Hello to everyone! My name is Misha (Michael). I`m not a writer, I`m not eloquent, I`m just a Christian but I would like to share with you all how Jesus Christ has changed my life and why I minister to orphans in Ukraine.
How Jesus saved me.
I
was born near Saratov, Russia
in 1967 to a family of non-believers. The village I was born in was 120
kilometers from the city. We moved to
the city of Saratov
when I was 2 ½ years old. When I was 5 years old my parents divorced,
and when I was 7 years old I was sent to an orphanage.
When
I aged out of the orphanage, I searched for a place to study or work. The place
where I wanted to study cost a lot of money, which I didn’t have. Consequently,
I couldn’t study. My mother began to drink and my father lived with another
family at that time. Over 15 years I sometimes earned money, but it was very
difficult. In the USSR
at that time, there was a law that minors could not work. I needed to pay
utilities for an apartment and buy food and clothes. During this time, I made
friends with people from the underworld, where I started to get money in
unjustifiable ways, to steal. I got used to this way of life and decided to
live like all the people around me. I understood that if I didn’t find money
myself, that no one would help me in this world. Nothing in life brought me
pleasure, I was lonely. After leaving school, I had to visit a children’s
shelter. While I was there, in the evenings I reflected on the meaning of life.
What was I living for? What waited for me in the future? I could think of
nothing good. I was constantly sad and depressed.
By this time, my mother had left me at one house in
order to live with a girlfriend at another house. I did not love the underworld in
which I lived, but I needed to find money in order to survive. When I was in
the orphanage, I had food, clothes and a place to sleep. Though I was deprived of many things that I
needed, such as food, clothing and a warm place to sleep, I did what I could to
survive.
At
first it felt terrible to steal, but as time went on I got used to it and I
lost the fear that I might go to prison. I knew I was wrong, but I silenced my
conscience with wine and vodka with friends at parties and in bars. During that
time I went to the orthodox church and I gave money to the poor, thinking that
those things would silence my conscience. In my understanding, God was only an
icon, he was in a church dome, in a dagger on a neck. Hell for me was only a
myth or a legend. Such religion didn’t give me fear that led to a life of
repentance before God. I started to hijack cars in order to sell spare parts. I
didn’t understand why I was living or what the purpose of my life was.
After 15 years, I was caught for the first time. I was sent to prison for 3 years for stealing cars and other crimes. After being released, I went back to my old habits. After 14 months, I was again sent to prison, where I lost 4 more years of my young life. At this time, I began to ponder my life and what would come of it. Prison, some months of freedom, again prison, freedom, prison…
During the last part of my time in prison, I addressed God, without even knowing if He was really there. I even made a good luck charm to wear on a chain around my neck. I thought this would help me communicate with God. I started to hunger and thirst for change in my life, even my dreams were changing. I started to dream of unusually beautiful gardens. When I woke up, I was in a good mood. When I was released from jail at the age of 23, I once again went back to my old business of crime. I forgot about my reflections on God and eternity while in jail. I had many friends in the underworld and I didn’t see any real chances to change my life. The police often detained me, but every time I escaped consequence.
In 1995 a group of my friends and I were detained once again and I assumed I would have to say goodbye to freedom for 5 years or more. By then I knew the criminal code enough to know that my punishment would increase each time I was caught. I had friends who helped me get out of trouble. In August of the same year I left to live in Ukraine hoping, after leaving my friends, to try and begin a new life.
In 1999, I realized and came to the understanding that I should reconcile with God. I read every brochure, every piece of Christian literature, trying to find out more and more about the knowledge of God. I read the Bible more often and although I gradually grew in the fear of God, I still did not understand that He needed to change my heart.
On one February evening, I read a part of the Bible in Luke about the rich man and Lazarus. I understood that I had a choice to make and my spirit was not at peace. Though this evening I was fairly drunk from drinking vodka, the fear of God was still stronger than the vodka, which I thought would calm me. Sometime around 5:00 in the morning, I woke up. My heart had been filled with fear and I realized that God was angry with me, and reconciliation with God was much easier than I had thought. I knew that I had to make the decision to be saved.
For
the first time, I knelt before God and sincerely opened my heart to Him,
confessed my sins and errors and realized my full insignificance before God. In
my head, I felt the hang-over condition, but God’s peace had filled my heart
and had forever changed my life. After my reconciliation with God, I had a
strong desire to study in a Christian college. The same year, God gave me that
opportunity. During my studies, I consequently needed money from time to time
and I earned it. In the second year of my studies, God called me to minister to
orphanages and He gave me the understanding and the desire to do what I now do.
I love this ministry and I love the kids. I am thankful to the Lord for calling
me to this!
I
understand the hearts and minds of the children who live in orphanages, as I
once did. I want to save them from the underworld that I was in.
I often had the opportunity to preach and that made me very glad. I had a big desire to study the Bible and to teach others. In due course, a group of young people who also love the Word of God was organized, and they had the desire to study more. In my heart I felt the desire to be a pastor. I started to pray about it. In 2005, the Lord answered my prayer and I became the pastor of the local Bible Baptist Church Charity.
I often had the opportunity to preach and that made me very glad. I had a big desire to study the Bible and to teach others. In due course, a group of young people who also love the Word of God was organized, and they had the desire to study more. In my heart I felt the desire to be a pastor. I started to pray about it. In 2005, the Lord answered my prayer and I became the pastor of the local Bible Baptist Church Charity.
Neither my parents, nor life in an orphanage, neither prison, nor my friends,
no one could change my life. Hebrews 4:12 “For the Word of God [is] quick and
powerful,…”
But only the living God and Creator of the universe could change my life and my
heart completely. For that I am very glad and
happy!
Philippians 3:13-14 «… I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
Misha Glazov
Praise God for the wonderful change he has made in your life. Alla sent me the link to this blog. I so enjoy hearing what God is doing through your ministry with the orphans. My husband and I have adopted two little boys from Ukraine, both with Down syndrome. We love them so much. They are both 6 years old now.
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