Bruno’s Story
“For more than 25 years, I was a hard core disciple of Satan. After the fortieth time I was thrown into prison, I quit counting. I was addicted to hard drugs, spent more than 7 years without a roof over my head and was involved in all kinds of types of criminal activity. I had no conscience and could not tell the difference between right and wrong. Because my mother used to take me to Christmas activities at a church as a child, I always believed in God. Yet, I lived in darkness and lived as a zombie, a dead person walking, who had no future. Seven years ago however, I decided to follow Jesus and was baptized in prison. That was the beginning of my new life, free from hard drugs and a life with a conscience.
Last Christmas, I got an invitation to go to a Christmas celebration here in my neighborhood. I went to that celebration and met Matt who invited me to start meeting with him every week to study the bible, pray and keep each other accountable. After 6 months of knowing Matt, my spiritual life has drastically changed. I have just about read the entire New Testament whereas before I had only read one or two books from the Bible. Also, I enjoy meeting weekly to study the bible, confess our sins one to another and pray for my friends to come to know Christ.
Matt has challenged me to do things that I never had done before or even thought that I could do. For example, I have now spoken in front of groups and shared what God means for me and what he has done in my life. Also, I had never traveled further than three hours from my house, yet we went to Paris, France to spend a day praying and fasting for Europe. I want to help make a change in other people’s lives as God has changed my life. I wasted so many of my years serving the devil that I want to use my life to help others get out of darkness. He has used every trick in the book against me so I can warn and even help others to get out of his nasty claws”. –Bruno
Bruno’s testimony is living proof of how God does miracles today by changing the hearts and the lives of people. By no means is Bruno (or any of us for that matter) perfect, but it is awesome to see the change and the growth taking place in his life. Before he had no hopes and dreams as his life was stuck in a cycle of addiction, crime, and meaninglessness. Yet, God reached out to Bruno in a real way. One day I sat with him and listened to him read me a list of life goals that he had written down. The truths in that list seemed to me to be at least 6 months worth of biblical teaching. It was evident that God had been dealing with him in a very special and personal way.
The reason we live and work in Amsterdam is to see people’s lives changed through God’s love, hope and power. We believe that there are thousands of people just like Bruno who are in need of someone to help them become a follower of Christ so that they can to help others follow Him. At a recent baptism service, a woman who was baptized last year got to baptize another woman whom she has helped bring to Christ. This is our commission: to make disciples who make new disciples and start new churches who will start new churches. So whether it be through weekly kid’s clubs, bible studies, marriage courses, alpha coursesetc. our goal is to help people follow Jesus.
We want to thank you for making this a reality in our lives through your prayers and your generous financial support. We could not be here without so many people believing in us and encouraging us to do what we are doing. Thank you for being God’s conduit of blessing for us and for Amsterdam.
Family News
Levi (3 1/2 months old nos) is growing up quickly and getting lots of love from his big siblings. Hannah (2 ½) will start pre school in August and Judah (4 ½) is already biking all the way to school as only a Dutch boy would. Please pray for the quick sale of our home and that “God’s message may continue to spread rapidly and be honored” in Holland and throughout the nations. (2 Thess 3:1).
Your Partners in Mission,
Matthew, Femke, Judah, Hannah, and Levi Helland
