Costi

Before ...

... and after

I was born into a family of atheists. My Grandma, the person that raised me, has a very strange understanding of who God is. Like all children I went to school, and high school. I wasn’t thinking one bit about my future. I finished the 8th grade with Hip Hop in my ears. This is where things started to happen. I got to the place where I wanted my life to be like the life described in those verses. I started looking for a way to be noticed. I started smoking in the 9th grade, and I thought that it was the coolest thing. It wasn’t long and drugs started to show up all over the place in Romania. I had heard about drugs, and like cigarettes, I thought they were the coolest things ever. How dumb.
It started with a game, a joint, and it wasn’t long until a “friend” showed me how to use a needle. I thought I was living the most beautiful life possible. When my friends complained about the aches they were feeling caused by the lack of drugs I made fun of them. But it wasn’t long and the money was all gone and I started stealing from home. All of a sudden I had the same symptoms that my friends were having, and it was nothing to laugh about.
In order to supply my habit I had to start stealing from stores. I would even pray “God help me get enough money today”. But God found another way to help me. He started with my brokenness. When I was feeling really horrible, I got caught and found myself at the police station. I had to admit my weakness to my mom, and I got checked into a clinic. I was hopeless. My life’s dream started to blink out.
At night I would pray “do something with me, and with my life”. I was desperate. Nights started getting longer, and I started wondering if it even made sense to keep on living. My mom started to break down because of me. It got to the point where she asked me what it would cost get rid of me forever. I added up how much it would cost for a train ticket to the mountains, and a big enough dose of heroine. I was ready to take my own life.
That night, with tears in my eyes I prayed to God. I wanted Him to do something because I didn’t want to end up in the Devil’s hands for all eternity. God answered my prayer, but it took a while before I realized what He had done. The very next day I heard about Teen Challenge, and I heard that two of my childhood friends are doing well in the program.
God directed our paths (mine and my mom’s) and not long after that I was one of the guys in the program. I was so desperate that I didn’t even care about the Christian aspect of the treatment. Not long after that I had an incredible experience with God, and after that everything changed. He started to speak to me, and to make me realize how much I mean to Him.

On the 17 of March 2010 I graduated the Teen Challenge program.
I have a new life now, with clear horizons. And above all I have a Father that will forever love me, and take care of me. Now I’m working for my parents at a pizzeria, and I’m preparing to go to a Bible College for the next 3 years. Thank you to all who have invested in me through Teen Challenge. I will be forever thankful to God for working through such wonderful people.