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Former prisoner finds forgiveness in the Bible KAZAKHSTAN — It is not
unusual for staff in Bible Society bookshops around the world to come
across people who have had a life-changing encounter with the Bible
and are now eager to share their passion for God’s Word with others.
Victor Bovadulin, a regional manager with the Bible
Society in Kazakhstan, had an experience of this kind when working
in the Society’s bookshop in Aktobe, in the west of the country.
“One day a middle-aged man came into the shop and began looking at the Bibles. He seemed to be active and full of energy. After a few minutes he started to talk to me. He told me that he had been released from prison only a month earlier and that he would like to buy a Bible for himself. I asked him for his story. Criminal gang“He explained that, several years before, he was the leader of a well-known criminal gang in Aktobe. He controlled a large group of people who were involved in various types of crime. He was very pleased with his life, which combined a good ‘business’ with spending time with his wife and two children. From time to time he and his criminal associates held parties. At one of these parties, he heard his small son, who was then nine years old, proudly telling somebody that, when he grew up, he was going to become a gang leader just like his father. He was very surprised to hear this and became very concerned about his son’s future. Nearly died“The man then told me his name – Volodja – and went on to recount that, some time later, he had been caught and imprisoned. In prison he became very ill with pleurisy and nearly died. One day, a man holding a book in his hand came into the room in the prison hospital where Volodja lay. This man talked with him about God’s love and forgiveness and soon he gave his life to Christ. After several years he was released and returned to his native city, the same place where, before his imprisonment, he had terrified the residents. Psalm 25“Volodja concluded his story by telling me that he now attends church with his daughter. He hopes that his son will soon begin attending too. His old friends have been very surprised by the change in him, but several have become Christians since his release. “Finally, he read Psalm 25 to me, placing particular emphasis on the verse which says, ‘Forget each wrong I did when I was young’.” This report refers to project 79800. (WR 401/10 - 04/05.06) [1 photo] |
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