RECALLING METH SUCCESS STORIES

I would like to again share one of the good stories about
drug-addiction recovery I previously wrote about.

It's the good ones I prefer to remember.

This one started with two sets of grandparents, each concerned for
the safety of their shared grandchildren. Their children, married to
each other, were addicted to methamphetamines and the local law
enforcement had already been called in because of a domestic
disturbance incident resulting from the drug abuse.

On the advice of one of the police officers, the grandparents jointly
met with a local drug abuse activist about their concerns. The
activist in turn referred them to a local faith-based drug recovery
program. The grandparents managed to convince their children, with
the help of an activist and counselor, that the program was necessary
- -- for the sake of the grandchildren.

The couple battling the addiction began the program, intent on trying
to get off this highly addictive drug that was ruining their lives
and endangering their children. They decided, at the urging of the
counselor, to go to a local church to see if bringing God back into
their lives would help. Arriving late on Sunday morning, four seats
were found in a pew for the couple and their two children. When they
slid into the seats, the husband reached across to shake the
outstretched hand being offered to him by a member of the church
congregation. When he looked up at the person behind the outstretched
hand, he found himself looking into the eyes of the very policeman
who had first come out on that domestic disturbance call.

At the end of the service, the man asked the policeman if he would
watch the children for a minute while he and his wife went up for the
altar call. The officer said his wife would watch the children so he
could accompany the couple up to the front of the church for the
altar call. When the couple left the church, the officer and his wife
were waiting outside to take them all out to lunch.

The story had come full circle. What started with a lawman, ended
with the lawman -- only in a church instead of a prison.

But all the cogs in the wheel were necessary to complete this
circle.

Part of the drug recovery program required that this couple contact
people who played a key role or made a positive impact in their
lives. Needless to say, the policeman, the activist, the counselor
and I assume their parents were on that list. And that is when they
each learned the part they had played.

I know this story to be true because of the people who told it to me.
The activist was Janie Fulghum of Mothers Against Methamphetamine of
Loganville and Walton County, the counselor was Wayne Sosebee of
Reformers Unanimous and the policeman was from the Loganville Police
Department.

Hillary Clinton said it takes a village to raise a child. I believe
it will take a series of villages to eradicate this meth epidemic
threatening our communities. In this story the village was
Loganville. Makes you proud, doesn't it?

Let's hope we continue to find the resources to keep this epidemic at
bay.