From a young age, Vladimir lived in a small settlement where he often encountered evangelical believers who, whenever they met him, would tell him about Christ! After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Vladimir began drinking heavily. As a result, he divorced his wife, lost his home, and became a man no one wanted. He wandered between flop houses, and had toes and parts of his feet amputated.
In November 2023, in one of the half-ruined houses — with no light, no windows, no heat — we found Vladimir freezing in rags and brought him to the shelter. At the shelter he was washed, given clean clothes, and reminded again of God’s love.
At that time, we didn’t yet know that in two days there would be a severe cold snap down to -40°C. If not for the Lord’s intervention, Vladimir would have frozen to death in that shack.
When we cleaned him up, we realized he had developed gangrene. After several months in the hospital, he began to recover!
In the summer of 2024, he began to complain of stomach pains and rapidly lost weight. He was diagnosed with cancer, but he did not lose hope and continued reading the Gospel. His condition worsened. Vladimir began to pray and repented of his sins! The pain grew stronger, but the joy of forgiveness and the hope of eternal life filled his heart. He did not despair or complain.
On March 11, 2025, Vladimir quietly left this world for the eternal dwelling place of the Father!
Ministry in Bethesda – Evgeny Volkov