There is a circulating opinion that people in Christian Rehabilitation centers are not really being helped, in fact they are forced to work, while their money and personal belongings are taken away. Most likely this opinion was formed based on the statements of those who, for various reasons, were unable to complete the full course of rehabilitation, unable to conquer their weaknesses. More often, addicts arrive at the Rehabilitation center in the state of abstinence (“withdrawal”). If cell phones and money remain at their immediate disposal, they will use it get drugs or alcohol. We all know how aggressive addicts can be, if something they need to sustain themselves (drugs, alcohol) is taken away from them.
As an example, in a Christian rehabilitation center “Life without excuses” (Saki city, Ukraine), strict order and discipline is enforced. However, according to opinion of former rehabilitation center members, it is just what they need.
The program of the rehabilitation center “Life without excuses” places an emphasis on physical exercises of the addicts, in addition to the spiritual teachings.
Due to the fact that patients people are former drug addicts, they are used to leniency, compassion and comfort. Thus to many of them the created conditions seem far from comfortable. The rehabilitation center is not a resort. It is more of a challenge that must be accepted and overcome. The rehabilitation process is really a reformation, which even healthy people not always achieve. It is very difficult for man who is used to living a consumer lifestyle, to suddenly begin working on improving himself as a human being, and do the right thing instead of what he wants. Not everyone is able to go through this process to the end. Some give up. Some just run away, some leaves angry and disappointed because of the fact that they failed to cope with themselves. Those who go through rehabilitation to the end, become completely different people.
Rehabilitation Centrer Club in Saki is not a comfortable five-star hotel. Upon arrival, the young people began to work on setting up the accommodations from day one. They assembled all the furniture with their own hands and arranged it. There are no cleaners, cooks or nannies in the rehabilitation center. The guys do everything themselves. The fact that people with various forms of disabilities resulting from addiction wash floors, peel potatoes, dig vegetable patches themselves is a miracle!
Rehabilitation program of the “Life without excuses” club helps young people transform from the helpless invalids into strong and independent personalities. Everyone knows comfort kills the desire to work, and for the handicapped a passive way of life is equivalent death.
Below you can find the testimonials of the “Life without excuses” club members themselves. They have made a choice to undergo the rehabilitation program at Saki City.
Natalia
I arrived at the “Life without excuses” Club as a certified invalid not only physically, but in mind as well. The rehabilitation process has changed my way of thinking from a disabled person into the way of thinking as full-fledged one.” It was here that I felt what it means to live without excuses. I have learned to overcome my laziness and self-pity.
Vladimir Vysotsky (personally encouraged by our leader)
I was inspired by his dedication to this ministry. He is a true example of how to be courageous and how to love, when you are hated. It is from him that I learn to be strong in spirit. Overall, “Life without excuses” Club is a family where everyone supports one another other, rejoicing and crying together, and live as one family.
Belyk Dima, 32 years old
I am a former drug addict. When I used drugs, I had nothing to my name except a certified disability and an open form of tuberculosis. As an addict, I stole every possible thing from my own house in order to sell it and get more drugs. My mother had to drive me out of the house.
Thanks to God and the “Life without excuses” Club I am a happy man now. A man who does not smoke, drink or take drugs. During the rehabilitation process I became stronger physically.
At the Rehabilitation Centre I am responsible for the economic part. People are able to trust me with all things. I gained the trust of people, which is something I had never had before. God has completely healed me from tuberculosis. Thanks to the rehabilitation program, I am developing as a self-reliant full-fledged individual.
Chebakov Dima, 30 years old
I have been a member of the “Life without excuses” Club since February 2010. When I came to the club, I met really good people. Vova Vysotskii brought me back to life. Now I am successfully going through rehabilitation process in Saki City. I like it very much!
Barchenko Ivan
I came to the rehabilitation center from Desna village, Chernihiv region. I am disabled, like all the members of the “Life without excuses” Club. At home I lived with only one purpose – trying to get money from my mother and get drunk on vodka with my buddies. Now I do not drink, do not smoke, and have a new desire to live. Of course there are difficulties, changing yourself is harder than clinging to the mother’s apron.
Zvyagentsev Alexander, 31 years old
I am a member of the Club for three years. Rehabilitation in the “Life without excuse” Club completely changed my life. Before coming to the Club I spent six years in bed, did not talk and could barely walk. Through rehabilitation, I am becoming an independent person. For the first time in 9 years I began to eat by myself.
Sabirova Eugene, 22 years old
I came to the “Life without excuses” Club about two years ago. The rehabilitation program in Saki City became a real chance for me to recover physically and spiritually. Here I am learning to be independent and to battle laziness. Only here I manage to do it successfully.
Through personal discipline and Vova Vysotsky’s help I have got a lot of true friends. We pray, clean our rooms, play, work out, have fun together. I like it here very much and I am grateful to God for bringing me here.
Oleg Chekhun, 33 years old
My name is Oleg, I’m 33 years old. Mistakes of youth brought me to the being disabled of the second health group, i.e. a useless and forsaken drug addict. I Do not want to describe my state of mind, but will try to describe in what state I was before I came to the Club. I could not move freely: with great difficulty I could reach the kitchen, and could only talk in a whisper. I thank God for bringing me to Vladimir Vysotsky. Vladimir helped me a lot when I most needed it. At the club I gained new friends, and I also gained a sense of life. At the moment I am undergoing rehabilitation in Saki City, where I am surrounded by good, self-sacrificing people. I like when I manage to overcome difficulties. I feel that my character, lazy and selfish before, is becoming better. I am happy that I came to this Club. I am honored to serve those guys who need help, as once I needed it.
For me there is nothing better than to be useful and relevant to society as an individual.
These are not just nice words; it is a living restored and resurrected life.
Kosenko Gleb, 23 years old (a leader of rehabilitation center in Saki City)
I am Kosenko Gleb, former drugs, alcohol, and gambling addict. Being an invalid of the first health group I was completely paralyzed and could only move my eyes, unable even count from 1 to 10 due to brain lesions.
Now I am free from all addictions. I am one of the leaders in the Rehabilitation Centre in Saki City, helping people with the same physical problem. I know myself that a drug addict with a disability is a lazy person who needs to be forced to work on his character, to make physical efforts for his own well being and recovery. Rehabilitation centre in Saki City is the place where, if you decide to be restored, you can be helped. Even if at some stage of rehabilitation process you begin to lose heart, you will be supported and lead to the end. I want to warn you: it is not easy. Here, in a rehabilitation center, you will have all the conditions and opportunities to become a successful and full-grown human being.
Nazarenko Alexey, 32 years old (The administrator of the rehabilitation center in Saki City)
Imagine how ridiculous the situation is when a person who knows nothing about holidays on the sea, the resort and its delights, grabs the first available ticket to the Barents Sea in mid-February.
What is he going to tell people? Naturally, he will give negative information. The same is the difference between rehabilitation centers, where in some of them people restore vision or hearing ability, and in others people not just stop taking drugs or alcohol, but also become Christians. Mind you, throughout history, the last refuge for all sorts of the sick and the poor was the a church. We are a church of the full Gospel, a rehabilitation center for alcohol and drug addicts. We give a helping hand to young people that the world has turned its back on. Of course, there is no question about any medical treatment.
I am an administrator at rehabilitation center. My name is Alex, I’m 32 years old. I am very pleased and grateful to God for He has given me a generous gift – to live in freedom, to be a righteous and mature person, capable of taking responsibility for other people. Half of the rehabilitation center members are drug addicts, disabled. I am very proud of these guys for doing all the housework with their own hands. We have a garden, a farm, work tools. We do all the repairs, though sometimes awkwardly, but with great desire and wholeheartedly. Here people, once useless, become strong individuals. It does not matter which kind of church gives them a helping hand, Protestant or other. The Lord is one. The essence of Christianity is helping people.
