Valentyna’s story is a testimony of how God can transform even a life that seems completely broken.

As a teenager, Valentyna began a path that led her into addiction and crime. At the age of 13, she started drinking alcohol and smoking. Later, theft, bad company, and constant problems with the law became part of her life. At 18 years old, she was imprisoned for the first time. More arrests followed, along with new prison sentences and only short periods of freedom between them.

In total, Valentyna spent 14 years of her life behind bars.

Although she had family members around her, she admits that her greatest struggle was pride, disobedience, and an unwillingness to change. These things repeatedly pulled her back into her old way of life.

After her release, life did not become easier. Her addictions remained strong, and the future seemed uncertain. It was then that God led Valentyna to the Christian Mission "New Life", where her true journey of restoration began.

The first months were not easy. She had to fight many years of addiction to alcohol and cigarettes. Learning to follow rules, listen to others, and submit to a new way of living was difficult. There were moments when she wanted to leave and return to her former life. Yet each time, God gave her the strength to stay and keep moving forward.

Step by step, her life began to change.

Through prayer, fellowship with believers, and studying God’s Word, Valentyna discovered that God could not only forgive her past but also give her a new future.

One of the most important decisions in her life was water baptism. For her, it was not merely a ceremony but a conscious promise to live for God and serve Him.

Today, Valentyna describes her past with one word: “terrible.” Yet she describes her present life very differently: “Now life is good. There is joy. There is God. There is love.”

At the Christian Mission "New Life", she found not only help but also a true spiritual family. Here she felt accepted, valued, and loved among her brothers and sisters in Christ.

Caring for elderly people has always held a special place in her heart. She once cared for her own grandmother, and today she helps care for residents of the shelter for elderly people operated by the mission. Her service is an example of how someone who has experienced deep pain and hardship can offer care, support, and love to others.

Today, her story reminds us of a simple truth: there is no past that God cannot redeem. Fourteen years in prison did not become the end of her story. God wrote a new chapter in which addiction was replaced by freedom, loneliness by spiritual family, and hopelessness by faith and a future.

Valentyna’s story continues. Today, she stands as a living testimony of God’s mercy, which is powerful enough to transform even the most difficult life.