November 2013
Project Esther
We continue the fundraising for Project Esther women’s recovery center, taking on side jobs, participating in local churches and reaching out to individuals that would like to be a part of Gates of Freedom and see it grow. Recently a bake sale was held in Moses Lake at Source of Life Church. Currently there are two young women at the recovery center and we see that this recovery center has been blessed by God. Currently a home has been rented in the Tacoma area to start the recovery center but the goal is still ahead of us to raise $150k to buy a home permanently for the Esther House. With the Help of a matching grant of $15k, we are currently a little over $50k. We currently have another matching grant for $30 thousand, so if you are interested in helping raise funds for the women’s recovery center, to help those that have fallen into addiction and whose lives have been shattered, please see the donate link on our front page on the gatesoffreedom.org. A matching grant is offered by Individuals or businesses which promise to match any raised amount. So your donation of $10 can become $20 or donation of $50 can become $100. Thank you for your support
Graduation
On November 16 Gates of Freedom held a graduation ceremony for all the students that had graduated the one year recovery program. The 12 graduates had come a long way from their lifestyles of addiction that had brought them to the recovery center. The graduates shared how it’s hard to believe, to see how much they have changed and what a happy new life they have received through Jesus Christ. Coming from various backgrounds of addictions and lifestyles they all agree on one thing: the true change came when they met Christ and he became the purpose of their life. Family and friends were present at the ceremony as well as Pastors from local churches; Life Christian Church and Light to the World Church. After the ceremony all the guest enjoyed a lunch prepared by the students of the Recovery Center and had fellowship. It truly is amazing to see how an individual with no hope or dreams, that has lost everything rises up to become a positive member of society and open this heart to reach out to others. We thank all the individuals that continue supporting the ministry of the Recovery Center and together reach out to those who are lost in the chains of addiction.
Testimony
Artem
As a young person I would always stand my ground. I even remember making a decision to never become a drug addict after hearing an ex-addict share his testimony. However, this decision in its self was not enough to keep me from that lifestyle. Soon I started to hang out with people my parents did not approve of. After a while this small disobedience led to more wrong moves in my life. I began to smoke and drink and eventually I started using hard drugs. When I started using hard drugs my life started to fall apart very fast. I began to lose jobs because of who I had become and began to lose trust between friends and family. I lost health living that life and eventually I lost everything that I owned. I was a person who visited scrap yards and pawn shops every day. It was at this moment that I realized that I had become that which I vowed to never become. It was in this low state that God started drawing me to Himself. One day I got my drugs as usual and came home to get my fix. After I used the drug and cleaned my kit up I reached for the door knob and everything went dark. The next thing that happened was I had a feeling travel from my head to my feet. It felt like a sword cutting deeper than flesh. After that I found myself into a familiar room. I looked to the left and there was a desk and to the right was a door. As I looked in front of me I saw a bed and on the bed was my body. As soon as I saw this I felt that feeling of cutting again and found myself in the position that I saw myself from outside of my body. I realized that I need help soon and in a little while I was at the Recovery Center. At the Center God had found me and showed me a new way of life. I thought that the life I gained in Christ was a long lost hope for me however I learned that Christ had redeemed that life for me on the cross. Praise God! He teaches me every day to trust in him and what he is doing and he lifts me up when I am weak. I am glad to call Jesus Christ my redeemer, my teacher, the faithful one and Father. Praise God for his mighty acts.