Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet a man named Vladamir. Vlad has an amazing story, and after hearing it yesterday and feeling the hope that it stirred within my own heart, I asked him if it would be okay to share his story on my blog so that you all could share in it too. He answered with “You must share my story”. In his heart, if it brought people to a greater knowledge of the Glory of God, there was no option in whether or not I shared it 🙂
I met Vlad, along with four other incredible men (with four other incredible stories) at a rehabilitation center for people who have struggled with alcohol addiction, as well as drug addiction. When I first walked into the rehabilitation house it was nothing like I had expected. I had prepared myself to walk into a place similar to a hospital, as well as a spiritually heavy environment. I was pleasantly surprised to find neither. We pulled up to a house shortly after lunch, and out comes Vlad. He lead Annie, Tyson, Will, and I, as well as our contact and another girl we have met here at YWAM, into the living room. Vlad, as well as the 4 other men in the house, welcomed us with huge smiles and then proceeded to share their stories with us.
Vlad is 50 years old, and he was severely addicted to alcohol for the last 35 years. He started drinking when he was 15 years old. He has 2 daughters around 20 years old and a son who is 30 years old. Over the 35 years that he was suffering from alcoholism, he was in the hospital 15 times getting intravenous treatment for his alcohol addiction, only to come out and start drinking again. He was in the military for several years. He said that he got to a point where he hit rock bottom. He decided to go for help at a Christian rehabilitation center, about a year ago. There he received Jesus as his savior. He said that the day he received Jesus, that was that, he never touched alcohol or drugs again, nor did he have a desire to. He didn’t have to wean himself off little by little.. he was changed forever in one day. He stayed at the rehabilitation center for several months, and now is on staff working to help others that are / have been in his same situation.
If you saw Vlad you would probably be more than a little intimidated. He is a very large and built man. (Let’s just say he fit the “military profile”) However as I began to listen to his story and look into his eyes, I couldn’t help but cry, as there was a joy and gentleness that is almost indescribable in his eyes. I saw so much of Jesus in those eyes. He is completely changed by the blood of Jesus, and serves Him now whole heartedly with a faith and confidence, but what’s more, a knowledge of grace and humility that I haven’t encountered but in a few people.
As I was listening to his story and to the stories of the other men in the room, I couldn’t help but think about the miracle of a story. So often I ask God for signs and wonders, but very seldom do I sit to listen to the miracles in the stories of those around me… they are my signs and wonders. It was another lesson I hope to never forget. It was a moment of grace. I sat there in awe once again, as I have several times on this trip, that Jesus brought me on a journey I didn’t want to go on originally, and if He hasn’t done enough already, He didn’t let me go home without meeting Vlad!!
