I'm the youngest in a family of three siblings, with an older brother and sister. Both my parents were professionals. My father was a Professional Mechanical Engineer and my mother was a University teacher and Certified Public Accountant. I completed my education from kindergarten through to high school at an exclusive private school run by the Jesuit Fathers.

 

When I was in high school, I hated people who took drugs. This was in the late 1980s when the choice of drugs were marijuana, cough syrup and pain killers. I saw known drug users and addicts acting crazy and not in their right minds. But then it was also this time that I started drinking alcohol with friends. I was good at it and well trained by older friends, and was handling myself pretty well. 

 

When I went to university, most of my friends were very “good people”. A few of them were into drugs but they never asked me to join them. The drug of choice then which was gaining popularity was Shabu.  In 1994, four years into university, I finally decided I would try it out, not out of curiosity but out of arrogance. I told myself that I could never be hooked because I was very educated, came from a good school, and had a good family background.

 

My first try was followed by the next and then another one and so forth. I said to myself, tried it, and wasn’t hooked, so why not try it again? Everything seemed to be okay. Although Shabu was expensive, having rich friends had its advantages. It was fun indeed for the first two years, just being with friends, hanging out and having no cares in the world. I hid the habit from my girlfriend, family and relatives, and friends who were not into it. I never even imagined that I would last two years of "trying it" because my initial plan was to simply prove to myself that I would never be addicted to it. Two years into it, I still kept saying to myself the same thing.  Little did I know that by then I was already hooked on it.  Slowly, I started to pawn personal belongings and steal from my family, just so I could feed my habit.

 

In 1996 at 23, I married my girlfriend who was 19, after getting her pregnant. Later that year, my first daughter was born. I thought that my life would get better after that, but it didn't. Now I was bringing the habit into our marriage and home. I was irresponsible and so selfish. My wife and I were both young and immature. My addiction led to constant lies and other vices. The sleep deprivation due to my addiction made me temperamental and unstable. Drug addiction changes you. For the worse. Our marriage took a hit.

 

Shortly after our second daughter was born in 1998, my wife and I had a big fight where I turned violent. It was after this that she finally decided to leave me and took our daughters with her. At the time, my older daughter was only two years old and the younger one was just six months old. Losing my family, I was so depressed that I took even more drugs, hurting my family and loved ones even more. I went into a downward spiral and tried all sorts of ways to get money just to support my habit. I was roaming the streets and homeless, living with friends who were also hooked on the habit. 
 

My parents kept telling me to go to the House of Hope, which was recommended by a friend of my mine who had completed its rehab program and was now doing very well. But still I was stubborn and refused rehabilitation. After a year of denial, I finally hit my rock bottom. I got myself arrested for not paying a motel for a weeklong stay. I never forgot the look on my elder daughter's face when she went to the police station together with my wife back then. That was when I decided to enter the House of Hope. That was October 2, 1999. My life would never be the same again.

 

Even without having any intention of knowing God personally, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and personal Savior, three months into the program. A verse spoke to me one morning devotion. It was John 4:24, and it said "God is Spirit, and His worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

 

But by the grace of God my relationship with my family was slowly restored. My daughters, together with my parents, would visit me during the weekends and spend time with me.  My ex-wife also became a Christian and she remarried and moved to the US in 2001, taking our daughters with her. We are blessed to have remained good friends despite what happened.  I'm so glad that I was with the Lord when all these things happened or I might not have been able to handle it.  I always held on to this verse from Philippians 4:6-7. It says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

 

When I was in the program I promised to submit myself to the Lord's hand. I was into drugs for just 5 years, yet I see the same storyline unfold for every drug addict who may have been in it for 10, 15, or even 20 years.

 

In January 2000, my wife had our marriage annulled. I cannot blame her for her decision. I had done things that were so hurtful. Trust was gone.  Nine months after, I finished the one year rehabilitation program and stayed on to become staff, leading the maintenance department until February 2006. In 2002, I met someone who became my girlfriend. In March 2006, I moved to Toronto, Canada for work. Thank God for my brother who helped me start a new life in this country and also get to see my lovely daughters which is only 10hrs drive from Toronto. In August 2007, I married my long time girlfriend. The Lord has opened doors for me to spread the Gospel and share my testimony as a former drug addict, which is a manifestation of the Grace of God in our lives.
 

All my broken relationships have been restored. The Lord has given me even more than I could ask for. My daughters are now serving the Lord in Virginia USA together with their loving parents. I now attend regular church service together with my wife at the Commonwealth Avenue Baptist Church in Toronto, Canada and serve at its Praise and Worship Ministry and Audio/Video Ministry.

 

Indeed there is life after drug addiction. A life given to the Lord is the best!