The Testimony of Kyle Donovan

I never felt like I was really accepted in life.  When I was 5 years old I was thrown into the foster care system; moving from family to family.  It was difficult to make friends and I never really learned how to "fit in".  I remember I used to get beat up on pretty regularly basis by both the kids and adults of these "families".  I used to cry every night for my mom and dad wondering what I did wrong.  One family I was with was particularly bad.  Along with the beatings, I was bullied and taunted:  "No wonder your parents got rid of you!" they would say.  I had two bedrooms; one for when the case workers came which was upstairs and the real one in the basement. 

When I was about 8 years old I was put into the home of a pretty decent family.  One night at dinner I was having chicken and their dog attacked me.  The next thing I remember was being in an ambulance on the way to the hospital, my last thought before I lost consciousness was that my life was over.  God had other plans.

 At 10 years I had another near death experience with yet another foster family.  We were driving home from school and  I was in the back seat playing with a toy.  I remember hearing a loud screech.  I closed my eyes tightly and thats when I felt the ice water surrounding me.  I struggled in vain to get out of the seat belt and thought once again that my life was over.  Then I heard voices outside and the window being smashed; I was pulled out of  the seat just in time.  My body was numb as I knelt in the snow; realizing my life had been spared again. 

At 15 I was back in the home of my mom and stepdad, I thought now my heartache would be over.  I remember the joy I felt as I hugged my mom so tightly not understanding the real reason why she got me back.  Life wasn't much easier with my stepdad in the picture; sometimes he seemed like the devil himself.  At 18, they kicked me out.  I didn't have a job  or any where to go.  It was then I learned that they had only taken me back for the steady paycheck they received from my SSI. 

During this time a friend and I had a visit from Pastor Bloem of Revival Baptist Church.  We didn't get a chance to talk with him but a young man named Eric Zukowski did a follow-up visit shortly after that.  I really wasn't ready to hear what he had to say at the time; I was 18.  About 3 years later I had moved in with my aunt because I was going through some financial difficulties and the same pastor happened to show up at the door again!  I felt like this was a sign that God was trying to get my attention, so I readily agreed to be saved.  Truthfully, because of all the struggles I had experienced in my life, God wasn't that appealing to me.  But I thought I was saved.

At one service, Joe Slebodnik approached me and asked me if I was 100% sure I was going to heaven.  I told him I had accepted the gospel and had been baptized but couldn't be 100% sure.  After the service I went and told the Pastor what I had told Joe.  He invited me to go with him as he went out soul-winning.  I witnessed him leading someone to the Lord and as the gentleman was praying to receive Christ, I prayed too.  It was then that I truly accepted Christ as my Savior and knew the true joy of the Lord.  At the next service I got baptized for real. 

Now I live for Christ and understand that He carries my burdens.  God used the events in my life to show me how much I need him. I thank God for a pastor who never gave up on me and for giving me a family I never had.