Meth: a catalyst for chaos

“My son wouldn’t do drugs; he’s just too busy,” the mother of a high schooler said to me when the topic of drug use in our community came up. “And anyway, he should know better.”

While most would agree – kids should know better – drug use is becoming a problem in Winkler, Man. At the Mennonite Brethren church, one of our “life expressions” statements is: “We believe God has called us to impact our world through a passionate commitment to the missional enterprise of the church.” We wanted to show people that our church isn’t afraid of tackling the real issues we are faced with in life.

We decided to hold a meth awareness forum during our weekend worship services April 22 and 23. Our aim was to inform people (and to strip away any glamour drug use may have), encourage them to equip themselves and join God in battle, and instill hope that transformation is possible through relational ministry.

The forum attracted more than 1,100 in combined attendance, including many from the surrounding community.

Three members of our congregation – Dr. Murray Reimer, constable Arnie Klassen, and former meth user Ben Doerksen – spoke of their experiences dealing with the drug methamphetamine (meth). Organizations such as the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, Teen Challenge, and the Behavioural Health Foundation sent representatives to answer questions about helping someone who is using the drug.

No glamour

Dr. Reimer explained the things that methamphetamine is made of, including cold medicines, brake cleaner, anhydrous ammonia, lithium (found in batteries), drain cleaner, rubbing alcohol, and iodine. Symptoms of meth use can include being verbally and physically abusive, paranoia, confusion, extreme mood swings, not sleeping, hyperactivity, lack of appetite and/or weight loss, and lesions on the face and body. Users often neglect personal hygiene and may have tooth decay and gum disease known as “meth mouth.”

Meth users are also often very secretive and withdraw from family and friends and activities they used to enjoy.

Constable Klassen shared how parents can educate their children about drugs and their dangers. He stressed the importance of open and relaxed communication between parents and teens.

The most moving part of the forum was Ben Doerksen’s testimony of his four-year battle with meth. He grew up in a Christian home, but drugs still proved a temptation and ultimately took hold of his life. It started with an “innocent” experiment with smoking a cigarette. That “buzz” led to trying other drugs, each increasing in intensity of effect: alcohol, marijuana, mushrooms, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Eventually he tried meth and after several uses, it became his drug of choice.

Drug use slowly took over his life. “I knew it was breaking my mother’s heart, yet I couldn’t stop,” he said.

“Now that I look back,” Doerksen continued, “it was like looking at life through the eyes of a demon, there was such a satanic presence between me and my friends.”

He lost relationships with his parents and brothers, and experienced intense paranoia, weight loss, and not sleeping for days at a time. Once he didn’t sleep for seven days. The turning point occurred when he became so desperate for drugs he broke into a friend’s house to steal money to get high. Coming down from that high, he hit his lowest point. He had betrayed his best friend and realized he needed to make some major changes in his life. He is quick to acknowledge that he was only able to get clean by the grace of God and allowing God to fill the void.

While meth is a scary drug with many serious effects on the user and community, we wanted to portray the hope we are given through Christ. Junior youth intern Jeff Peters closed the forum with the story of the good Samaritan. Will we be bystanders, or will we step out and help those who desperately need it? He reminded his listeners that while meth can steal a soul, God can redeem it and restore peace, love, and joy.

Teresa Enns is senior youth intern at Winkler (Man.) MB Church.