Antonia has put her faith in Jesus – and he is changing her life in amazing ways.
In May last year we shared the remarkable progress made by House of Opportunity resident Antonia. Her new found faith in Christ has transformed her completely, from a depressed, volatile and hurt girl into a young women who smiles, engages with her house mates and looks at the world with a sense of hope she longed for all her life.
Antonia prepared for baptism for several months. She had a discipleship course with Daniela and Marin at Emmanuel Church, Varaždin, during which she had many questions, went through trials and illnesses. She has also had to cope with some hard situations at work. Life has not suddenly become easy for Antonia, but God has shown his goodness and care to her through each situation, and her faith in him has grown.
Antonia was very excited about the baptism, and the day finally came. Her friends from Zagreb and Varaždin came, and Antonia was able to confirm her faith in Jesus by being baptised in front of many witnesses. A wonderful day.
Glory and thanks be to God!
Summer 2026
Nearly ten years ago, Antonija, then just fifteen years old, was going through one of the darkest seasons of her life. She struggled with depression and anxiety and was frequently admitted to psychiatric care. She harmed herself, suffered from seizures, and even attempted to take her own life several times. It was during this time that she met Sarah from Texas. Sarah faithfully shared God’s love with her, sending letters filled with Bible verses, Christian songs, and words of encouragement. Although Antonija was not ready to receive the message at the time, we believe Sarah never stopped praying for her.
Years later, Antonija joined the House of Opportunity programme. Through the love, acceptance, and support of a Christian community, after two years she gave her life to Jesus Christ and accepted Him as her Saviour. She found a loving Heavenly Father she had never known before. Soon after her baptism, Antonija reconnected with Sarah. Almost ten years after their first conversations, Sarah was overjoyed to hear what God had done in Antonija’s life and invited her to visit her in America.
Using some of her savings, Antonija bought a plane ticket and spent three unforgettable weeks in Texas. While there, she had the opportunity to share her testimony in a local church. She had never imagined herself standing in front of people and speaking, but the Holy Spirit gave her courage and spoke through her testimony. She was welcomed and loved by brothers and sisters in Christ from the other side of the world, and saying goodbye to Sarah and her family, who embraced her as one of their own, was deeply emotional.
Antonija has now experienced firsthand how God connects lives across oceans and faithfully completes the work He begins. We are incredibly proud of Antonija and grateful to God, who continues to write such a beautiful story with her life.
