The 45 Minute Drive to Drug Treatment
Posted on Saturday, October 15, 2011 by
Tunya* sat in the front seat of my car eating McDonalds. I asked for a french fry, I hadn't eaten myself since breakfast 5 hours prior. I had just left Remann Hall to drive her to treatment, 45 minutes away. I had gotten the call two days before. Tunya had just left a doctor's appointment where she saw a healthy ultrasound of her baby. Tunya was motivated to get off drugs for her baby to survive.
"So how are you feeling about treatment?" I asked. Looking down at her growing belly, she shared, "I have to do this for the baby. My baby is still healthy and I need to do my part." Tunya had been using some very dangerous drugs the past few months, and was more addicted than she had been in her life.
My heart ached for Tunya. She had surrendered her life to Christ in Remann Hall about 4 years ago. God had healed her mind from trauma in her childhood and brought her into freedom from some very destructive patterns. She spent some of the past 4 years pursuing God and his purpose for her life, but the recent years have been spent pursuing her own interests. I longed to see her freed from this addiction, from going back to the comforts that she uses to meet her needs. I longed for her needs to be met the way God longs to meet her. I prayed for her in my head as I drove and held back my tears.
We pulled up to the treatment center. I walked her up, met her counselor, learned about the program, and gave Tunya a big long hug. She wouldn't let go and her tears streamed onto my sweatshirt. I held her for a few minutes and prayed over her; declaring who I know she is, what God has planned for her, His love for her, His desire for her return to him, and asking God for her freedom.
And then I walked away.
In all my years of working with teens, I'd never driven one to treatment myself. I wanted to stay with her, all 28 days if I could. I knew she'd be alone with God. She would have to face her pains, fears, and decide if she would stay.
I took the elevator down to the street. I walked to my car, got inside, and wept. God please help Tunya; please help her to turn to you, to receive your help, to let you in, and heal her.
*for the privacy of the youth we have used a different name