An important partner in the battle against drug abuse in Eastern Kentucky is Shepherd’s Shelter/Ross Rehabilitation, a Christian faith-based adult substance-abuse treatment center. Its founder and director, Pastor Wayne Ross, is a former substance abuser himself.
“In addition to Recovery Dynamics, a national-standard recovery treatment program, the Christian faith is the cornerstone for the success of our center,” Wayne says.
The importance of Christian faith is emphasized at the beginning of the program and incorporated into daily activities during a client’s stay at the center, which typically lasts six-to-eight months. There are two required church services every week, on Tuesday and Saturday evenings, in addition to daily morning meditation and praying.
“You have to put God in first, or you won’t recover,” says Joshua Walker, 31, who has a 16-year history of drug abuse. He recently completed the program and is becoming a volunteer at the center for at least six months to “pay back the love and care I received.”
To ensure the Christian faith is properly developed and practiced on a daily basis, the shelter came up with an “Accountability Program,” which comprises a serious of cards with Bible verses and character-flaw reminders locked in a box that is carried around by a designated person 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It is the box carrier’s responsibility to closely watch the behaviors of fellow recovering clients and hand out cards printed with relevant correcting measures. Each client at one point is a box carrier, which is part of the recovery program that also teaches the carrier responsibilities.
Brett Berry, a 30-year-old man who has five children and was addicted to meth for four years, is the current male Accountability Box carrier.
While strict rules and schedules govern the daily life at the center, the clients are allowed limited autonomy to participate in daily activities and chores. Every client must take a mandatory drug test twice weekly. Some clients are developed into team leaders to organize daily tasks.
James Peavley, 38, a former heavy meth user, is the current male team leader. Nearing completion of the six-month program, Peavley will be returning to his old job with the help of the shelter.
Over and over, the clients mention how important the Christian faith is in helping them find the confidence to face the challenge of life on their own and to feel loved again.
“God uses this place to show me his love,” says Gwyn Cole, a 20-year addict who has been sober since coming to the shelter eight years ago. Now she passes on the love she received to others as a staff member at Shepherd’s Shelter.
