A Substance Abuse Recovery Ministry of the
International Churches of Christ
CR Traditions

Submit an Article Media Gallery Download (Members) Forum Links
CR Traditions Recovery Stories CR Ministry News
Editorials News Stories Q & A Movie Reviews Book Reviews Classes
Link To Us Meeting Locations
 

Failte Go hEireann - CR Reaches Ireland


 Editor    Feb 07 : 12:19
 None    CR Ministry News

It's early morning, and there's a cold wind blowing.

Click to enlarge

It's early morning, and there's a cold wind blowing. Not your regular cold wind, but the kind that passes right through to your bones, that freezes your very soul, the kind of cold that can only be felt while walking home from a night partying, on a lonely Irish road at three in the morning.

Two figures are coming down this road, their heads down, eyes closed trying to catch up on lost sleep, talking to one another, hands in their pockets trying to shield them from the bitter cold. This night has been much like every other night. It began with high hopes, a staunch belief that tonight would be different.


They begin the evening by heading off down to the pub, just for one or two, mind you, then it's off again to the nightclubs. Tonight is going to be very different, at least, that's the plan. Then what follows, as usual is too much to drink and both men making fools of themselves.

And now here they are, having walked home fourteen miles, too poor to drive and too drunk to have gotten a ride, stone cold sober asking themselves if this is all they can expect from their lives. They talk of great dreams and great aspirations but all they can do is head out again the next night for more disillusionment.

Click to enlarge

Fast forward, eighteen years, New York City. A phone call is received from the Church of Christ in Dublin, Ireland requesting help with starting a Chemical Recovery ministry. The same two men, David Martin and Harry Mullan, spoken of, earlier, volunteer to go back to their homeland to share what they have learned about recovery from substance abuse. They have been sober disciples in the New York City Church of Christ, for over fourteen years, playing active roles in the Chemical Recovery ministry.

Click to enlarge

"From the moment we arrived in Ireland, the church there made us welcome. It was truly our dream for both of us, be able to bring the Chemical Recovery ministry to our brothers and sisters there. Nick and Sara Isaacs, who lead the Dublin church, could not have been more supportive of the ministry. Getting the leaders behind the ministry is vital to its success. At every point they proved their concern for the plight of drug and alcohol abuse in Ireland.

Click to enlarge

The ministry was received with great excitement as it could be seen how it would help to keep people faithful to Jesus Christ. For us, the weekend was a blur going from one meeting to the next, but throughout, there was a powerful sense of unity, of family as we shared our convictions. At the end of our stay we were sad to leave. We missed our families in New York but we would also miss our Irish family there. We are very proud of the new CR leaders in Ireland as they are living on the edge. We remain in contact with the CR ministry in Dublin and rejoice in the news that already, a baptism has resulted. To God be the Glory.

 


printer friendly


love-quitters.jpg
All trademarks are © their respective owners, all other content is © ChemicalRecovery.org 2000/2021.