Yesterday we had the privilege of checking out the
rehabilitation center that Melissa’s friend, Dave, worked at for a year through
AJWS. We first visited one of their
outreach centers near a local train station, where apparently heroin is a big
problem. We were greeted by current and
former patients, who were so excited to have visitors, and we got a tour of the
tiny building, which apparently floods frequently. On our walk back to the train station, we
were stopped by a man selling vegetables, who turned out to be one of Dave’s former patients,
Kayun. He insisted that we go to his
house and celebrate his son’s 3rd birthday with him. A short walk through narrow alleyways took us
to Kayun’s little one-room hut, where he, his wife, son, and newborn daughter
all live. We all sat around on the
floor, and they handed their infant daughter to me! Kayun bought us each a
mango drink and insisted we drink them to celebrate his son’s birthday. I was amazed at these people’s generosity
when they have so little. Kayun and his
wife were heroin addicts but have been clean for 5 years. Kayun is HIV positive, but by some miracle, his
wife and children do not have the virus.
It was so incredible to sit in this little hut, holding the newborn baby
of two former heroin addicts who have overcome such adversity to make a life
for themselves.
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