Andrew’s Story
My steadfast community
I came to British Columbia from Winnipeg on a 36-hour bus ride.
I had exhausted all my options in my hometown. I was constantly in and out of treatment for my addiction to crystal meth. I was not able to stay sober. My parents didn’t want anything to do with me anymore. Friends were few and far between.
It all started when I was a teenager and I went to a rave. At first, I just watched people use drugs. But eventually I joined in. I started with ecstasy and then one day I tried crystal meth.
For years, I forged on while my addiction grew. I was still able to keep up with my life; working in a resort town, completing a business diploma and holding down various jobs. But eventually my addiction became more powerful than any other force in my life.
I went to treatment many, many times. But I was never able to stay sober.
For my last winter in Winnipeg, I had no fixed address. I lived mostly on the streets. It’s a lot harder to survive being homeless in the winter than the summer (especially in the Prairies!). I was too scared to go to the shelters, so I spent most nights on someone’s couch or in a stairwell. Sometimes I didn’t even know how I got there.
I was desperate for change.
Then one day, I talked with my friend Chrissy on the phone. She was staying at Glory House in Mission, Hope for Freedom’s recovery home for women. “It’s beautiful out here,” she told me. “And they let you stay as long as you want.”
I learned that at Hope for Freedom, it’s not just three weeks and then back out on the street, like most of the programs that I had tried in Winnipeg.
I called them and they found a spot for me a week later. My parents helped me buy a ticket and I got on the bus heading west.
At Hope for Freedom I was welcomed into a community — a family. And what I learned along the way is that it's a community that has your back for the long haul.
I know this, because eight years later, I’m still here. I graduated from treatment years ago, and now I live independently. However, I lean on the colleagues, neighbours and friends that I have met here at Hope for Freedom for support. At times when I have stumbled they are steadfast, waiting for me with open arms and ready to offer me a second chance. They understand the challenges and realities of recovery from addiction. They know that it can be a bumpy road.
I made amends with my father before he passed away, and my mom and I chat all the time. We’re able to talk about our feelings and I am grateful to have her back in my life. Most of my vacations are to visit her in Osoyoos.
I have my own bookkeeping business and I keep the books at Hope for Freedom. My desk is a few feet away from Dennis’ (the Executive Director) and he continues to be a good friend and source of encouragement for me.
I remember when I started the recovery program at Hope for Freedom in 2016, I discovered that I’d heard most of it before. The recovery programs in Winnipeg had taught me the 12-steps and other important lessons. But I hadn’t been able to live them out because I wasn’t ready.
At Hope for Freedom the compassion, empathy and camaraderie that I felt from day one were critical to my success. I can truly say that without the folks here and the way they have looked out for me, I would not be where I am today. I may not have made it.
