I still remember the days of my childhood, when my mother worked hard to teach me God’s ways and obedience to His Word. I also remember my dreams of becoming a software designer or a computer programmer. I was distracted from these dreams when I became a teenager, and I ended up abandoning my studies at 13 years of age. Despite this setback, I was eventually able to take computer courses and develop my skills in this area.
During my teen years, I drank, smoked, and later took drugs. I started to listen to black metal. I didn’t come home to sleep for days on end, and was often high on alcohol and marijuana at any time of the day. I would get jobs, but I would always end up quitting them, even before the first month of employement was up. I just wanted to be with my friends.
My family suffered a lot during this time, and when I finally realized I was on the road to destruction, it seemed it was too late to change. I tried to change many times over the following six years, without any lasting results. I came to a point of desperation and depression, and this led me to question what the point is of this life and what is truth.
At that point, I asked my family to help me. They were friends with some missionaries from the Family International, whom my family would host in their home whenever they visited our city. They invited me to visit them, and this was a lifesaver for me. I rediscovered all that I had learned about God from my childhood, and God called me to be part of His work.
My life has turned around completely and I am happy that I made the decision to accept Jesus into my life. He has filled my life with love, goodness, kindness, sincerity, and respect. Now by the grace of God, I want to reach other young people who are in the streets, as I was, in need of the love of God.
Edison is a member of the Family International in Costa Rica.
