A need to help the broken

Gary Eder became an alcoholic as a teenager, after his dad took him down to the pub and he got into a dangerous crowd. If it wasn’t for Jesus, says Gary, he wouldn’t be here today.

I was 14 when my parents separated. My two sisters and younger brother went to live with my mum, and I chose to live with my dad. He was an alcoholic and started taking me to the pub. I thought I was pretty cool. I should have been studying for my School Certificate, but was getting into the drinking scene instead.

I left home at 16 and began flatting with people much older than me who were into the party scene. I got a job at a local supermarket, but lost it after four months, so I moved to Wellington and got a job at the docks. It was a hard scene, everyone was doing drugs all the time, and some of the guys were in gangs.

With some of the situations I got into over the years, I know I shouldn’t be here today—the drugs I have taken, the alcohol I’ve consumed and the gang pads I’ve been in. My mum has always stuck with me, but my sisters cut me off because they were tired of my attitude. I’ve got a drunk driving record and have had my car taken off me.

Acquaintances have died. My younger brother got into the drug scene, too, which contributed to his suicide. That’s something I have to live with every day.

As I got older, I became a very cold, angry person, heavily dependent on alcohol and drugs.

I worked for 18 years, mainly doing aluminium joinery, then I lost that job. I’ve been in many relationships, the last one was for eight years, but she kicked me out. I got myself a credit card and maxed it out in no time. Then I went bankrupt and hit rock bottom. With all the tears, the fear, grief, depression, anger and loneliness, I was a shell of a man.

I ended up ill in hospital and knew that I had to get help. I sought counselling with The Salvation Army—where I heard about Recovery Church.

I moved to Woodville to get out of the temptations of the city, and lived across the road from the Sallies. It took me six months to get the courage to go across the road to Recovery Church.

There, I heard about Jesus for the first time. I started to think that maybe this Jesus had been watching over me for a long time. I felt accepted and became part of a church family with wonderful, encouraging Christian people who helped me become closer to Jesus. My faith grew immensely.

I started talking to God all the time. Gary Stringfellow, the Salvation Army leader at Woodville, took me through a book on discipleship. In one of the chapters was a prayer of commitment. On 11 June 2016, I prayed that prayer and signed my name to it.

Jesus is in my life, heart, soul—and he has changed me. With the help of the Holy Spirit, my life is now sober and clean. I’ve done a complete 180 and am learning God’s rules, laws and scripture. I am trying to make amends and connect with family again.

I am passionate about helping others like me—that is my purpose now. I need to help people who have been broken and torn by this world.

I believe that turning my life over to God, by the blood of Jesus, is the only reason I am alive today. After all those years being ‘lost in space’, as I call it, I am at the apex of the mountain and about to start descending down the other side.

Get your alcohol use under control www.salvationarmy.org.nz/Bridge

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by Gary Eder(c) 'War Cry' magazine, 28 January 2017, pp11
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