An Impossible Dream Come True...

My name is Christina and I wanted to share with you about how before coming to Freedom Village it was impossible for me to even dream of a good life. I could not stop my addiction to drugs and alcohol I tried everything I could just to hide my pain inside. Every day I would use and before the age of 15 heroine was my final "drug of choice." I was addicted to heroin for a few long years after that. I would try to go into a rehab centers when I knew I was getting out of control but living sober never lasted. Those years were a nightmare. I was told; once you start doing heroine there is no going back. I can say today that that's a lie.

It was hard for my dad , we did not have the money to pay for all our needs and my mother was never there to support him. My mom was addicted to drugs as well and very suicidal all my life. My parents divorced when I was 13 and that same year my cousin was murdered. At that point I decided I just didn't care about my life. A man that I thought that I could trust also rapped me repeatedly as a young teenager. I couldn't tell anyone because I thought there was no one that would even care. That left me so confused and angry. All the heartaches and emptiness left me with no vision, living in fear. I was arrested for several different reasons and put on probation and finally placed in a detention center. I felt broken as I sat in my cell all alone waiting for the time to pass by. I could not believe that this is what my life had come to and I was only 16.

Finally a man named Sean; a youth pastor and friend I met told me about Freedom Village he even offered to pay if I would be willing to go. I actually saw Freedom Village for the first time on this web site years ago. To my shock and surprise the judge gave permission to go into the program instead of being locked up for the next two years. The choice was mine and I knew I would never last in the system. I chose Freedom Village and accepted Jesus Christ not long after being at Freedom Village. My heart slowly started to change and all that hatred I felt was beginning to leave. Today my heart is no longer waited down and full of hate and pain. Jesus Christ paid a price I could not pay on my own. Because of sin I was separated from God and it's through the blood of Jesus Christ my sins are now covered and gone.

My Husband Steve V.

Hi! My name is Steve I was born in Canada and I would like to share with you breifly my testimoney and how Jesus has given my life new meaning.

I was born into a Christian family. We went to church and, for the most part lived a  Christian life outside of the church. My  mom had a miscarriage and some problems began to come to light.  I remember trying to fall asleep and the sound of my parents' yelling and screaming. I would put my pillow over my head and try to fall asleep and forget about it.

After a while my mom decided she could not make the marriage work any longer. She left my brother, my sister, my dad, and me and went to live with her boyfriend.

Shortly after I started drinking and staying out late with my friends.  After returning from my mom's apartment one weekend, we found a note on the table from my dad. It said "children should not have to keep going back and forth between their parents, so you should go and live with your mom and her boyfriend." So my siblings and I moved into my mom's tiny apartment. That's when I became curious about drugs.

My mom allowed me to do whatever I wanted to do. I started drinking with my mom's boyfriend and my sister smoked weed with my mother.  Deep down I was hurting from a lack of attention and care that my mother didn't show me. My life was out of controll with no rules or structure I was able to come and go as I pleased and do anything I wanted to. I couldn't even hold down a job.

I was told to leave my mom's house because I was causing too many problems. I found my own place and started dealing drugs in order to pay the bills. By this time it was nobody's fault for my actions but my own.  I was the one throwing all the wild parties and making money dealing drugs. Yet, while I thought I was moving ahead in the world, things were going down hill fast!

In my heart I knew that this was not the life for me. There had to be something more to life. One night I was sitting on my bed, holding on to a half empty beer bottle. I remember feeling so empty inside and crying out, "there has to be something more!" I was asked to go to Freedom Village before and turned it down but not this time. The next morning I decided I would go.

In January of 2004 I came to Freedom Village. That was the best decision that I ever made in my life. God has turned my life around. He has given me hope and determination to push on and to strive for something better. I never  thought that I would live long enough to have a family and make a good life for myself but I have.

Now Married...

Christina and Steve met in 2006 both coming from the program and serving on staff at Freedom Village. We dated for over a year and we both knew God had brought us together.... We were engaged for six months and married in Novemeber of 2007. 

God has blessed us beyond measure working at Freedom Village. As a young married couple we have learned the power and grace and promises of God! It is all found in his word how we are brought tgogether as one for His service. To further the kingdom of heaven. 

We hope to one day have a family of our own and raise our children to serve the one true God. The one who saved us and set our feet on solid unshakeable ground.

God Bless!