Ray of Hope-Finding Freedom from Addiction

Gustavo and Ximena Apolos were trapped in a life of substance abuse. They met as cocaine addicts, and ironically, used drugs to escape the mess that the drugs had made of their lives.

“We were in such bad shape, distressed, desperate,” says Ximena. “We met as addicts of cocaine, we got high together and that went on for several years until I became pregnant with my first child, Jazmin."

When Ximena discovered she was pregnant, she stopped using. But even the promise of a new child was not enough to end Gustavo’s addiction. He found it impossible to give up drugs on his own strength. This situation led to the couple going through their worst moments, shattering their dreams and toppling their family.

Just when all seemed lost, a ray of hope poked through the darkness.

Gustavo’s sister Patricia came to visit and Ximena was amazed by the peace she brought with her. She marveled at how Patricia interacted with her own husband and children. To Ximena, Patricia’s face shone brightly, and she had something different that made Ximena want to know more.

Patricia left them with a gift, a book called The Purpose Driven Life. "The cover of the book impacted us,” said Ximena. “The idea that life has a purpose? We decided to begin reading it, and God spoke to our hearts. It was beautiful to understand that there is a God who loves us and that his Son died for us.”

Gustavo continued to struggle in his attempts to give up drugs. At his lowest point, he finally gave up. "It was 2 AM, and I knelt on the patio at my house,” said Gustavo. “It began to rain, and, with tears running down my face, I asked God to forgive me. I pleaded with him that I didn't want to live like that anymore. I asked him to help me. I cried as I promised to serve him and help others who were going through the same thing as me. I went inside and looked for Ximena. I looked her in the eyes and asked her to pray with me. We began to repeat, ‘Lord, help us, Lord, help us.’ Those were the only words we could say.”

Ximena and Gustavo prayed together and gave their lives to God that night.

They marveled at God’s power. After 22 years of addiction, in just 72 hours Gustavo’s addiction was silenced. And seven months later, they decided to get baptized as a public display of their commitment to Jesus.

The Apolos began attending a small church in their city, and they had a deep desire to serve God with all their lives. They started an outreach program with 50 volunteers to serve the needy in their community. Yet, they craved a church that would allow them to fulfill all that God was stirring up in their hearts. They hungered for a church where the whole family could find love, service, and significance. They began to pray that God would lead them to such a place.

When they learned that Saddleback was coming to Buenos Aires, they couldn’t believe that the author of the book that changed their lives was opening a campus in their city. Today, the entire family attends Saddleback Buenos Aires and they are actively involved in volunteering.

On Saturday, April 5, 2014, Jazmin, their 13-year-old daughter, was baptized in the first baptism in the history of Saddleback Buenos Aires. For this family, her baptism was more than just a personal decision, it was the result of an entire family changed for the glory of God.

To learn more about what God is doing through the Saddleback Buenos Aires campus, click here.