Addiction, Hope and Paying it Forward

They were addicts like me... saved and set free by Jesus

For some people, an HIV diagnosis might be a wakeup call, but for Zhanna, it was another reason to dive deeper into her heroin addiction. “ My physical condition was getting worse and I began to wait for the end,” she explains. “Many of my friends were already dead and continued to die of diseases and overdoses.” This picture of a hopeless woman is a far cry from the strong, compassionate student Zhanna is today as she studies in the Christian rehabilitation program at Moscow Theological Seminary (MTS).

Although she was a quiet, obedient child from a loving family, she began to rebel in high school, drinking heavily and using drugs. Unfortunately, her older brother had paved the way for her. Zhanna remembers that “he went... from a beautiful, healthy young man and turned into some kind of monster, causing only trouble and pain.” However, his example didn’t stop her from going down the same path. She began using heroin at 17, and by age 20, she had contracted HIV and Hepatitis C and had been through a rehabilitation program at a local hospital. Her parents were devastated but Zhanna showed no signs of kicking her addiction. “I began to shoot up again thinking that nothing good would happen in my life anymore.”

After witnessing her boyfriend die from an overdose and attempting suicide several times, her family convinced her to enter another rehabilitation program. “I knew in advance that it wouldn’t work out for me but I just wanted to let my family rest,” she remembers. Upon entering a Christian rehabilitation program in a Moscow suburb, she sensed something different. “They began taking care of me right away. I saw something kind, bright and genuine in their eyes. I heard their stories and knew that in the past, they were drug addicts like me. They said that they were saved and set free by Jesus,” she recalls.

Soon, Zhanna asked Jesus for forgiveness. She realized that He had been waiting for this for a long time and that He forgave her. “From that moment, my life began to change. I wanted to live again!”

Zhanna, now 31, works in a Christian rehabilitation center, telling her own story of redemption, teaching Bible classes and counseling people in difficult situations. She studies at MTS to strengthen her ministry skills and Bible knowledge. “Thank God that He provides us with the opportunity to study, to fill these huge gaps in education. Glory to Christ!” she exclaims.

We at Russian Leadership Ministries rejoice with Zhanna and share her hope for the future of Russia. Would you partner with us in equipping leaders like Zhanna to impact Russia’s future and address widespread addiction crisis?