Church youth group tackles drug abuse, AIDS education
By Samantha Alleyne
With drug abuse and the number of persons who are being infected with the AIDS virus becoming rampant, many organisations and churches have been trying to educate youths and the general public about the consequences of using drugs and not practising safe sex. One such church is the Revival Mission Church which formed a group in 1995 to battle the use of drugs, the AIDS virus and the many problems that face young people. The group has an office which is located at Old Road, Greenwich Park, East Bank Essequibo. Since the group, which is headed by Missionary/Evangelist, Ronald Hudson, came into existence it has been visiting schools and holding rap sessions with students on the different topics. Hudson, in a recent interview with Stabroek News, said that they decided to form the group after they noticed a need for moral and spiritual revival in the schools, prison service, the police force and the entire nation. He said that since its existence the group has spoken to over 100,000 students around the country. Pamphlets and posters dealing with the consequences of drugs and promiscuous behaviour have been freely distributed to schools and other institutes, Hudson said. He added that they have also dealt with the issue of suicide among youths. The visits to the schools were not without rewards. Hudson said that they have received many letters from students whose schools they had journeyed to and this, he said, was the best reward they could have asked for. He said that they had seen some changes in the lives of youths whose schools they visited. "We want the public to know that drugs is not the way to take, there is a better way," Hudson said. The group has also made efforts to touch the lives of children on the street. Hudson said that they had spoken to a number of these children dealing with different topics. They have also helped them materially, in what ever way they could. Hudson said that children could be a valuable treasure to society or a vicious threat. He reiterated that parents must pay more attention to their children and desist from leaving them alone at home often or for long intervals. Since drug abuse is the main focus of this group it is planning to build a rehabilitation centre for drug abusers in the near future.
|