Satiyan (Sart)
As a young boy, I was very active in indoor and outdoor games. One of the best times in my life was my schooling days. It kept me fit and active mentally and physically. But everything came to a complete stand still after my involvement with bad company and I got into stealing, smoking, drinking and consumption of drugs. I lost interest in everything I did, including my studies. By the time I was twenty, I have been to prison and drug rehabilitation centre (DRC) numerous times. During my confinement, I was fit physically due to the strenuous exercises inflicted upon us. Every time I was released from the DRC or prison, my health would deteriorate within a matter of weeks, because I would return to my old habits, indulging in alcohol, drugs, occasional gambling and other vices.
In 1991, I came to know of The Hiding Place through my wife and joined the programme with the purpose of curing my drug addiction. But later I realised that it was a spiritual problem that needed to be rectified. When I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, God restored me physically, mentally and even spiritually.
Physically, He has given me strength to compete in various kinds of sporting events with competitors at least half of my age. I was 41 back then and my fellow competitors' ages range from 18 and above. Despite their youth and agility, I was still able to keep up or even be a step ahead of them at times. I was thankful to God for the strength and good health He had given me.
Mentally, God healed and gave me a stable mind to think clearly in the situations I was put into. Spiritually, I was growing in the Lord, learning and pressing on daily with the Word of God through Bible studies, friends and family members.
But in the year 2000, when things were going well, I was comfortable and living a blessed life, I started to compromise, not realising that my pride and ego was creeping back into me. I left THP and went to Brunei for 3 years, playing music in a club there and eventually things got out of hand. I went back to drugs again. Realising I could not go on like this, I called for help again at THP and was admitted to the programme in Sep 2010.
When I returned, I rededicated my life to God, knowing that without Him, I was nothing. I came up with a motto for myself - Stand Steadfast in His Goodness. I decided to take up the challenge of serving as a staff. I have experienced God's grace, mercy and love working in, around and before me. I experienced two strokes in 2020 and the Lord healed and saw me through that period. I am so thankful for God's work in my life.
Praise the Lord, I'm 71 now, pressing on a step at a time, by God's grace and mercy. One important lesson I've learnt is to thank God in all circumstances and not to get ahead of myself. May the grace of the good Lord continue to strengthen and enable me to live up to this testimony for His glory.