The healing power of loving and serving others – Andrew’s Easter story
For Andrew, a member of the Caloundra (Qld) Salvation Army and a caring volunteer at the Caloundra Salvation Army House of Hope, Easter is a time to remember God’s love and guidance. After many ‘rock bottom’ moments in his battle with addiction, Andrew found love, joy and purpose in reaching out and helping others. Today, despite a degenerative illness, he is contented, has deep faith in God and says, “I feel so blessed to be sober and alive”.
Andrew shares:
I was born in Melbourne and brought up in the Catholic Church. As far as my childhood went, I had a really, really lovely childhood. You hear lots of bad stories of some people with their involvement in the Catholic Church, but I didn’t see any of that.
My parents owned a large toy store as well, which was a bonus as a kid growing up, and I loved minibikes and all that sort of stuff. I was loved and probably a bit spoilt.
Life changed when my family moved to Queensland when I was 14. I was a bit of a reserved sort of child and making new friends was difficult. The new school was so different. I wanted to make friends and fit in, but it was a challenge.
Slippery slope to addiction
One night I got invited to hang out with some guys and we got some beer. They all thought I was hilarious after a few drinks, so they invited me back the next day. That’s how I made my new friends.
Unfortunately, the alcohol just got worse for me over the years, even though I was always functional. I think that is why, for so long, I was reluctant to admit that I was an alcoholic.
I became a greenkeeper by trade and generally worked in horticulture, but I’ve done other things as well. I spent a lot of years up in the Whitsundays, which was a great time in my life. In my mind, through that time, an alcoholic was someone on the park bench, not someone with a job and housing.
But, over time, I got to the point where I hated myself.
Every single day, I just had to get drunk because I didn’t like the person I’d become. There were so many rock bottom moments over the years – waking up in a police cell covered in my own blood, frightened, with no idea how I got there or what had happened – things like that.
It finally got to a point in my life after drinking for 30-odd years that something changed — I believe God intervened somehow. I rang my father up and said, “Please come and get me.”
The path to faith, healing and recovery
That was back in 2016 and I started going to a 12-step program. During that time, I had a couple of relapses, as many people in recovery often do, and I then decided to change [my 12-step] sponsor (supporter).
The guy who was to become my sponsor, Paul, was a Christian and in the Salvos.
I knew him through the meetings and we’d just clicked. One day, over a cuppa at his place, he prayed for me. Nothing dramatic.
But when I was driving home, it was really strange. I had tears coming out of my eyes – but I wasn’t sad and I wasn’t happy. It was like a release, and that’s when I thought, “Yep, there’s something in this for sure.” He became my sponsor and he’s now down in another state, but he’s still my sponsor all these years later. I still ring a couple of days a week.
Salvation Army connection and hope
I think it was a community meal night I went to at first at the local Salvos all those years ago with Paul, and then I went to a small group gathering. I just loved the feeling. I started going to the Salvos corps (church) and found something genuinely peaceful about the place.
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I also loved what they were doing to support people who were struggling, and I wanted to get involved. I did and I haven’t looked back since. Now I spend about 10 or 12 hours a week volunteering at The Salvation Army’s House of Hope.
Because the main Salvos centre is a bit out of town, we’ve got this base that’s right in town, called the House of Hope, where people can come in and they can collect their grocery cards and food. We’ve also got a Salvos Moneycare [financial] counsellor and our Doorways worker who come and support people.
I help out practically by giving the cards and packages to people, having a chat. Wherever I’m needed.
Feeling alive through helping others
The reality is that helping others can be a bit of a selfish thing too, because I get a lot out of it – a lot more than I do out of helping myself. It keeps me on the straight and narrow.
I love it when someone comes in crying with no hope at all, and they leave with some food and a bit of a smile. I just love it. It’s hard to put into words, but now that I’ve got my life back on track, I want to give back to others.
I’ve actually got a disease called CMT – Charcot-Marie-Tooth, which is a nerve disease – and it causes muscle waste in my limbs. It is degenerative, so eventually down the track I’ll probably end up in a wheelchair, but it doesn’t bother me.
I’m just grateful for my life and feel so blessed to be sober and alive. And for now, I can still walk.
Faith in God and heart to help others
At one stage I was managing a company and thought with the right contracts I could become rich. But that wasn’t to be. Now I’ve got the disability and I work one or two days a week and do the rest as a volunteer. I’ve got less money now than I’ve had most of my life, but I’m happier than I have ever been.
I would say to people who are struggling that there is hope. There is love to be found and Easter is a good time to remember that God is love [at Easter and all through every day].
For so long, I was getting up at 6 o’clock in the morning drinking alcohol. I couldn’t function without it and I had no hope whatsoever. I thought that was going to be my life and that was going to be how I died.
Then God intervened in my life and here I am now. From where I was in 2016 to where I am now, it’s just an amazing turnaround. It took care and effort from others like Paul. It took an intervention from God. I also learned the secret that helping other people is one of the most powerful things you can do – not only for others, and for your community, but also for yourself!