From The Superintendent
“As you will read in this Report, alcohol, drugs and other forms of addiction can leave people without hope…”
I am often asked by people whether God still performs miracles. The simple answer is “yes”. If you meet any of the people who are in or who have been through our Wesley Rehabilitation Services programs or have used Wesley Counselling Services, you will see why I am of the firm opinion that God continues to transform lives.
As you will read in this Report, alcohol, drugs and other forms of addiction can leave people without hope but with professional Christian counselling and the love of Christ these people can move from the reality of death to life.
Most addicts use alcohol, drugs, gambling or binge spending to fill a void in their lives or to cover past hurt, trauma or pain.
Yet governments, the liquor industry and the media continue to purvey alcohol as a cultural norm and not as a drug that has the potential to kill, destroy and denigrate life.
Alcoholism is the third greatest killer in the world after cancer and heart disease, yet it is the only disease we joke about and try to ignore. Yet the cost to the community is enormous: illicit drug use alone costs the taxpayer more than $6 billion a year while alcohol is a whopping $7.5 billion!
During the past 10 years more than 30,000 Australians have been killed in accidents in which the primary cause was alcohol.
Talking openly about drugs, alcohol and gambling within the family is an important way of dealing with some of these issues, as one government education program is currently promoting. However for Christians, choosing not to drink or gamble is an act of social responsibility and Christian witness.
The psychiatrist and psychologist, Dr. William Glasser, stated that humans have two basic needs in life: one is to love and be loved and the other is to find worth and purpose. If a counselling service doesn’t address those two basic needs the person cannot be helped. These two needs are fulfilled in God. That is why our rehabilitation and counselling services address the needs of the whole person: physical, psychological and spiritual.
Changing the mind to a new way of thinking and behaviour shows us the way to the “abundant life” Jesus has promised each of us.
Rev. The Hon. Dr. Gordon Moyes AC, MLC
Superintendent
