Thirty years ago Amanda Taga came into the world in Tirana, Albania. At that time the nation was under control of a communist regime that was persecuting all who disagreed with them. She and her family went to Florence, Italy and on to the United State from there. They were fortunate and thought that all of their children could now chase the American dream.
The family had never had any form of faith in their lives and Amanda began to seek for the “something” that was missing in her life. She had dropped out of high school and turned to drugs, alcohol, and the party scene. In this search she tried spiritualism, Muslim, wiccan and the Catholic church. Finally her search ended when she accepted Christ as her Savior. However life didn’t get any easier for her after her salvation experience.
Through a series of events she found herself in Las Cruces, on the streets, and was eventually brought to the Las Cruces Gospel Rescue Mission by the police. She stayed for about a month before another series of events, including a trip back to family in Michigan took her to an on again – off again relationship with a man in Las Cruces. She was soon kicked out of the house and ended up back at the mission.
It was at this point that her life really took on meaning and she began to grow. Her relationship with Christ started to take shape, she had a joyful spirit, and a desire to give rather than receive. The mission has become her home, and she talks about the Lord almost non-stop. She was baptized at a local church and has a zeal for Christ and an infectious spirit. She attends Bible study four days a week, attends Chapel services, and is enrolled at New Mexico State University.
In closing lets look at her own words. “The person I used to be, and the person I am today is a true testimony of the Lord’s work in my life. I can say the Las Cruces Gospel Rescue Mission is God sent, and is a place for true intervention. Accept Jesus Christ into your heart, and surrender your life to Him, and he can do the same in your life”.