The local Christian church Operation Dawn, together with Friends of Hsing Lin Tzu (FHLT), yesterday launched a support group and hotline for drug addicts' families in the hope of helping families and addicts recover from the damage done by drugs.
Parents seeking help for their drug-addicted children can call the hot line on 02-223-1774.
"The hot line and counseling services offered by Operation Dawn is mainly faith-based. The counselors are professionally trained in theology, and they have basic training in psychology, too," said the dean of the church's counseling department, Chang Shu-yuan (
Chang said that the church had been involved in helping addicts quit drugs -- by "using gospel rehabilitation" -- for 20 years. During the counseling sessions they would help the addicts and their families understand the profound damage that can be caused by drugs.
They would also help addicts establish the correct beliefs about life, and they reach this goal by "curing the whole person."
"We have five rehabilitation centers that offer free rehab services to addicts. They will be led by others who have gone down the same road, because those people are the ones who understand them the best," Chang said.
While Operation Dawn is responsible for the counseling service, the parent-supporting group, Parents-Supporting-Parents, is mainly organized by FHLT.
"We hope to organize groups for drug addicts' families to share their experiences and help each other. We would also encourage addicts to record the stories of their lives as a way of reflecting on themselves, and to serve as a warning to others," said Lin Mao (林茂), dean of the FHLT preparatory office.
Tang Li-hsing (唐力行) offered to share his experiences as a parent of a drug addict, and told the story about how his son was cured through the love of God.
"My eldest son's rebellion and drug addiction ruined his future and a happy family, but thanks to the grace of God he got in touch with the gospel, and the family has been given a chance to start all over," Tang said.
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