I was raised in an alcoholic home. My father died 3 months before I was born. That left my mom with 5 boys under the age of 7 and a 6^th on the way. To cover her sorrow, my mom turned to drinking. One by one all of my brothers got into drugs, drinking and each one did jail time. My mom remarried a man who also was an alcoholic. At 13 I went to church with a friend, and heard the Gospel for the first time. A few weeks later the pastor of the church and another man came to my house on visitation. After presenting me with all the Bible evidence of Hell, telling me it was a place that was prepared for sinners; he asked me if I was a sinner. I knew I was, and I knew Hell was the place I deserved to go. He then went on to explain that Christ died for me, and paid the price for my sin. I could not comprehend that a great and loving God would actually want to die for me, a sinner, and a poor girl from a broken home. But the pastor assured me that God did indeed love me, and I just needed to repent, and believe that Christ died for me. Right then and there, I accepted the gift that was offered to me.

I was saved in 1979 out of a middle class back ground. My parents were good moral people, and we were active Roman Catholics. God began to work in my life during my junior year of high school. A friend of mine died in a hunting accident. Realizing my mortality, I began to live in fear of death. I stayed in that state of mind for two years (Hebrews 2:15). I tried to read the Bible but could not understand it (Acts 8:31). I cried out to God that I did not want to die, but I didn’t know how to get salvation. I knew that I was a sinner. I was a drunk and in the fast lane of destroying my life. I tried going to church and being a better person, but it was for nothing. I found no peace; I was in spiritual darkness.

My girl friend Robin had already trusted Jesus Christ as her Saviour at age of 13. Her life was one of great change because of what the Lord had done. She grew up in a home that was in turmoil. Her natural father died three months before she was born. Her mom and step-dad were alcoholics, and her brothers were wanted by the police. She could do as she pleased, no morality and no hope. When she was 13, a pastor from a Baptist church visited her, and she trusted Christ as her Saviour. Her life changed, but she never grew in the Lord because of a lack of discipleship and church attendance. When we began to date, we started going to church together. I was still not saved, but God’s Word does not return void. Robin became very sick, and she needed to be hospitalized. I was visiting her, and the pastor from the Baptist church we were attending came to visit. During the course of his visit, he asked me if I knew where I would go if I died. I said that I didn’t know, and I asked if he did. He said that he knew beyond a doubt and that I could know as well. He then told me of the saving blood of Jesus Christ, that through His work on the cross of Calvary, I could receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. That day, I repented of my sins and trusted Jesus Christ as my Saviour. The scales fell from my eyes, and I found what I was looking for those past two years. That was 28 years ago and I know it was the greatest decision I have ever made! My life changed because of Him Who died for me and rose from the dead. He defeated the enemy of Death and Hell and gave new life to me. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Saviour you need to call upon Him. The Bible says, Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

As a young believer, I began to attend a church that believed the Word of God and preached it. We were very excited about the things of God, and every time the church doors were open, we were there. The youth pastor of our church began to disciple me, though it was not popular or in vogue at that time. He taught me some basic doctrines, and it was not long after I received believer’s baptism and began to serve the church in whatever way I could. The same pastor asked if I would like to serve with him in the youth ministry, so we joined up. Soon, he asked me if I would like to preach at one of the youth meetings. That started the ball rolling and I preached again and again. All this time, God was working in my heart, giving me the desire to serve Him. The more I did, the more I wanted to do. Within two years that youth pastor left our church, and the pastor asked if I wanted to take his position as youth pastor, teacher in the Christian School, and his associate. I told him I had no formal training. He said he would train me, which he did for three years. I learned all I could; it was one of the greatest times of my life. What I am trying to show through this is that God was opening doors, and I walked through them. It is the Lord Who ordered my foot steps. After three years, it became evident that I needed further Bible training. I found North Star Bible Institute in Rochester, NY.  As we began institute and serving in Rochester, the Lord showed us His plan for our lives. Through studying the Word of God and the lives of missionaries, God began to break my heart for missions. He was asking me if I would go. Again, what God was doing was directing my path. He opened the door for me to travel on a mission’s trip to Europe. While there, we had the opportunity to preach the Gospel in Ukraine. It is at that time that God showed me that Ukraine was the place He would have us serve Him. God opens the doors, and as long as we follow Him, He will direct us. The great blessing is seeing the Lord’s hand in all of our steps. Ps. 37:23