What does Peeteli mean to me?

Hi, I want to tell you about my testimony. My name is Roman Sementchuk , I am 41 years old, my life path and my development as a human being has not been the easiest, because since my childhood problems have been the motto of our family. I was brought up by my single mother. Most of the time I was left on my own. And this time was filled by the street with its rules and laws. The beginning of the 1990s was a period when banditry flourished and many young people started smoking, using drugs, alcohol and sniffing glue. They dropped out of school and gathered in gangs. Kopli was one of the areas where criminal activity flourished, which attracted me and I linked my life to the criminal world. People from the Peeteli Church saw the need on the streets of the Kopli district and often distributed food to the poor. Through this ministry we got together and they invited us to the Peeteli church. There were 6-7 of us there at that time. We were given food to eat, we had a place to sleep and a possibility to use a shower. For many it was a luxury because most of us lived in basements. We were also given rules: if we wanted to stay in the church, we had to go to school, not drink alcohol and stay away from crime. And to keep ourselves busy in our free time, we worked on the construction and restoration of the church building. We were happy to do this because it was something new for us. I think from that moment God began to work in my life.

This life did not last long, my rebellious nature led me back to the streets, this time much more seriously. I got deeply addicted and as a result I ended up in prison where I spent a total of 20 years. During this time I lost my mother (my mother died while I was in prison) I was left alone, but the people from Peeteli kiriku sotsiaalkeskus never turned their backs on me and always believed in me. Their prayers and belief played a big role in my life! At one point, when I was supposed to be in prison, the Lord, through a judge, directed me to a Christian rehabilitation centre in the city of Jõhvi called “Sobriety Society The New Generation”, directed by Yuri Mysnyk, where my life changed completely. I became a believer, signed a contract with water baptism, got married, underwent rehabilitation, graduated from Bible school and am now one of the leaders of the centre. I have been sober for over 5 years and have found freedom in the Lord. Through my life and the life of my family, people who were like me are saved. All the glory to the Lord and to all the people who took part of my recovery!   Roman Sementchuk