The Victory Outreach international ministry was first established in the year 1967 When the founders, Sonny Arguinnzoni and his wife invited drug addicts from their local community members into their homes and simply shared with them the basic truth of the gospel.
Years later the ministry had branched out with recovery homes that are over 300 alongside 500 churches nationwide. This expansion led to the establishment of the Victory Outreach East Rand Branch which is currently located at Reiger Park in the year 2016.
The above-mentioned branch officially opened the doors of its recovery home on the year 2017 and has since taken a quantum of around 40 young men who are addicted to drugs every year to be rehabilitated at absolutely no charge. The rehabilitation process lasts for about 9 to 12 months, whereby the young men are vividly exposed to the ways of Christianity and its ministry.
“We have a curriculum that consists of four phases. The first phase is the foundation of Christ because we are a recovery home that stems from the church hence everything we do is based on biblical principles and Christianity” explained Daniel Melk, who is the current director of the recovery home East Rand branch.
When speaking to Ekurhuleni News Melk elaborated the following steps of rehabilitation. He said that the second phase is the calling, whereby the young men get to understand what purpose they have been called to serve in the kingdom of God. Followed by the third phase which is Breach from the recovery home into the church or back to the society based on your calling.
The last phase would then be when the rehabilitated young men are released into society after graduation to work and lead normal lives within the society, whilst others continue with the ministry of evangelism and poaching other addicted young men who are in need of rehabilitation.
“The impact of the recovery home on the young men and Society is that we have changed the stigma of once a drug addict always a drug addict. There is hope now and they have been given a new purpose and also set free from their chains of drug addiction,” added Melk.
Another young man named Mohau Letebele who is near the completion of his rehabilitation expressed how the recovery home helped him have a relationship with God and discover who he is and what he now represents whilst facing his challenges alongside integrating back into society.
In conclusion, Mohau said, “The community and society, in general, have to change their perception that once a drug addict is always a drug addict because changing that mentality would then give hope to drug addicts who might want to rehabilitate.”
By Rhulani Fundzama
