Graduates Ivan and Sergei to Go to Smolensk Bible Institute

Finishing the program is always a festive and important occasion for everybody in the Village of Hope. It is really very much worth celebrating when somebody has reached a new milestone in their lives, has had enough willpower and strength to get through hard times, and has not quitted or given up.
 

In the photo: On 22 January Ivan finished the rehabilitation program, and took up studies at Smolensk Bible Institute. Ivan came to the Village of Hope at the beginning of 2011 to get rid of his drug addiction and being sick and tired of all the mess in his life: prison, theft, broken relationships with his loved ones, etc. Having dealt with his life problems in the Village of Hope, his relationships with his family are about to get fixed, and their trust in him is being restored.

 

In the photo there's Ivan with his family – father, granny, uncle – receiving a document certifying the finishing of the program.
In the photo: Sergei finished the rehabilitation program at the beginning of 2011 and stayed with us for another year to do the Servant Leadership Training Program, which he finished on 29 January with a festive celebration. In the photo there are members of the staff of the Village of Hope Aleksander Ivanov and Viljam Borissenko giving Sergei (in the middle) the certificate of the Servant Leadership Training Program.

During the past two years there have been major changes in Sergei's life starting from his close relationships up to fixing his relations with government authorities. Nevertheless, similar to all other graduates of the Village of Hope, the most important changes are those that have taken place in his heart, and the way he will go on about his life in future.
Is that paper just another piece of paper, or does it mean something more? One thing that the certificate definitely shows is the men's awesome work with themselves - the work that never ends, as the men are to keep going, growing and developing after getting the document. Sergei said that this 'paper' was especially important, because for some reason his certificate of the basic program lacked the seal of the Village of Hope, and he was a bit worried if it was a real certificate at all. Now, to certify finishing the Servant Leadership Training Program the document “is totally all right“ - the golden seal shines bright and proud in the bottom left-hand corner.
After graduation, Sergei is going to study at Smolensk Bible Institute.