My early 30s were the most troubled times in my life. I was living in the hell of addictions daily. I was immersed in a world of alcohol, vices and selfish living, and was destroying my life, career and family. Thoughts, actions, and words would drill my body and mind so that I couldn't get out of these gates of hell.
One day in December 1995, a girl approached me at my dental clinic and asked me very politely if she could talk with me for a moment. I agreed and she then began to speak to me about God. I became quite troubled: "How could it be that such a pretty girl is talking to me about God and telling me that Jesus is my savior?" Whenever someone would occasionally speak to me about God, it would usually be little old men or women.
I'm quite skeptic by nature, so in the beginning I wondered what it was this young lady really wanted. We talked for more than an hour. She explained to me that she was a member of the Family International, and explained their work as missionaries. I thought that what they did was interesting, and something within me compelled me to do something similar in regards to "helping those in need." Before she left she led me in a simple prayer to accept Jesus as my Savior.
Afterwards the Family missionaries asked for the help of my professional services, to which I agreed, as besides "my good heart," I couldn't refuse them as they were so kind and caring. So I helped them gladly. They kept sending me thank you notes and invitations to visit them, and I finally agreed to accept their invitation for dinner.
Although I enjoyed my interaction with these missionaries, I kept living in hell, and forgot about them for long periods, going very far astray. During my moral and physical falls, in my desperation and disgrace as a human, a very faint voice kept telling me: "There is a solution for everything. Do you remember that girl that told you that Jesus is your Savior?" In that moment a light flooded my darkened mind, and I looked for my phone book and called their phone number only to find out that that number didn't exist any more. I felt hot blood running through my body out of disappointment; I had forgotten I had another phone number from another city.
However, shortly after I received a visit from a couple of Family missionaries who encouraged me greatly and prayed for me. Soon after I searched for help in a rehabilitation center. Today I’m sober physically and spiritually. Thanks to Jesus I now have a good relationship with my family, I feel good, and daily I receive many blessings from God.
