Meet David and Natalia

In April of 2021, David and Natalia launched a home remodeling business that ranged from concrete work to painting. Anything that needed to get done, David could do it. “It took off faster than we knew it,” David explained. However, at the time, David was a recovering drug addict, and having a “pile of money” began to trigger David’s addiction. “I just lost it all” as the addiction resurfaced in David’s life. For at least two and a half years, David was able to keep his addiction secret from Natalia. 

As the business continued to grow, David needed additional help, so Natalia left her current job to assist him in running the business. Little did she know that David was a functioning addict. Soon after Natalia was helping David, she realized that ‘the work was just too much.” But in the beginning, they would do everything together – pick up the supplies in the morning, provide estimates, and assist David with the hands-on work. 

Natalia, a tremendous help-mate, chose to learn new handyman skills from her husband such as building and repairing fences and hanging drywall. 

“I fooled myself into thinking that it was okay to take methamphetamines so that I could work 16 hours a day to keep up with the work. I love construction, and it was easy for me. However, the stress began to wear on me,” David said. Natalia also expressed concern about all the time David had to invest in order to be successful. “People used to understand that construction takes time, but now they want their projects done now.” 

David and Natalia’s life slowly spiraled downward, as he needed more stimulants to keep him working faster and longer so that they could maintain their lifestyle. Then David began to dip into the business cash to fund his addiction.

With a large project that required David to purchase $20,000 worth of supplies in advance, he dipped into the family account. It was when the power was shut off at their home thatNatalia began to put her foot down on David, because she is not only his work partner, but his wife and a mother to their children. “I wanted to give him grace, but I had to make sure my kids were taken care of.” While cleaning the house, Natalia found David’s ‘stash’ of drugs. “It was easy to be angry with him, and I was.”

Due to Natalia setting strong boundaries on David’s drug usage, both of them separated. The separation caused David to be honest with himself and the business. “I finally admitted I was an addict and I could not function without the drugs.” It was then that David decided to let go of the home remodeling business. Before things would get better, David had a brush with the law and was put in jail. 

Natalia, raised in a family that looked at people who did drugs as “bad people,” was doubting her commitment to David.  But because of her strong bond of love with David, she fought through those old messages and became worried about their future. As Natalia found solace and comfort in her home church, one song that continued to ruminate in her mind about David was like God reassuring her about the family’s future. It was the song, “God of Grace” by the group Finding Faith. Through the lyrics of this song Natalia received peace and became ready to forgive David when he was released from jail. 

The breakthrough took place when David called Natalia and poured out his heart to her over the phone. He shared some deep childhood trauma that contributed to his drug usage. It was then that Natalia realized that ‘The person I met is the person he still is. The feeling of being accepted was new to me,” David said as he described how Natalia positively responded to his phone call. “I never experienced this before,” which fueled his fear to open up to his wife. 

Prior to this breakthrough phone call, David had to work through his fear of being rejected by his wife if he shared his childhood pain. At the same time, God was working on Natalia to be ready to accept David through forgiveness. It was two sides of the same coin – God doing the work in their lives to combat Fear and have Forgiveness. “If it wasn’t for my wife being tough on me and being a strong woman, I would not be here. The burden on my heart is something I walked around with for 43 years. When everyone on the face of the planet let go of me, she never did.” 

Stay tuned for the next story on how this couple discovered City Union Mission and the effort it took for them to travel nearly 200 miles for help. 

We need your financial support to continue to provide temporary housing, counseling, and life skills for this family and many others in the New Life Program. You can continue to pray, give and donate to support David and Natalia and the loving support they need as they rekindle their love for each other and for the Lord.

Go to our link here and leave a message of hope and encouragement for them along with your generous gift today.