Hi,
My name is Yerik and I completed The Haven programme two and a half years ago. I was born into a wealthy home in the Guernsey area. That's not me being big headed, it's just to show that drugs affect every sphere of life. I was raised by Christian parents in a beautiful part of north west Scotland. I moved into extreme sports and rapidly became an adrenaline junkie to the point where I was on T.V. doing extreme white water kayaking down waterfalls in Scotland. I lived for the buzz, the parties and the fact that people would introduce me to friends as 'the mad guy from up north' or this is my crazy mate who was on T.V.'. I was, looking back, the most insecure person I ever met and in constant need of attention.
Several injuries prevented me from getting my 'adrenaline fix', and one day I found myself in a house where drugs were.
I wanted to try them.
I injected heroin and I loved it. Cocaine quickly followed. I was addicted to drugs for a total of 13 years, ten to heroin, coke and crack.
Directionless for years and looking for 'something', I traveled to other countries, tried drugs and relationships; committing robberies to finance my habit. Life was hell to me
One day in Copenhagen a pastor told me I was a lying drug addict who would only ever find what I was looking for in Jesus Christ. Something inside me registered what he said. I left Copenhagen (no recollection of this), arrived at my parents in England (nor this) and was brought to The Haven (a moment I will never forget). It was the beginning of the hardest years of my life and yet the happiest. the staff showed me by the way they lived their lives that Jesus is real and living today, they seemed to know Him.
One day near the end of the programme, I got on my knees and told God that if He was real and he would forgive me for all the sin I had committed against Him, He could have my whole life. My life really began to change from that very moment. All my crutches were suddenly kicked away and I found that doing things in the way Jesus said involved overcoming every obstacle instead of ducking it or diving around it. Hard work but God has me now in a place where He is the single greatest love of my life. I am restored to my family. I am totaly satisfied with life and am now an employer in the local community. God uses the staff at The Haven Kilmacolm to take wrecked lives, bring them to himself and make men out of them who will help others find Him.