Real lives transformed
Tanya
For almost 25 years, Tanya was a functional addict, holding a job and living a seemingly normal life while addicted to multiple substances. Her father took her to various doctors, drugs workers, NA, AA and more, but they all turned her away. As a last resort, he took her to a church where they gave her a flyer from Betel—the only place willing to help.
Tanya didn't want help; she wanted to die. With bags of cheap alcohol and pockets full of drugs, she walked to a block of flats intending to jump. On her way, she called out to God for help. Shortly after, she saw a man, Jason, approaching with two knives. Jason felt prompted to help her Jason had previously been in Betel and felt prompted to help her after seeing her from his window. Recognizing the Betel flyer, he told her, "God wants you to go there." He took her home, intending to get her into Betel soon. Tanya, still not wanting help, tried to slit her wrist and overdosed on heroin but survived.
Five days later, she was in Betel. Her new friends stayed by her side, carrying her when she couldn't walk, and nursing her back to health. She said, "I was loved when I was unlovable, given hope when I was hopeless." Now, Tanya is full of life and joy. She has conquered her addictions and, with her husband, leads a Betel center, bringing hope to many others.
Allison
At 24, Allison had an amazing life as a journalist in West London with a long-term boyfriend and enviable parties. However, secrets were destroying her. In university, she left her God-fearing upbringing to have fun but faced the harsh reality of an abusive boyfriend, leading to a plummeting self-image.
Two years in, Allison got pregnant and had an abortion, keeping it secret along with the abuse. This deepened her loneliness. To cope, she drank more and more.
"By 24, my life had crumbled. I was a raging alcoholic and wanted to die." She lost her job and ended up in the hospital after an alcohol-induced fit, feeling utterly lost and lonely.
Hitting rock bottom, Allison found hope at Betel, where she felt welcomed and loved. This love brought her back to God, realizing His unconditional love. "The journey is a process. I still mourn my baby but have been given a new life and a fresh start."
Allison's new life is filled with laughter. She and Alex married in September 2019 and now serve in Nottingham with children of their own, bringing hope to many others.
Wayne
Wayne grew up surrounded by crime and was introduced to cannabis, acid, and speed at an early age. By 20, he was hooked on cocaine and heroin. As his drug habit worsened, his crimes escalated. "If something wasn't stuck down, we would take it," he recalls. He was in and out of prison for crimes like armed robbery and safe-cracking, feeling hopeless. "I thought there was no future for me."
At 30, Wayne left prison with limited skills and no hope. "I went to prison a junkie and came out one. I had no hope of ever changing, and my mum said, 'If you don't change, you're gonna die.'"
Wayne eventually found himself at Betel. During the worst of his withdrawal, he experienced God and slept for the first time in two weeks. This was the start of his transformation.
"God did something. I ended up with a restored life, hope, and even a wife. I thought I'd be just another statistic, but God had a plan for me and my family." Wayne declares, "Jesus took a hopeless, lifeless junkie and changed his story completely."
After serving more than 20 years in Betel, Wayne and his wife Paula have moved on from the charity and now live and work locally in Birmingham. They are valued members of Betel’s Anchor Point Church in Aston, where their stories of transformation from addiction to freedom continue to inspire hundreds of recovering men and women.