Like many other countries which have recently gained independence from the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan has had to grapple with a massive wave of unemployment which has been exploited by organised criminals. Drug abuse has become epidemic and the lives of teenagers are especially vulnerable.

To meet this challenge, Elam has supported Teen Challenge in Kazakhstan to provide a clean, safe and secure drop in centre for street children; a rehabilitation program for children who want to leave the streets; and the “New beginning school” for children on rehabilitation program.

So far Elam has helped at least 37 families who faced the bleak future of dealing with addicted children. Here is the testimony of one grateful mother -

Testimony from Alma Sulkimbaeva mother of Ruslan.

“My name is Alma and I am 36 years old. I am working in the New Beginnings school and have three children, two sons and one daughter. Also I have one sister and four brothers. Now my children have grown up through God’s mercy and my relationship with my children became wonderful. My oldest son is Ruslan he is 15 years old, in December he will be 16 years old. When he was 9 months old my parents and my sister looked after him because I had no husband and when I got married for the second time my parents took him away from me. Probably for nine years I did not look after him, I didn’t love him because I thought all my problems had come through him. I thought why didn’t I have an abortion.

Until 1998 I lived in Astana, but after my divorce I moved to Almaty. My life was destroyed, nothing was interesting for me and I became addicted to alcohol. I did not care for my children, but already somebody prayed for me, but I did not know. And God worked in my life, God cared about me even though I did not know him. I had an accident, I fell down from the second floor of a building and I was still alive, my last husband 5 times bashed my head, But only now I can understand God’s work in my life, but the most horrible thing was for me that my son Ruslan couldn’t speak normally. He had some problems with his speech nobody could understand him, if I would go to the doctors they told me that he was not normal they could not do analysis on him. They told me that if he could not speak then he was disabled. I could not bring him to school because everybody said that he is disabled. In the playground near our house, nobody wanted to play with him everybody laughed at him. I also didn’t understand my own son because all my life was destroyed and I thought he was not like everybody else. Also for a few times I wanted to give him to the orphanage but praise God I did not do it and now I again have my son.

In August 1999 I received Jesus and I started to work in the church, after one week our school, New Beginnings opened. In this time my son was already 10 years old and he never studied at school, I asked the Director of the school to receive my son in first grade and I promised them that I will do every work in the school without any salary. I was very happy that my son could study.

But our relationship was difficult because he ran away from home and lived on the streets. I was a believer but I could not love him with all of my heart. And I gave him to the Juvenile program, this is where my son learned how to understand me, he forgave me. I also learned how to forgive my children, now it is not a shame for me.

After a period of time God turned our hearts to each other and now after finishing the program he started to love me. Now he is living at home, he loves and cares about his younger brother and sister, he helps me in everything and he cares about me in difficult times. Now between us we are having love and understanding. I am very proud of my son and I am happy that we have the Juvenile program and school where we can have strong leaders and workers.

In May 2004 Ruslan finished 5th grade with good results. All his teachers said he was a good student and well disciplined. Now he can speak and understand English normally and doesn’t feel that he is rejected by others. For all these things I am thankful to God, to the school, the Juvenile program and the Teen Challenge program.”

Alma with her children: Ruslan 15 years old, Botagoz 9 years old, and Azamat 7 years old. All her children study at New Beginnings School successfully.