Dragana

MY DARK PAST IS FAR AWAY

I am Dragana Peričin. I’m 29 years old, from Novi Sad. I grew up during the 90’s. For my family those were years of insecurity. In their race for existence I felt neglected, misunderstood, and unprotected. I wanted careless life, and I found it in alcohol, drugs, and parties. I was 21 when I left home and started taking heroin on daily basis. It brought me security and carelessness, feeling of love. It furthered fears and inferiority complexes. I was happy. But the price of the happiness was too high. I lost my dignity, I became a person who lies, manipulates and steals. There was emptiness within me, and I did not have any hope nor will for life. I searched a way out from it, and I found it in Crossroads.

It was hard in the program for me. When I cleaned from the dirt that was inside me, the feeling of guilt and judgment was inevitable. Facing the past hurt, changing of character, attitudes and habits. Reading the Bible, prayer and faith in God kept me there. I am grateful to staff and family for support and love they gave me. God gave me new life and peace in my heart. He brought me joy and renewed relationships with my family. Today I am a new person, free and happy and fulfilled. This change has not been done by my own strengths, but by God’s mercy. Now, my dark past is far away, and bright future is in front of me.

Before

After