Testimonies > > Toh Hong Leng
Leaders & Staff Testimonies
My father operated a gambling den and
my mother was a croupier. During the school holidays, I was required to help
out at the gambling den washing towels used by the customers and preparing
food. There were drug addicts among the customers and so I was no stranger to
drugs.
My parents were always busy with work
and could not manage their 14 children. I grew up in a big and noisy household,
and was always irritable and stressed. I started becoming rebellious in Primary
6, skipping school every day and consuming LSD and marijuana with the other
kids in the kampong. When I was 17, I was influenced by my friends to use
heroin, all because I thought drugs could help me forget my troubles.
I was imprisoned 3 times in my life
and they impacted me differently. In 1994 when I was 24 I hid in a toilet to
take drugs, but a close friend tipped off the police and I was arrested and
jailed. It was my first time. My relationship with my family had not been good
from young because of my drug abuse, and so no one came to visit me during my
one-year plus of imprisonment. I felt miserable.
I was jailed the second time 5 years
later. Although I heard the Gospel in prison I was not interested. On my
discharge I did not want to return to the home without hope so I checked into a
halfway house, but my life did not change. I returned to society one year later
but was arrested soon after because of drugs and given a jail sentence of 5
years and a half. This was when I began to reflect. I was getting on in age and
should not continue this way anymore. This time I began attending the Christian
worship services in jail seriously and was given counselling. I received many
encouraging letters from the Breakthrough brothers, and saw how the lives of
many of my cell-mates were transformed after they believed in Jesus. Finally, I
too chose to follow Jesus. After I accepted the Lord, I became joyful, and I
prayed and read the Bible regularly. I learnt to trust God completely.
In the past when I was a drug abuser
I lived life in a stupor. In order to get more drugs I could disown my loved
ones and use any means including stealing and robbing to get money for drugs; I
did not care if I died from drug abuse. At Breakthrough Missions my
drug-ravaged body and broken spirit received healing from the Lord. My life
today is disciplined, and I am diligent in praying and reading the Bible. I
serve in the Breakthrough Café and have many opportunities to share the
life-transforming Gospel with the customers. Life is meaningful now. I also
serve in church, such as playing the guitar, song leading, and sharing the Good
news with the community living near the church. All these give me a great sense
of fulfilment.
I came to Breakthrough in 2017 an
unworthy person, but I am one of the staff members today. It is entirely the
Lord’s love and mercy. I thank Him for the opportunity to serve, for giving me
a new life, a new living, and a new goal. I hope prayerfully to stay on at
Breakthrough for further spiritual discipline so that my friends and cell-mates
may see this change in my life and be willing to believe Jesus and put their
trust in Him.
