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Stay Away from Drugs
Young people are curious and easily influenced by their peers. MCCC's i-youth ministry and Charis Youth Center, a Christian drug rehabilitation group, organized a series of anti-drugs talks for primary and secondary schools in Kuching in March. The talks helped to raise awareness among students about the dangers of drugs. Altogether, 17 sessions were held in primary and secondary schools and churches from March 20 to 29, 2007 and about 7,000 people attended. The campaign was sponsored by International Tuition School.
A total of 25 staff members, volunteers and inmates of Charis Youth Center put in much effort to come up with the program for the talks. They gave information on how to tell the different types of drugs, the making of the drugs and their negative effects. The message to the young people was to value their lives and to reject drugs.
The organizers also presented a sketch on the ugly side of human nature. This is to let the students see the implications for society when everyone is self-seeking and has lost their conscience. The sketch showed how naive teenagers are influenced by their environment to take drugs and finally descend into a living hell.
The main speaker for the talk was Charis Youth Center advisor Rev Soh Sheng Khung. He listed the consequences of taking drugs. Rev Soh reminded the students not to give in to peer pressure or be deceived into believing drugs such as Ecstasy can help them to be alert or to slim down.
The Senior Assistant (1) of SJK (C) Chung Hua No 5, Mr Tan, said the school had organized anti-dadah talks previously but this one was different. Students could see how harmful drugs were with the elaborate presentations and testimonies of former drug addicts.
i-youth staff member Timothy Bong said, "Response from the students was fantastic. I hope all of us, especially parents, will be just as enthusiastic toward anti-drugs efforts. I would like to call on all Christians to live out their faith and make an impact in the community."
Most of the feedback on the talks was favorable. The students said they were deeply affected by the presentations and sharing. They now had a better knowledge of drugs.
Mr Robert, the teacher-counselor of SMK Jalan Arang, commented that the talk was interesting and educational. He said a student handed over his pack of cigarettes to him after the talk because he realized how harmful they were.
SJK (C) Chung Hua No 5 teacher Ms Teresa said, "It was a good learning experience for the students. I'd never dared to mention 'Jesus' or religion in school; however, today I saw God at work here."
The principal of Chung Hua Middle School No 3, Ms Sim, said the presentations were very creative and the talk had achieved its objective.
Although the campaign has come to an end, we need more people to publicize the dangers of drugs and to help drug addicts so that they can see there is hope for a new life.
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