My name is Joleen Samuels & I’m a 22 year old female. I would like to share my story with you, so if you are in a similar situation, my story will prove to you that there is light at the end of the tunnel.I grew up in Mitchells Plain; I was raised by my great grandmother. I grew up without my parents & suffered a sad childhood, which consisted of, abuse, growing up with abusing alcoholics (my 2 uncles) , I was rejected by ‘friends’ because I never had what they have, never had the right clothes and because my parents wasn’t around. I never had anybody to talk to or to comfort me in my time of need.
The first time I consumed alcohol I was 14 years old, and that is where things went from bad to worse. I made drinking the regular thing on a weekend, and shortly after that I started to experiment with dagga. At the age of 16 I was experimenting with ecstasy and drinking & smoking dagga has become a regular thing. I was rebellious towards everyone and I dropped out of school. I hung out with all the wrong type of friends, but didn’t want to hear of it coz in my eyes, they loved me, I couldn’t find the love at home and that’s why I went out on the streets and looked for it there, which I received from my wrong friends.
I got in a relationship at the age of 18 and it became an abusive relationship, but yet I still didn’t want to get out, because the love and acceptance I didn’t have in my life, was displayed in this relationship, or so I thought, only to find out that its false. I stayed in this relationship for 4 years, because to me that was the only love there was for me on the face of the earth.
I started using heroin, after the very first time I tried it, I was addicted to it. I wanted to stop because I could feel that this drug demon is getting hold of me, but due to the painful withdrawal symptoms and the fact that there was nobody to help me, I just continued using the drug, half a year after that I started using tik. It completely changed me and it changed my life. I was never home, always with friends, using drugs every single day of my life.
There were times when people didn’t recognise me I was rake thin, I didn’t care about my well being anymore. Eventually I got put out of the house and shared a house with a friend, the owner of the house was then shipped off to a drug rehab centre, and she was 42 years old. I used to do drugs will people as young as 15 and as old as 60, and even though those people were far older than me, it didn’t matter, because that is what drugs does to you, it takes away your self respect and dignity. I lost so much weight I was wearing clothes suitable for a 13 year old, but that didn’t matter to me because I couldn’t really see what was happening to me or my life, I guess I was in denial or too drugged to notice anything.
My drug buddies was the most important people in my live at the time because in our eyes we shared a ‘bond’ and we swore we will always be there for each other no matter what, and because of the false promises, nothing could get me away from these ‘friends’ because of the ‘promises’ that has been made.
Eventually one night I ended up in Delft, it was10pm the evening. I was all alone, my so called friends was no where to be seen, nobody had the time of day for me. I sat there, cold, confused, helpless and all alone. At the time I had no colour left in my face, I was grey, my hands were far darker than the rest of my body. I couldn’t speak more than 4 words, because the drugs affected my speech. I sat there and I couldn’t even think straight, Ive been awake for 6 days & haven’t eaten anything in 5 days. The only thing in my system was drugs, I could feel that my organs don’t function like it used too, I thought that I am dying.
I went to regular ‘party friend’s’ house to look for shelter for the night, but strangely that night, she didn’t open for me. My aunt stayed a few doors away and she gave me a place to sleep. I couldn’t really sleep because the inside of my body was shivering and my mind couldn’t come to a stand still. I woke up in the middle of the night and I can remember my aunt praying over me.
She invited me to church to following week, and I went because I didn’t want to disappoint her. The church name was Alpha & Omega Ministries, in Delft. I remember I was wearing dirty pants and the shoes I was wearing wasn’t even my own, because I didn’t have any shoes.
When I walked in I saw a banner that said “Light for the lost” I couldn’t take my eyes off it, because I knew deep down inside that I am lost and yet to be found. I heard 2 testimonies of 2 young males and they were in a similar situation as me but they weren’t the same anymore, I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears, because I thought that there is no way out of the drug cycle. I went out for prayer that night, and since that night God started to perform miracles in my life.
I eventually decided to accept Jesus Christ as my Personal Saviour, and things have drastically changed in my life. I have been delivered from the drug addictions, I stopped smoking, using drugs & smoking all in one night. I didn’t even experience any withdrawal symptoms, I didn’t even crave for drugs, and I didn’t even go to a rehab centre. I was delivered just like that, in an instant! The void that I felt in my life has disappeared, for the first time in my life I felt fulfilled.
I am no longer a nothing, I am no longer a druggie, no more down and out, and I am now a Child of God. I have received acceptance from The Most High, I have been transformed. I didn’t change; I am a whole new person!
The speech problem that I had due to my drug habits; it was healed in an instant. I can talk, pray, sing, walk, run, shout and I can sleep with a smile on my face. I have been given a promise, not by people that always disappoint, but I have been given a promise by the Most High, The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, a promise that I know will never ever be broken! I now have Someone who will never leave me nor forsake me, and who will always be there for me in my time of need!
God has blessed me abundantly! Today I have so much, that I can bless others, something I never thought was possible! There is nobody on this planet that can, even if they tried, transform a nobody into a somebody; there is nobody that can change your mindset, your body, your health and your life but The Almighty God!!!
I have been found; I have finally seen & received the light!
! Isaiah 42 verse 16
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