It affects us all, literally. I would wager that every single one of us is affected or impacted by drug and alcohol abuse. Whether you’re a drug addict, alcoholic, functioning alcoholic, binge drinker or whether you know of someone afflicted with this soul-destroying disease or whether it has impacted your life via a third party, the tentacles of this generational scourge reaches deep.
But, there is hope on the way. The My Recovery Drug Rehabilitation program is part of the Lets Praise Ministry initiative and is the brain-child of Tyron Martyns, co-founder of the Raven Report and ordained Pastor.
“I’ve been ministering to prison inmates for many years now and I have seen young men at their absolute worst, trapped in a kind of hell that is impossible to imagine. But I have also seen some of these same young men, turn their lives around completely to become successful members of society and even over-achieving in their respective fields of business.
Tyron shares a story about a guy in is 30’s who found himself trolling the back alleys of the city of Cape Town, surviving by eating out of rubbish bins and begging to scrape together enough coin to pay for his next hit. That same guy, is now a chef, working for Sea Harvest.
“Sometimes all a lost soul needs, is a random act of love and kindness to restore their dignity.
Many of these young men have destroyed their relationships with their loved ones, often irrevocably. And the impact of this destruction leads to deep-seated feelings of low self-worth. It’s a vicious cycle of intense depression and self-loathing, that only the temporary escape of drugs or alcohol can numb or soothe.
“The time for the judgmental approach, or playing the blame game is past. We have a history of generational trauma in the Cape that stretches back to the arrival of the first European ships on our shores. No one needs reminding of the destructive horrors of apartheid. Now is the time to #BYOH – Be Your Own Hero and create your own narrative by letting go of hate, anger and playing the victim. Yes, of course it’s easier said than done, which is why I’m here to help, if you’ll let me.”
“I’ve put together a rehabilitation program which addresses the problem at the level of restoring dignity and self-love, of understanding the value of second chances and wisdom gained in hindsight and reflection. In addition, I want to host these programs in the natural-healing environment of the outdoors in nature, like on a farm or nature retreat.”
“I suppose you could say that this write-up is the starting point and I would like to reach out to everyone in the community who has been touched by the horrors of addiction to get in-touch with me to lend their support. This is also a direct call to business owners in the community to assist. We’re starting from scratch and we need sponsorships and funding, big and small to raise a venue and implement the program which will include general and nursing staff as well as counselors and guidance helpers.”
Call or Whatsapp me on 0797733069. Everyone is welcome. At present, the program is only available to young men. Tyron adds that “should there be anyone with the need for immediate intervention, we have access to existing programs in other parts of the Cape who are willing to assist.
