In Israel (December 2017) a man named Misha (38) told us how he was saved from a life of heroin addiction, jail and misery so deep that he did not want to live. He was speaking at a small Christian church up north in the Galilee region. Misha’s moving story may help someone out there who is losing hope. There is hope in the Messiah of Israel, Jesus Christ! He is still working today, if you will only put your faith and trust in Him!
Misha said he was born in the Ukraine when the Soviet Union was falling apart. He joined a gang when he was 14 and started injecting drugs. “The first time I did that my life changed completely,” he said. “I became a slave to drugs.”
“The goal of my life was using drugs. At 18 I was jailed for the first time.”
Although Misha married and had two children, he was divorced “because I sinned against my wife, my kids and God.”
Then in 2002 he came to Israel, hoping his life would change. But he started taking drugs again, and this time was jailed for 4 ½ years.
In prison he was put on methadone, which is also hard to stop. “After prison I had nothing – no family, no house, only my addiction.”
Then a remarkable thing happened. His younger brother began praying for him. “I saw his life had changed and I asked why, what happened?”
“He said it was the Lord Jesus!”
The younger brother had been made welcome at a marvellous place in Haifa called Bethel in Hagefen (Grapevine) Street. There many young people have been helped to faith in Jesus and the new abundant life He promises.
“It was hard to get off methadone and for 1 ½ months I had pain, but the Lord brought people to help me.
“I started reading the gospels and became a believer. The mode of my life changed. I now have contact with my children.”
He also tries to reach out to people in Tel Aviv, where many men know him from jail and the drugs scene.
Misha’s final word: “Through the blood of Jesus Christ you can be saved. I love the Lord and I want to serve Him – and now I want to live!!
