Betel UK is a Christian charity helping men and women trapped in addiction. Betel’s mission is to bring longterm freedom and restoration to lives broken by drug and alcohol abuse. They accomplish this by building values, skills and character through living, working and worshipping together in a caring Christian community. Their centres nationwide are free-of-charge, operate no waiting lists, and are run by people who have experienced freedom from addiction themselves. Here is one lady’s story:
My name is Kim and I’m 44 years old. My parents were both alcoholics and so as children, the only thing my sisters and I saw at home was our parents being drunk or going missing. My dad was removed from the family home for sexually abusing my eldest sister and my mum’s alcohol use got so bad that we were placed into care. It was meant to be a week but it ended up being five years before we were allowed home and mum was mum for a while. It didn’t last long. After a few years, mum wanted to go partying and drinking again. She didn’t want to be a mum. To numb the feelings of rejection I started drinking, smoking pot and taking LSD.
I was so desperate for someone to want me. I got involved with a boy but when I gained weight he said he didn’t want me any more, so I sought a drug to help me lose weight — amphetamines. That was the start of my downward spiral into deep addiction. I didn’t sleep. I was hallucinating. I became emaciated. To help me sleep, my sister gave me heroin. I was eighteen and used heroin until I came to Betel at 29. In those 11 years I did everything I said I wouldn’t do. I became a prostitute, a prolific shoplifter, constantly in and out of prison, on probation and drug treatment orders. Nothing worked. Everyone told me my best hope was to be medicated with methadone to replace heroin for the rest of my life. It was at this stage that I came into contact with Betel.
I came into Betel hoping to stay for two weeks to get off drugs. Fourteen years later, I’m still here! God has captured my heart and completely transformed my life. Now I live a life that was once unimaginable to me. I’m the women’s supervisor here. I love seeing people being transformed by the power of the cross. I’m married with two beautiful daughters and my life is focused on the Lord and his plans for me. I once heard a speaker saying, “I don’t want to go where God’s presence won’t be.” That’s my heart. I lived without the Lord for so many years and now I can’t imagine life without him. I was once trapped in addiction and darkness, but through Jesus, I now have a freedom I never knew was possible.
If you or anyone you know needs freedom from addiction, please visit www.betel.uk or call 01564 822356.
