"I grew up in the city of Karaganda in a family without a father and my mother was and still is an alcoholic. Because of this, my life was filled with a lot of pain and suffering," Valery says and continues: "Often I lived in the city's shelters because my mother didn't take care of me and it broke my heart. Then one day my mother met someone who had just been released from prison and we moved to his house in the village of Volnie.
Valery Balck's heart was broken as a young man. Today, he has a bright future because Christians who, despite experiencing persecution themselves, gave him help.
My mom and stepdad live in a shitty place and practically live on booze! It was simply unbearable.
One day my mother met Pastor Nurken, or Nurik as I call him now. Nurik had heard about the whole situation in our family. He suggested that I move to the church's help center, called 'House of Mercy', and I was more than happy to do so.
After some time I came to believe in Jesus and accepted him as my Lord and Savior, and I understood that God had a different path and plan for my life. After a while I started coming to church, where there are other young people like me.
Since I became a Christian and started attending church, I have also learned how to use a computer through the church's computer courses and homework help. I recently applied to technical school and I have just been accepted for the first year as a specialized mechanic. My dream is to get a vocational education and I have a desire to serve God and help people who are in the same situation as I was before, so that God can help them too.
I am very happy that my life and future have such a perspective now, and for the salvation in Jesus, and I thank God for the House of Mercy and for the church that helped me."
