Eugene’s Story
I was in work I used to enjoy, but stress—and some difficult dynamics with colleagues, including racial undertones—started to grind me down. My moods dropped. I dreaded going in. Old pain from my divorce bubbled up, and it became just too much. My doctor signed me off for a few weeks. I was at home, low, not sure what to do. My wife was very supportive and said, “Go to The Well.”
Coming to The Well
From the moment I walked in, I experienced an amazing serenity. A warm welcome from the smiling Receptionist who offered me tea and biscuits and guided me though to sit in the encounter room with worship music and colourful murals on the wall. Even before anyone spoke to me, the atmosphere calmed me down and spoke to my spirit. In the prayer appointment room there were two people who listened to me just so well—no interrogation, no judgement, no making me feel weak. They kept referring me back to the Word of God, and their encouragement was gentle but strong. Prophetic words were shared that later proved true. I remember thinking, “If it was up to me, I’d spend hours here.”
How it affected me personally
Week by week, something shifted. I began to rebuild confidence and resilience. What I’d been reading in the Bible through the week was confirmed at The Well, like puzzle pieces coming together until the whole picture was complete. I felt refreshed at the Well, a bit like the woman who met Jesus—strengthened, steadied, and loved. I heard that I am ‘wonderfully and marvellously made’, created in God’s image. My faith grew; I prayed more, read more, and found myself talking to people about Christ with a new freedom.
The impact in my life, family, and workplace
That inner change led to outward change. I applied for a new role and got a permanent job at a college. Challenges didn’t disappear, but they didn’t crush me anymore. I handled things better because I was spiritually stronger. At home, my wife and I began writing down our vision together. The atmosphere in our family lifted. At work I found favour with colleagues and did a good job. Even when similar situations cropped up, it didn’t bother me like it used to. The Well became a bridge back to church family, back to community, and back to normal life. It saved my life in the sense that it put me back on track refuelled, re-tyred, with the engine checked and ready for the road ahead.
What I think of the experience
Looking back, I see God’s hand. The Well was part of His plan for me—a place to be listened to, prayed for, and reminded who I am in Christ. If you change one life, you change a family and a community. That’s what happened to us. If I had to sum it up in one line: it was life changing. The Well helped me believe again that I am “fearfully and wonderfully made,” loved by God, and strong in Him. I’m really grateful for the significant way The Well refreshed me and set me on my way.