NEW HOPE FROM NOTHING
In Jim Cymbala’s book, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, there is the story of a woman named Roberta Langella. A story she tells in her own words. At the age of 16 she left a broken home to move to New York City where she began living with a man twice her age. A man that got her into IV drug abuse through heroin and cocaine. One night after shooting up, her boyfriend thought she had died. He took off, leaving her on a rooftop where someone discovered her and called 911. The paramedics revived her.
Her feelings of worthlessness led her to one destructive, physcially abusive and drug-centered live-in relationship after another. She began going to underground clubs where she would shoot up and share needles with 20-30 people at a time. Eventually she and her latest boyfriend were out of money, out of food, the utilities had been turned off, and she they were selling their furniture to finance their drug habit.
Faced with this impossible situation, she called her mother back in Florida, who let her move down, and got her into Narcotics Anonymous where she kicked the drug habit and soared with newfound confidence.
But then – everything came crashing down. A visit to the doctor unveiled a horrible fact. She was HIV positive.
After 2 years of being clean she returned to crack cocaine with a vengeance. Wanting the drugs like never before. After a week long cocaine binge, she was truly at the end. Faced with an impossible situation. HIV positive. No money. No love relationship.
Years ago, she had happened to meet a woman in her apartment building who attended Brooklyn Tabernacle. And for some reason, that Tuesday night with
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