Afghanistan supplies 90% of the world’s heroin inventory through opium poppy production and is also the world’s leading producer of hashish.
There is more land cultivated for opium than the coco harvest in Latin America. As a result, 10% of the overall population in Afghanistan has an addiction to illicit drugs. They are cheap and there is not enough government resources to stop this tsunami of drugs.
Morning Star does not have the ability to transform the nation’s drug problem, but through the New Life Addiction Recovery Program, we are transforming individuals. These individuals become free from the slavery of drugs and ultimately find freedom from their slavery of sin. Unlike the government’s 45-day program, New Life is a one-year holistic program, and is Afghanistan’s leading program for addiction recovery.
The men in this one-year program live in the recovery house and receive training in Celebrate Recovery principles, develop job skills, participate in community initiatives and receive on–going discipleship from qualified and devoted mentors. The men are also active in using their new job skills to support the recovery house. They make and sell products such as bookshelves, tables, knives, leather products, and art work. Soon they will also have a pizza business.
Although this program is still young, those who graduate truly have a “New Life” in mind, body and spirit. They gain marketable skills that enable them to find employment. We also work with their whole family, as their recovery becomes a complete family redemption.
Our dream would be a move to a farm where we could add a center for women as well as expand the men’s program.