Banishing alcoholism from the land of blue sky

|PIC1|Tsogoo was once a long term alcoholic who brought his family close to financial ruin and abused his wife and children. Today he's a whole man thanks to the Celebrate Recovery (CR) 12 step programme that assists those wanting to give up drink in Mongolia.

Alcohol abuse in Mongolia affects one in three families causing financial problems, domestic violence, child abuse and family dysfunction.

A 2004 World Health Organisation (WHO) report said 72 per cent of serious crime was alcohol related, 51 per cent drank too much and alcohol abuse could be the biggest stumbling block to economic and social progress.

|PIC2|Sobering statistics - no pun intended. Certainly sights of staggering drunks in parks, buses or passed out in the street are common. Fortunately groups like CR, linked with ISAAC (International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition), have stepped in to reach Mongolia's alcoholics.

CR came to Mongolia five years ago and today is active in 14 churches across the country - amazing growth considering the remoteness of some parts of Mongolia.

CR worker Jung Mi Park from Korea said the change to a single individual's life was far more widespread and included families and communities. Based on the statistics above these changes were what Mongolia needed.

|PIC3|Former drunks that have come through CR are now leading churches and communities, even Jung Mi's co-worker Bayasaa was once an alcoholic. And Tsogoo is now discipling others affected by alcoholism.

CR plans to build a network to connect existing and new support groups so they become better integrated. They also want church based groups to own their programmes so they become sustainable long term. Please pray for the harmonic establishment of this network.

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Jung Mi is working through Joint Christian Services (www.jcsintl.org) in Mongolia - a Christian development agency in Ulaanbaatar. If you would like to be involved working in or praying for Mongolia please see the JCS website for need areas.

ISAAC is an international network of Christians responding to the escalating problem of substance misuse and addiction. The ISAAC network consists of over 400 members and more than 2,500 contacts in over 55 countries.



Copyright: ISAAC