Dealing with addictions

Sally and Walter Neufeld

Walter Neufeld, who has been counselling people with drug and alcohol addictions at the Mental Health Centre, Sanatorio Eirene, Paraguay, is now studying conflict resolution at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg. He says, “In my work with addicts, I noticed that over 80% of the addicts come from homes where the relationship between the parents was bad. That motivated me to look for a school where I could study conflict transformation.”

Walter has himself experienced difficulties in overcoming addiction. He started smoking and drinking as a teenager working in the forestry camps. At 19, he started singing in a church choir. The song “Come Home, Come home, O Wandering One” pricked his conscience, but he was too proud to get help. It bothered him for over a year until one day he negotiated with God, praying, “If You are real, give me the power that I need to stop smoking. I will do my best, but I need your support.” Throwing his cigarette box away, he told his companions, “I will never take another cigarette.” They mocked him, but God was faithful and he was able to keep his promise.

This answer to prayer gave him trust in God. He talked to the pastor of the Mennonite church in Lolita Menno and made a decision to follow Christ.

He and Sally Unrau had been married about a year when they had an opportunity to train as psychiatric nurses at the Mental Health Centre in Filadelfia. It was very hard to leave family and friends and a good job managing a lumber business. His decision was made while singing “God Alone is King” from Psalm 96. They left their drinking buddies to make a new start, but they had become addicted to alcohol. People in the church hadn’t noticed, but at the Centre they were advised to get help. Through an organization similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, called Blue Cross, and with God’s help, they were able to overcome the habit. Walter has since started a Blue Cross organization in Paraguay to support addicts and to prevent addiction. This group in the Mennonite colonies has 50 members. Some of them have recovered from alcoholism.

When Walter started working in the church, the pastor encouraged him to get a Bachelor of Education, which meant another uprooting. After praying and planning for a year, they decided to go to seminary. He got support from his workplace, and the church paid the rest. After he finished his degree, they came back to their home church, where Walter has been serving as a deacon, teaching adult Sunday school and counselling.

As head of counselling drug addicts at the Mental Health Centre he felt inadequate to help people solve their family conflicts. When Alfred Neufeld, professor of the MB seminary in Asuncion (Instituto Biblico Asuncion), told him about the conflict resolution studies at CMU, Walter and Sally decided that was what he needed.

They sold their furniture and car, and Sally’s uncle advanced them money for the flight. The church in Paraguay gives every student who attends Bible school $1000 US, and the Mental Health Centre funded 25%. Walter says, “We trust in God and are not worried about the money. We work hard, and people help us.”

—Shirley B. Bergen

Shirley B. Bergen and Walter and Sally Neufeld are members of Portage Ave. MB Church in Winnipeg.