Hello, dear friends!  My name is Ruslan. Recently, I started attending a volleyball club in Ivanovka gym, and through it, I came to Christ.

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I was born into a single-parent Dungan family—my mother and my stepfather. There were conflicts in our home, and I didn’t receive the joy and support I needed. Maybe my mother tried, but I didn’t feel love and care from my stepfather. Because of this, life was often difficult for me. I lacked love and care. I experienced depression more than once, but at the moment of repentance, I realized that only Jesus can change lives. He freed me from depression, anxiety, and worries. Now, I have different questions: How should I live for Him? How can I dedicate my life to serving Him? How can I be useful?

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Glory to God that He called me to the Hope school in Ivanovka. That was the place where I first heard the Gospel. I am grateful to God for bringing me there.

It so happened that I really love volleyball, so I decided to join the school's sports club. There, I found a warm atmosphere, a great team, and good fellowship. Later, Denis, the spiritual coordinator, invited me to a youth gathering where we talked about God and Christ. I remember my first day there—it was almost a year ago. I was immediately inspired by the atmosphere and the special spirit of communication, where people are genuinely happy to see you. In my family and among my friends, I had never experienced such love and support.

Later, I was invited to a Christian youth camp. It was there, thanks to God, that I came to repentance. And I have never regretted that decision!

Before, when I went through difficult times, when I was depressed and in a bad state, I felt like I lacked strength, like I lacked love. But I found this love in Jesus. And I realized that I no longer wanted to stay in my old circle of friends—I wanted to live differently. It was repentance, it was God’s calling that changed my life.

After repentance, my life began to change. I remember waking up the next morning and suddenly realizing that I had stopped swearing—though I had previously tried to overcome this habit on my own but failed. I finally understood that God can do anything. He set me free in an instant! And gradually, I began to change not only outwardly but also inwardly. Four months after my repentance, I was baptized.

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It was a very emotional moment, but I knew deep inside: I was ready.

Later, I enrolled in a sports academy in Bishkek, choosing volleyball coaching as my specialization. I decided that I wanted to teach children, and I was very fortunate—the Hope school gave me the opportunity to do my internship right here, in this gym.

Working with children is a blessing! Yes, they can be disobedient and stubborn at times, but I truly enjoy teaching them. I feel that God has led me to them—not only to teach them volleyball but also to share the Good News. I take advantage of this opportunity as often as possible because children need Jesus too. After all, I was once a child myself and knew what I lacked… 

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I am happy to be here. I am happy that my life is now filled with meaning.

 That`s all!