Ministry to the drug addicted in Mashobra

We arrived in Mashobra in the Christian center for working with drug-addicted, which were set in an old building of Anglican Church, reminding English castle with a tower. In the main hall of this prayer house, we were surprised to see a tennis table instead of benches at the one side, and at the other side - chairs and tables, arranged like a living room. In the bottom was set the room, where I and my wife had to live. “Room” is piled it on, because the place where we slept was separated from the big hall only with a curtain. The girls from the team went to live in rooms, set in the prayer house’s tower, and all boys, together with the drug-addicted boys, slept in a same attic hall. From the beginning of our arriving, the center’s leaders told us the rules we had to keep next few days. According to them we had to be very friendly to the boys and show love to them, instead of “beat” them with the Bibles on their heads, with doctrines that what they do is a sin, and so on, to show our respect to the leaders of this Center, in order the drug-addicted themselves to have respect to them too, and of course, to not behave false and hypocrisy, but to be natural, as we are. During our accommodating, we gave all these things, which could be seducing and stolen by the drug-addicted and then sold for money for drugs. The people who came here to search freedom from drug slavery were in various ages - from 18 to 33. Their social status was different - there were quite rich people among them, but also very poor. All they came from different parts of India. One of them was even from Nepal. The boys, who voluntary registered in this Center, came to live here under some clauses. Cleaning from drugs course is 1 year. During this time they haven’t right to go out of the Christian base without permission. In the morning they must wake up early, and after the breakfast, which is for all together, everyone begin to work on various useful tasks. Some of them make cards, which are selling and with the money they buy music instruments for worshiping God. Others worked on a project for stabilizing one of the slopes, where the Anglican temple was built. They bear stones and arranged them. Thirds prepared the lunch for everyone, and fourths took participation in holding the base hygiene. We also joined these jobs. When we finished the lunch, there was a short break, and then we went out to walk with the boys - the only time when they didn’t feel like prisoners in the base.

One day, while we were walking around and wondering God’s creation, a view impressed me a lot. Far away from us clearly could be seen two hills. The first one was covered with many trees and plants, and it was obviously that there was full of life. The other one was in total contrast with the first one - no green and sign of life. I related these two hills with two kinds of Christians - the first kind were those who show clearly that Jesus is their master and by this fact everyone can see in their life God’s abundance and grace, and the other kind - all these who say that they are Christians, but miss living presence of Holy Spirit, and totally fruitless for Him.

Every day we had special time for prayer and studying God’s word together. Many of the drug-addicted, registered in this course, can pass the programs and at the end of the year they not only fully reject the drugs, but also accept Lord Jesus Christ and become His true servants, going back to their hometowns or staying in the base to help the next boys who came to search for help. When the day of separation came, both our team and our new friends had benefit from this life together. For us it was, because we realized and understood that drug-addicted are people like everyone else, who need God’s love, and for them - because they felt loved and accepted. We went back again to Shimla and two days later departed to Delhi. The last stage of our trip to India was coming - our visit to Mumbai.

Up