A Columban treatment center helps alcoholics and drug addicts heal their bodies and souls.
By Sr. Regina Bernard

Michael is a good-looking man in his early 20s. He belongs to a good Catholic family who sent him to study in a good school. But during his second year of college, a friend led him into a life of drug abuse. He became an addict, dropped out of college and had to return home.

His mother brought him to our Columban-run chemical dependency treatment center, called “IT WORKS!” here in Ozamiz City on the Philippine island of Mindanao. Michael resented his mother’s actions, and, at first, would not talk.

When I taught our clients daily meditation, I would say to Michael: “Michael! How are you Michael?” He would only grunt in reply. If he spoke at all during a sharing session, he would say only two or three words.

Then one day, I saw the hint of a smile in his eyes and on his lips. When I greeted him, I was met by a real smile. I saw him look in a mirror, comb his hair and examine himself.

I could hardly contain my joy. A change had come, and Michael’s recovery had begun. He joined our meditation sessions with greater ease.

Michael is a good-looking man in his early 20s. He belongs to a good Catholic family who sent him to study in a good school. But during his second year of college, a friend led him into a life of drug abuse. He became an addict, dropped out of college and had to return home.

One day I received an emergency call to come to the center because our roof was leaking. But the call was a ruse.

I was asked to go to the meeting hall where clients were standing in a circle, each holding a lighted candle. When they saw me, they burst out singing “Happy Birthday.” They had discovered that it was my birthday, and I was asked to sit for a short program of dance and song.

One girl, who had arrived at our center acting as emotional as a robot, danced the cha-cha with another recovering alcoholic. Then a vocal soloist was announced. It was Michael, and he sang beautifully.

A Treatment Center That Works
Columban Father Martin Ryan and Rene Francisco started IT WORKS! in 1997 in a house rented for $100 a month. I was later invited to join them as a facilitator and daily mediator to the clients.

Today, IT WORKS! has graduated clients from all walks of life from all over the Philippines. The youngest graduate was a second-year high school student, age 14, and the oldest was 65 years old.

Through September 2002, 145 people have graduated from IT WORKS!, and families have been reconciled. All but 16 have remained sober, and 12 have started their own 12-step meetings.

Most who relapse learn from their mistakes and return to the program. Others who could not finish our three-month live-in program are nonetheless living in sobriety. We charge $200 a month for each client in our live-in recovery program, but three-fourths are poverty-stricken and unable to pay.

But no one is turned away if they lack money. Our reward is healing addicts so they can live lives of sobriety and faith while reconciling with their families.