For ten dark years, Pasha fought a losing battle against addiction. Now, he is the Bishop of the Dnipropetrovsk District in Ukraine.
Just Getting By
Pasha started taking drugs as a teen. It was what everybody did. Then the drugs started taking his life. Or certainly the life he dreamed of. He always wanted to get married and have children, a home and a job. Or better still, a career where he would own his own business and be his own boss.
But that dream disappeared into a drug-induced haze. Life turned into existing. He was just getting by. And he would do anything to get that next fix so he could get by.
He lost track of the times he promised himself to get off drugs. And he tried. He’d be clean for a day and then two and maybe three but never more. The years passed by. A quick death seemed better than a torturous life but he could never bring himself to end it all.
Freedom
Then a friend took him to the rehabilitation centre of the New Generation Church in Poltava, Ukraine, under the direction of Pastor Oleg Purimov. Pasha knew about the orthodox religion of Ukraine but hearing about God’s power and love to deliver was new to him. The community helped him through the first days without drugs. His mind cleared. New friends prayed for him. He ate up the teaching from the Bible about Jesus. God met him in his weakness and delivered him from his addiction. Pasha got free of drugs.
In the fall of 1996 a Bible College, funded by a Canadian church, opened in Pasha’s hometown. He managed a job and attended the college. He was one of the first students. The teachers were all pastors and they trained him to lead a church. In 1998, he graduated and planted a church in Dnipro.
God gave him a loving wife, two sons and faithful friends.
Since then, he and his wife helped plant thirteen cburches, four in 2024. He opened up a drug rehabilitation centre for men and women just like him when he was an addict.
Pastor Pasha December 2023
Pasha says, ” I am very grateful to and the ministers for the price of rehabilitation. Today, more than ever we witness the power of God. The world is fragile. We know how important it is to support each other. We gather together to hug each other. Help each other.”
Ed Dickson, Bob, Pasha
Hotel in Kryivy Rih
We Are Not Destroyed
In 2024 I was with Pasha, speaking at a conference in the city of Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, where pastors and church leaders gathered in a wonderful atmosphere of unity.
Now, the beautiful hotel where we gathered, has been destroyed by a Russian rockets.And how does Pasha respond? What he says is typical of Ukrainian pastors.
Pasha says,“But we are not destroyed. Not destroyed at all. We simply appreciate, even much more, every opportunity to be together. TOGETHER we change the world.” Pasha got his freedom from drugs. His churches operate rehab centres that give hope to addicts.
I’ll be back with Pasha in June 2025 and this time Jocelyn will be travelling as well.
Please pray for Ukraine and post a comment for Pasha by joining the conversation below. Thank you.
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Good Morning Pastor Bob. A great read this morning. It is so difficult to escape the demons of addiction. I know of it personally, as my ex had his own problems with his addiction to alcohol. Plus, he came from generations of it, from his Dad’s side of the family. 4 generations that I know of. It devastates families and is utterly toxic….as their choice to the addiction becomes more important than their family and friends. A lot of people decide to estrange themselves from the addict, as it becomes more and more difficult to tolerate their behaviour when they are using. After my 23rd year of marriage, my husband was increasing his time with his “drinking buddies” every Saturday. Before that, he worked on the road as a Heavy-Duty Mechanic & it kept him out of trouble. Well, I prayed for him to get a job in the city (I guess, I had to be more specific in my prayers.) I raised my kids by myself with a silent partner. I’m not complaining…it was the plan when we got married & had children…that as soon as we could afford to keep me at home, as a stay-at-home-mom…that would be the goal. So, I worked until I had my second child…& at that time…I raised our girls while he was on the road. So, when he got off the road & became a Manager, we were pleased. But, the drinking increased & he was driving 45 minutes on the backroads from an acreage to Edmonton, highly intoxicated. I told him he was going to kill himself or some innocent person coming the other way. It didn’t stop and he was becoming increasingly more verbally abusive. “When you hang out with dogs, you get fleas”…is the quote that comes to mind. Well, 3 couples have divorced…hanging out with those folks out at that acreage. The proof is in the pudding. Love can’t fix everything, unfortunately. I decided to divorce him 18 months after he received his job in the city. I watched his parents live the life…that my own life was now mirroring. I could not repeat their generational curse. So, I went to an AADAC Spousal Support Group to better understand his addiction & my role in it. I asked him if he would like to come with me…& he refused. I went to the group for 6 weeks & educated myself. There were no other husbands in that group…all women who had husbands in the throws of addiction. Some husbands who had 2-3 addictions. So, I am happy to say…that was 16 years ago. I have no regrets, I raised my girls…they are flying like eagles after we provided them both with University educations. No looking back, only forward. I am following all of my passions in life. “Where one door closes, another door opens”. Except with me…many doors opened when I attended North Pointe Community Church, as I drove by to St. Albert to visit my Chiropractor. “Come as you are”.. I went into the Church, talked to the Receptionist, & I enquired when the Church services were. Took the Divorce classes and the rest is history. Thank you for sharing this blog with us Pastor Bob. Have a great week! ❤️