At the age of eleven, angry and frustrated with family life, Robin turned to friends who led him astray. “I started mixing with the wrong crowd and would skip school with my friends to go out thieving and robbing people. I got arrested a few times and my dad would really beat me any time I got into trouble.”

Foster care

The beatings got so bad that Robin had to be removed from the family home and went into foster care in Essex when he was around fourteen, for two years.

Sixteen and unable to get work, Robin moved back to London and into the family home. In an unwise move, Robin rejoined his crowd and started drinking, smoking weed, and taking speed, LSD and cocaine.

“At seventeen, I went to prison for six months for petrol bombing in the Brixton riots. Also at this time, I was in a relationship and when my girlfriend came to visit me in prison, she told me she was pregnant. However, when I got out, she’d left me and was living with someone else.

“When I was released, I started drinking again with the same crowd and basically did nothing for two years. I survived off benefits and ended up in prison a couple more times. I was often violent and got into a lot of fights.

Robin attempted to change his life and started his own painting and decorating business that was actually doing quite well. However, even this was short-lived as he was about to be introduced to crack cocaine.

“I got really addicted. I was funding my habit from the profit of my business and would get depressed seeing my hard earned cash wasted on drugs, but I just couldn’t help myself.I didn’t trust women and I was paranoid because of the cocaine. I always felt they were doing things behind my back.

“I tried to get help and confided in my doctor who referred me to Maudsley Hospital for weekly counselling. I talked to my counsellor but no solution was offered… so I paid for another counsellor at £40 an hour. The result? She was just telling me what I already knew and seeing I wasn’t getting anywhere, I got really depressed. I think this was my worst moment. I thought there was just no hope.” Around this time however, a City News (a free monthly newspaper published by the HelpCentre) was posted through Robin’s letterbox and interested by the testimonies, he read it a few times.

“There was a story in the paper of someone who was suicidal and it described exactly how I was feeling so I had no doubts about going along to talk to someone. On my first visit, I spoke to the pastor and told him everything I was going through. I wanted him to understand how bad I felt. From then, I started attending every week.

Healing

“Every time I went, I felt understood. I soon noticed that the depression started to leave and I gradually stopped the drugs. I didn’t need them anymore. I was changing inside.

“In the past, I would always be thinking of crazy things such as suicide, but no more.

“My financial life also moved forward as I learned in the UCKG how to become prosperous. My business has grown and I recently bought my own flat as well as a nice Mercedes van, and have two people working for me. Before, my pocket was always empty but not anymore.”

Robin Hurkoo