Giving Home to the Hopeless

this is an article about an extraordinary rehabilitation center in Gun-ob Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu

Giving Home to the Hopeless

How many times have we heard of drug addicts rehabilitated and re-rehabilitated? Surely, drug addiction is an extremely difficult problem. Most often, the firm and exacting rehabilitation centers prove ineffective in restoring the lives of the users of prohibited drugs.

Believing that drug addiction is not only a physical and psychological problem but also spiritual, the House of Hope provides a different kind of rehabilitation.

House of Hope is an affiliate of Helping Hand, a rehabilitation center in Singapore founded by the late Bro. Robert Yeo, a former heroine addict himself. Established in May 1997, the House of Hope is now on its 8th year of operations in Gun-ob,
Lapu-Lapu City.

“Here in House of Hope, we believe in the power of God’s Word to transform lives,” said a member of the project staff who refused to be named, himself also struggled with drugs for almost twenty years.

The House of Hope offers a 12-month residential program patterned after Singapore’s Helping Hand. The program consists of physical, work, social, and spiritual therapies.

WORK THERAPY

In the work therapy, “residents” are given assignments where they are most productive. Some are assigned in the kitchen. Others work for the maintenance of the vehicles and the building, while others work on income generating projects of the institution.

“We do that because when one has been into drugs for quite a number of years, he tends to get lazy,” the staff member said.

The residents work from 10 AM until 4 PM with a lunch and merienda break.

After the work therapy comes the physical therapy. From 4 PM until 5:30 PM, residents engage in sports to keep their body in shape. Just recently, they landed at second place in the Cebu Open Futsal Tournament.

During the holidays, the residents hit the beaches. They also have a yearly out-of-town retreat.

“We don’t really believe in total confinement,” said the staff member.

Man’s natural need of belongingness is also being properly addressed by House of Hope.

When a resident reaches his second month in the program, he is assigned in a Christian church outside where he can participate in the weekly fellowships, Bible studies, and prayer meetings.

NEW FRIENDS

The staff member added, “Through this they would meet new friends. Hopefully, after their program here, they will not go out with the same old friends who use drugs. They would gain a new set of friends that could guide and encourage them.”

The core in House of Hope’s program is the spiritual therapy. Everyone is required to have a Bible upon entering the program.

“Here dili lang ang addiction ang tangtangon, it’s your total transformation,” the staff member claimed.
Residents of House of Hope attest to this.

“Pag sulod nako diri wala ko mag-expect nga ma-change ko. Pero layo sa akong expectations, nausab gyud ko (When I entered this center I didn’t expect that I would change. But I was really transformed),” a resident who refused to give his name said.

BIBLE VERSES

A four-month resident said, “Now I realize how God really works in our lives so I devote everything to Him.”

Each day in House of Hope starts with the residents forming groups of four or five to discuss verses from the Bible.

After breakfast, they gather together for their daily devotions where they sing, pray, and listen to the word of God being preached.

One hour and fifteen minutes are devoted each night to read the Bible before lights are turned off at ten o’clock.

Saturday evenings are special prayer meetings with the residents’ wives, relatives, and friends.

House of Hope accommodates a total of 45 residents who volunteered to be in the program.
“One of the first requirements is that you must be willing to come and surrender, and have yourself rehabilitated,” the staff member said.

Gates are always open for those who want to escape.

“If you want to change your life, if you want us to help you, you won’t go out,” the staff member added.
After the 12-month program, when a resident feels he’s not ready to go out yet, he is free to stay on. House of Hope provides an aftercare program too. The staff member said they even have residents who study and go home to the center.

The staff member admits it’s hard to quantify success in rehabilitation.

“The truth is, a drug addict’s life is a lifetime struggle,” The staff member acknowledges. The staff member added that there is no absolute certainty that a drug addict will not go back to addiction.

TEMPTATIONS

“It’s hard. Temptations are always everywhere.”

Another resident who has been there for three months said, “Once you have established a personal relationship with the Lord, all those vices would just go out of your life.”

In the financial aspect, House of Hope doesn’t have any standard fee. But they do ask the residents’ parents and relatives for pledges.

“Those who can afford give P5,000 a month. Those who can not, give P4,000, P3,000, P2,000. But to those who have nothing to give, we stress that finances should not be a hindrance in the transformation of a person,” said the staff member.

In cases when a resident has nothing to give, House of Hope searches for sponsors for him.
In the midst of the bondage of drug addiction, House of Hope provides a home for the hopeless drug abusers.