“Pay It Forward” Project Helps Drug Addicts: Dima’s Story

• Ella Rodionoff

Mar 10, 2019 2110

At the meetings, Dima is making peace with God.

After a long struggle with drug addiction, Dima came to the rehab centre in Poltava, Ukraine, with the help of the “Pay It Forward” project, where he found treatment for his addiction as well as peace with God.

Dima is 32 years old and has been taking drugs since he was a teenager. Many times he has tried giving his addiction up. However, when he sought treatment, it was in a regular hospital where they gave him sleeping medication for five days and then kept him locked up.

Then one of Dima’s acquaintances recommended the Poltava rehab centre, as that is where he himself had overcome addiction. The acquaintance’s lasting temperance gave Dima hope and he went to Poltava to undergo treatment.

At the Poltava rehab centre, a GNU pastor has organized a group of Christians who help drug addicts receive treatment for addiction in a scheme called “Pay It Forward”. The participants have 50% of their treatment costs paid. In return they promise that when they are cured and living life to the full again, they will pay the same amount of money they received forward to help another person who is in the position they once were. They also promise to attend Bible study meetings for a year. These meetings are organised under the principle of Narcotics Anonymous groups but with a focus on Bible study. Dima came to the centre with the help of “Pay It Forward”.

He likes having the goal of living life without drugs in the future and helping somebody who is as he once was

Now at the rehab centre, Dima goes to Bible meetings held by a GNU pastor. It is at these meetings that he is gradually making peace with God. His wife had a failed pregnancy when expecting their second child, and he had held that against God. However, he now realises that he was actually feeling guilty, as at that time he had been taking many drugs, quarrelling with his wife all the time, and causing her great stress.

Dima is very active at the Bible meetings, and especially enjoys stories about personal experiences with God shared by the other members of the group. He has a positive attitude to the idea of paying it forward. He likes the idea of being thankful. He likes having the goal of living a life without drugs in the future and helping somebody who is as he once was.

– Ella Rodionoff