Robert was caught up in the gang life, so he was used to violence. But at some point he realized that there had to be to life than what he was living. One night he had a dream that would get his attention. He then began a quest that would change everything.

Robert was born on the Oneida reservation in Wisconsin but - because of the Indian Relocation Act - spent his growing-up years in Chicago. It was there that he learned to drink and fight. He would discover though that it was an empty life.

Victoria put her trust in Jesus early in life. When she got to high school, though, she began to party with family and friends. This continued this while in university until she finally saw how useless it all was.

Chester found out that, just because Jesus saves us from our past and gives us hope for the future, life can still be hard. Difficult challenges and choices are part of the journey. For Chester, this included something he was never able to do before... forgive his father for years of abuse and neglect.

The hate that Chester had harbored for his father since childhood was driving him to drink, despair, and death. Through the intervention of an understanding judge and a caring friend, Chester would have another opportunity to face his self-destructive behavior and pursue a new life.

Chester grew up in Eel Ground First Nation. His troubled childhood left him with deep hurt and a miserable existence. He tried to end his life. Thankfully, he wasn't successful. Listen to part one of his story which helps set the background for his inspiring journey of overcoming alcoholism and hate.

Sophronia's life from early childhood was marked by anger at being shipped off to boarding school. Then alcohol took over after her mother died. When she 'found Jesus', she told everyone how SHE had won over the battle over alcohol, but until she recognized that true and total victory is only found in Jesus, she discovered that she really wasn't free.

Paul is a full-blooded Aleut, born in Egegik in 1935. In part 2 of his story, he shares about one of his life's most difficult moments. He lost his precious daughter Jewell to cancer while she was a college student. We understand though that words cannot describe the pain of losing a child that you have loved and cared for. How does one cope with such a loss? Paul was able to because of the hope and peace he had found before she passed away.

Paul is a full-blooded Aleut, born in Egegik in 1935. Growing up, he lived in the village of Kanatik during the winter. But in the Springtime his family would walk over the mountain and cross the lake called Becharof to go back to Egegik in order to make ends meet. Like this journey, his early life was filled with difficult challenges... but he was an ambitious young man.

The Storyteller New Years Special with Tom Claus (Mohawk)

New Years Eve is a very special time in the Claus family. It was on that night many years ago on the Six Nations reserve that the family gathered together around the radio and heard a message that would change their lives forever. Listen as Tom reflects on the significance of that day. This is a Storyteller Classic!