Obituary for Viktor Minchyk

Russia Drug Addicts

Viktor, called Vitja by everyone, was a big-hearted man: joyful, dynamic, with a determined will and ready to help anytime.

His greatest passion was to reach people with the Good News about the One who had brought him out of even the greatest darkness, freed him from drug addiction and had given him new life. Until the end he stood firm in his faith despite a serious illness, and he loved and enjoyed life to the full. He had been a drug addict for eleven years and had spent five years in prison until his life changed radically. 1999 was the year of his new beginning as he got to know the work of TOS Ministries International and gave his heart to Jesus. 8 years later he moved to Tyumen in Siberia with a team to reach out to drug addicts. Thanks to him countless addicts have started rehabilitation  and have become free of drugs. Vitja leaves behind a wife and two grown sons. We miss him very much. His team in Tyumen continues the work and regularly visits the drug clinic for alcohol and drug addicts. The life of the patients there is a mirror of society in Siberia, and our team is there to build relationships, give witness, perspective and hope. A local contact point in the city is also opened once a week to reach out to more drug addicts.