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All about relationships
Three years ago I graduated from The Salvation Army’s Addiction Services after a life—at least 30 years—on drugs.
I got to the point where I couldn’t justify my habits and I couldn’t justify myself. I reached out to a nurse at our local medical centre. She turned out to be a soldier (member) of The Salvation Army and got me into the Army’s Addiction Services.
I got to that stage where I gave my addiction, my life and my will over to Jesus. You could click your fingers and that’s how instant my healing was of my drug addiction. I started a social work degree, started going to Recovery Church and then Sunday services. Then I had an opportunity to apply for a community support worker role. Soon it became clear that to become a soldier was the way to live out my life for Jesus.
I run the Positive Life Programme at Whangarei. That’s a really strong passion, watching people grow; seeing people walking with their shoulders up and heads back, knowing who they are, their shortcomings and strengths.
One person with severe anxiety struggled to do the course at first. We even had to ring an ambulance for her. But through encouragement she’s completed the course and is studying to be a teacher aide. I see her walking with her head up and confident.
I also work with our volunteers and the people we have here on community work. It’s about journeying alongside them, getting to know them and finding out what support we can offer them.
The ones on community work are here to do some hours, but I meet with them first and we encourage them. Once they see the type of community we belong to, the support we offer and the way we treat them—that we value what they do—that’s when you start to break their barriers.
People feel very safe here. This is a place of belonging, of truth, of relationships. It’s been a privilege to see people grow and get jobs and to give a reference or be a referee.
When I was at Addiction Services I saw so many Māori young people, I was heartbroken. There was nothing in their lives but alcohol and drugs. That led to discussions around what can we do to support ourselves, each other and more importantly our whānau, which led to setting up Māori Ministry in Whangarei.
When we started we had a core group. Some couldn’t speak Māori, couldn’t do a haka or a mihi. We started doing basic waiata, basic mihi. That cultural identity has helped grow our Christ-identity, and now we have realised that it is about our cultural identity in Christ.
It’s all about the people and relationships: whakawhānaunga-tanga. Without the great hearts of whānau involved with Māori Ministry we wouldn’t be able to do it. At the corps we have had some bi-cultural services with karakia and waiata, and our Recovery Church has embraced bicultural services.
Every Tuesday we have a hangout; we have food, do waiata and kapa haka. It’s a place for our community to come to. We have a monthly hui, with food, fellowship and teaching, and we’ve started a street outreach. We want to let the community know what services we offer and what Jesus has done for us.
by Trevor McLean(c) 'War Cry' magazine, 21 March 2015, pp9.
You can read 'War Cry' at your nearest Salvation Army church or centre, or subscribe through Salvationist Resources.