Former drug addict determined to help community
Ex-drug addict is now a pastor who is determined to help rid the Florida community of drug addiction by housing recovering addicts in the Freedom Recover Centre.
Sylvester Sauls, a former drug addict, now helps his community by taking in drug addicts and providing them with accommodation during their recovery.
The Freedom Recovery Centre is a passion project of Sauls, who shared a glimpse into his own dark past of being homeless and battling with his drug addiction for 13 years. He is now determined to assist those who find themselves in a similar situation by providing them with a six-month recovery programme after which they should be ready to reintegrate back into society.
Sauls cited that he grew up in Florida with Christian foundations and has thus been ordained as a pastor at Rhema Freedom in Christ Ministries church and believes that addicts should not become comfortable in what he describes as their ‘rock-bottom’.
“I have been there. I know all about wicked behaviour and how it feels to lose bonds with family. I was a drug addict myself. Most of my addiction came from losing my father at a very young age, and I couldn’t fathom sleeping in a toilet when my house was just across the street and that’s when I surrendered my life to God,” Sauls expressed.
The recovery centre, based in Florida Lake currently facilitates five recovering addicts and Sauls, together with the house father, Darren Meyer, said that they aim to collect funding and donations which they will use to improve the facilities, acquire furniture and generally just make the place more liveable.
“We have a passion and heart for helping still suffering addicts – we’ve seen miracles. I’ve booked quite a few addicts into rehab. Now we want to assist all guys, but resources are a problem. We need beds, bedding, food for the guys, rent also needs to be paid,” Sauls said.
Freedom Recovery Centre thus calls on the assistance of the Roodepoort community in whatever form to come forward and help make the dream a reality and urges people to come together to assist families in the fight against drug addiction.
Anyone willing to help can contact Sauls on 068 257 8919.
