"Ours is a world where people don´t know what they want and are willing to go through hell to get it."
Don Marquis
Juan Carlos, our director of training just came back from a meeting with some government officials and other drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers in Colombia. "Bad news" he remarked to me, "the law is now in effect all entities working with drug addicts and alcoholics are required to have a psychologist in their payroll." My stomach churned as if I had eaten rotten food. "Its just as you said it would happen, they are looking only at one model and thats the medical model." Juan Carlos added, "but we almost fulfill their requirements, I believe we will be able to swing this." He assured me. But this statement did not cheer me up at all. I know God will provide for Canaan and we have been preparing for this kind of situation a long time knowing the trend of where the government of Colombia is headed. But I was saddened because this law will restrict many valid ministers of the gospel, even graduates of Canaan who has training and experience; from opening up very much needed Regeneration Centers that could truly help drug addicts and alcoholics. It is not that we are against the medical model but they are only one part of the whole system that can give freedom to those who are in bondage to this epidemic. It has been proven that the problem of addiction is also a spiritual problem and faith based communities are very important in helping families devastated by it. Even some psychologists and medical doctors admit to this statement.
There are so many ministries right now all over Colombia and Latin America who are making a difference, who are transforming addicts and alcoholics into powerful leaders of the future. There are tons of testimonies I have heard how street corner preachers and small churches have been influential in transforming the lives of addicts. I believe in the integrated model where medicine and the spiritual can work together. And I understand the government´s decision to look at psychology as a standard, this will shut down what I call rehabilitation garages that are operating illegally or are doing more harm than good. But at the same time this decision will affect many valid ministries that are doing a good job, they simply would not be able to afford psychologists and their methodology, which brought desirable results; would be descriminated. In my last meeting with the drug task force of the Northern coast region of Colombia, the main topic was the lack of centers to help addicts and the shortage of recovery and support workers. We had suggested that there is a labor force available that is so vast and would serve because of their hearts of compassion, not because it is a job nor for money; and that is the Christ centered church. We advised the government not to narrow down the spectrum of help but broaden it by allowing cost effective grassroots faith based training programs that would equip these men and women to do the work of the ministry and would alleviate the already overburdened goverment system.
Internationally Canaan has set up a grassroots training center to train these men who had been in addiction but are now wounded healers. We have also expanded this training to include the church and individuals with valid callings to the hurting people. We have acquired and in the process of getting international certifications for these training. We are putting together an international coalition of these recovery centers called cities of refuge and we will hold our first Networking Meeting on November 11, 2008 that would serve as a grassroots campaign for faith based recovery in Colombia. We will be involving psychologists, medical doctors, counselors, government workers and pastors that would work together in making it possible to train lay people and have the government recognize the faith based recovery field. What we are actually saying to the governments around the world is that there is another model for recovery available and it brings desirable results. There is training available and a standardization process that elevates the quality of care for those who have been devastated by drugs and alcohol other than the medical model. But most of all, this method is not just about getting people sober but it is actually transforming their lives and their communities.
