LCMS World Mission Blog

“Vyacheslav ‘Slava’ Ostanin, president of ICHTHYS prison ministry and deacon at Christ the Savior Lutheran Church in Novosibirsk, Russia, continued his outreach to correctional facilities and children’s medical institutions in Novosibirsk. He recently shared the personal testimony of Nikolay Bestaev, an ex-prisoner who has received assistance through the prison ministry led by Deacon Ostanin. Nikolay’s testimony is one of many similar life stories of people to whom Slava reaches out with the saving Gospel of Jesus.

“Nikolay writes, ‘I was born in Tskhinvali, Georgia. I lived with mom and dad until I was four, until the terrible moment when my dad killed my mom. My aunt took me to live with her, but soon afterwards she turned me over to an orphanage, because I kept running away from her house (I wanted to return to mom and dad and could not understand that mom was not there anymore). At the orphanage, I did not want to study at all, I was rude to my teachers, and ran away time and again. I would be punished, I would run away again, then I would be beaten again, locked in a dark room and denied food. When I ran away, I was on my own and roamed the streets. In order to survive, I stole things. I was beaten many times until other homeless kids accepted me in their group. I stole together with them, lived with them, and ate with them. They were my family until we were all caught and I was returned to the orphanage once again and from there I was sent to a special school for juvenile delinquents. I spent later time in my childhood as a runaway on the streets, so my ‘instructors’ were hoodlums and their ‘street morals.’ I was on trial many times leading up to one day in 1999, when I was serving a term at Correctional Colony Number Three. That day, I attended a meeting of believers with Deacon Ostanin. At that time, I heard about God for the first time and learned that His Son Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins which were beyond count.

“My convictions and my future plans after I was released were shaken. I did not know what would happen to me, I could only pray and open my heart to God. Something happened in me-I saw everything around me in a new light. As I was nearing the time of my release from prison, I dreamed that I would help other people like me. After I was released, I went to work. I was given a room in a dormitory. However, I was not faithful to the promise I had made not to sin and take drugs. I returned to drugs and began to commit crimes again, however Deacon Ostanin did not give up on me, even at that time. He kept hoping it would all pass and I would return to the church. I guess somebody kept praying for me all that time. In 2003, I was on trial again-this time for a crime I did not commit. I was sentenced to five and a half years of imprisonment. My brothers in Christ never abandoned me. I began to pray again as I came to the realization at the imprisonment facility that I had let go of the chance God had given me. But I kept the hope and prayed that God would give me another chance to live a normal life, have a family, and love my children.

“‘Now, I have been free from prison for six months. After I was released, my brothers in Christ helped me get a room again, get a job, aided me with all life necessities, and kept helping me for a long time so that I would get back on my feet again in life. I worked at two construction sites and at other places as a laborer, loader, but now I am in need of employment again. As I seek employment, my brothers in faith never leave me. I pray that God will allow me to stay free, never to forsake the church, and always abide by His commandments. I think that a rehab center would be of great help for me and people like me as we first need to get strengthened and established in a healthy way of life instead of being thrown back into our previous environment, which had once led us to prison. Otherwise, we can go back to the way of crime, not because we want to, but because we are alone, and it’s hard to be alone. It’s hard for you to realize that God loves you if you have not ever had any love shown to you-if you have never had anyone standing by and ready to help you out, with a shoulder you can lean on. Please keep me in your prayers. I do my best to go to church regularly, and I want to become a full member of Christ the Savior Lutheran Congregation, so that I may be strengthened in faith and help other people like myself. May God help me stay on this good way. Please keep me in your prayers.’”

• Pray for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia
• Learn more about LCMS missionaries in Eurasia