A CHIME IN THE WIND - Robin Williams, 2013

“One day when I relapsed I walked into a store and saw a little bottle of Jack Daniel’s. And then that voice – I call it the ‘lower power’ – goes, ‘Hey. Just a taste. Just one.’ I drank it, and there was that brief moment of ‘Oh, I’m okay!’ But it escalated so quickly. Within a week I was buying so many bottles I sounded like a wind chime walking down the street.”

Robin Williams, 2013.

It is now almost three weeks since the tragic news of Robin Williams’ death, an actor so dearly loved and admired who took laughter to a whole new level. Addiction is sadly prevalent in so many people’s lives across the world, more than likely resulting in adverse consequences.

In Guatemala so many prominent social issues are at the fore of society such as abuse, delinquency, family breakdown, poverty, health issues, violence, etc. Addiction to drugs, alcohol or both, is sadly too common.

Alvaro, Marvin and Cesar (left to right)

Today a group of thirteen Mentors and Young Adults from the ‘Young Adults with Purpose’ programme with ‘Time of Rescue’ spent an afternoon to go and put on an activity at a Rehabilitation home just outside of Guatemala City for forty male adult drug and alcohol addicts. This is a home Time of Rescue has worked with over the last year, taking to them addicts and men from the streets.

It was a wonderful afternoon. The ‘Young Adults with Purpose’ group brought real joy to the home. Marvin, a ‘Young Adults with Purpose’ member who was a former addict and street child, gave his testimony. Marvin spoke brilliantly and honestly about his own experiences and battles he faced as well as how his faith in God has continued to help him through continued challenges that have since carried on facing him.

Cesar, Director of Time of Rescue, giving instructions to the Young Adults before we entered the Rehabilitation home.

“Life was hard. The streets were big and my home was small. The suffering and pain I was going through at home led me to desire to find what I longed for on the streets. I wondered whether there I would find love. All I ended up finding was hunger, cold, loneliness, and an addiction.”

Throughout Marvin’s early teens when he was on the streets a street team doing visits attended to Marvin. Cesar Garcia, the director of Time of Rescue - a project supported by the Nicodemus Trust, attended to him as well as Alvaro, a chap who is now unfortunately in the Rehabilitation home. Marvin and Alvaro were amazed to see each other! It was Alvaro, back when Marvin was 14 years-old, who was key to helping Marvin and encouraging him to leave the streets. This time, 9 years on, it was Marvin encouraging Alvaro to do the same.

The Young Adults led worship, put on some games and made a snack of ‘tostadas’ (large round crackers with mashed beans, guacamole and parmesan cheese on top!) for the group.

A touching moment. One of the men in the home closed the activity in prayer. He asked everyone to turn around and pray for the Young Adults who at the time were outside preparing the food.

‘Young Adults with Purpose’ is a Movement for Young Adults who live in economically and socially challenging environments, have previously lived a street lifestyle, have rehabilitated from an addiction and leading on from all this, have the desire to grow and mature themselves and change their communities, country and world.

The Nicodemus Trust believes that helping others plays a major part in one’s own healing. Todays’ activity was a wonderful and impacting experience for both the Young Adults and the men at the Rehabilitation home.