“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” – Carl Bard (Author)
Persons who struggle with drug addictions should be accepted as full members of society because, to overcome their drug addiction, they need to be loved on an equal basis with everyone else. Addictions can take on any shape or form. This means that the majority of us, if not all of us, were or are unconsciously addicted to something that has negatively impacted us; for this reason, we must avoid stigmatizing people living with drug addiction.
Mr. Henry Duah, Chief (Liaison between Clients and Staff at Compassion In Action), Rev. Robert Fenning, Head of Caregivers/Counselors at Compassion In Action, and resident Pastor at Église Francophone, Action Chapel International, Tema, Mr. Daniel Vroom, Assistant to Rev. Robert Fenning at Compassion In Action, and a Prevention Scientist are all people who have tasted drugs and have broken free from its bonds.
According to research, both young and old people around the world struggle with drug addiction. Despite its paralyzing effects, people who eventually liberate themselves from it typically succeed in society.
The stories of Mr. Henry Duah, Rev. Robert Fenning, and Mr. Daniel Vroom are particularly special and moving; need to be read or heard by anyone who is having trouble recovering from drug usage.
Mr. Henry Duah
Before enrolling in senior high school, Mr. Henry Duah, who was raised in Tarkwa in the Western Region of Ghana, had already begun using marijuana and cigarettes. He started taking heroin in 2001/2002, not long after landing his first job, and he consumed it like a cocktail. He mentioned that he fell in love with it because taking it made him feel good and he did not perceive it as a threat. He recalled a time when, after starting to lose weight, he told his mother about his new habit. Mr. Duah described how his mother sobbed while holding him in her arms after he told her the news.
Soon after, he resumed using drugs and started skipping work. As a result, was placed on probation for six months. He made numerous attempts to stop using drugs but to no avail. His mother tried to help him numerous times until she finally thought of sending him to rehab (Compassion In Action). He responded, “It was difficult for me to stop drugs. I ended up selling my properties and my car to get more money to sell drugs, and ended up using most of the drugs myself” when asked how difficult it was for him in his attempt to stop drugs.
Rev. Robert Fenning
Rev. Robert Fenning on the other hand was born and raised in Tema. He first used drugs in sixth grade. Along the way, he received a scholarship for a one-year foreign exchange program in the United States, where he started crack cocaine. After finishing his program, he returned to Ghana and was suspended during his third term of lower six in secondary school. Following his suspension, his uncle arrived to take him to Holland. Rev. Robert Fenning recounted how he eventually started heroin in addition to cocaine. Later, after relocating to Germany, he began peddling drugs in bars and on the streets, to name a few.
Rev. Fenning eventually married a lovely German woman, but the union ended as a result of his then-habitual drug use. Soon after arriving in Ghana from Germany, he began to experience withdrawal symptoms and sold two trucks and five cars that were all owned by him.
In 1994, he finally enrolled in rehab in Ghana, had three relapses, and in 1999 relocated to Côte d’Ivoire. Rev. Fenning spent seven years of his life in a rehab facility in Côte d’Ivoire where he encountered God before returning to Ghana in 2006. He continued by quoting Romans 8:28 to support his claim that God loved him regardless of his circumstances at the time.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 NIV
Mr. Daniel Vroom
Mr. Daniel Vroom, who was raised in the barracks by both parents and briefly lived in Lagos, Nigeria, remarked on how wonderful his childhood had been despite his parents’ eventual separation. He used drugs for the first time in senior high school. His friends had made numerous attempts to discourage him from doing drugs, but he had no interest. During one of the long vacations while in school, he met a group of guys who were already into drugs and joined them. As a result of having to divide his concentration between school and drugs, Mr. Daniel Vroom dropped out of school. He continued by describing how he had sold practically all of his clothing, including his shoes and pants, to raise money for more drugs during the time he experienced withdrawal syndrome.
Before Mr. Daniel Vroom enrolled in rehab in 2010, which was his first time, his mother had taken him to pastors, and he had spent time in prayer camps. Between 2010 to 2014, he had three relapses and went into rehab for the third time on 1st May 2014, at Compassion In Action.
Mr. Henry Duah, Rev. Robert Fenning, and Mr. Daniel Vroom are no longer enslaved by drug misuse today. They are free indeed. They all agreed that using drugs had led them down a lonely path and away from God. Particularly, Mr. Duah emphasized how, in contrast to his drug-using days, he now feels like a contributing member of society.
When asked if he thinks drugs separate an individual from God, Rev. Robert Fenning replied that he believes drugs do so because one ends up being more focused on the drugs than having time for the things of God.
“The majority of people who have come out of drug addiction have in one way or the other excelled in life.” – Rev. Robert Fenning
The three distinguished gentlemen expressed their gratitude to Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams for taking the initiative and working tirelessly to keep “Compassion In Action” going.
Mr. Henry Duah, Rev. Robert Fenning, and Mr. Daniel Vroom’s words set out to advise all in any form of drug addiction to seek professional help and trust in God.