Mr. Sun and his wife were called “mandarin ducks in the drug sea” in the past. After getting rid of drugs through their faith, they built the Philadelphia Christian Drug Ministry in Nanjing to help drug addicts gain new life through God’s gospel and their own experiences. Below is their story and the introduction to their new ministry:
As a Nanjingese, Mr. Sun went out to work at the age of 14 and tasted the sweetness of life. His aggressive character along with inner emptiness brought disaster to him. At the age of 21 he began to take drugs and became addicted to it. Since then he walked on the drug rehabilitation road which lasted more than one decade.
Sun’s mother converted to Christianity when she heard the testimony of Liu Minhe (currently the head of Operation Dawn Taiwan who was once a junkie who had quit drug abuse successfully). After her repentance she held services at home and rented a factory to make a church. She prayed constantly for Sun for 20 years. Later, Sun and his wife got rid of drugs in Shenzhen and Shanghai respectively.
She says, “I regard them as my own children. Jesus came to save sinners and Jesus took all the prices behind everyone’s repentance. In the parable of the lost son (Luke 15), the father didn’t blame him but forgave him with love.” In her church ministry, a pastor told her the story that Saint Augustine prayed for him and said, “A child won’t go to hell if his or her mother prays for him or her with tears.” Then she insisted on praying for him for 20 years. After Sun’s conversion she supported his ministry and hopes more churches can join in this ministry to help more people.
After detoxification, Sun and his wife began to receive drug addicts who wanted to quit drugs in their home where people slept on the bed and under. As the number grew they had a new place called the “Philadelphia Christian Drug Rehabilitation Fellowship” in which the couple helped those addicts who shared the same experience. “Helping a man is helping a family, even a clan.” He says. Until now they have helped more than 20 people successfully out of drug addiction from 2009 when they first began their ministry.
Sun believes Christians need to carry out social care ministry to care for the helpless like drunkards and junkies in the world. Moreover those who get through that problem can be part of Christian drug rehabilitation ministry better because those who have gotten over the same issues know the sort of world more than normal people. Sun says, “We received God’s huge grace and know that God loves us.”
The Christian Drug Rehabilitation Fellowship is based on God’s Word and helps addicts get rid of addiction by the strength of the Gospel, to set them free in both body and soul. “Man can do nothing without God’s word,” says Sun.
Last July, the fellowship invited Hanyi Hong, the former Mafia boss in Hong Kong to give his testimony in Nanjing. The two evangelical meetings attracted over 1,000 people and led more than 100 people to follow Jesus.
Currently the fellowship is planning to build a place named “The Home in the Midway” where those who quit drugs through the help of the Gospel live a short-time transitional life in a good faith and life environment in case of relapse. Meanwhile, in this place they can acquire skills and become integrated into the society smoothly in the future. Sun says, “The ministry needs a good system. I expect it to be more complete.”
