Freddy Wee, the deputy director of a Christian midway home for drug addicts in Singapore, understands what the boys coming to Breakthrough Missions Singapore are going by way of. That’s as a result of the 69-year-old has lived by way of it too.

Wee began smoking marijuana as a teen earlier than graduating to painkillers, heroin, and finally morphine. “I used to be at all times begging for cash for medicine, threatening individuals,” Wee mentioned. “It was a shameful life. It owned me for a few years until I used to be caught.”

Even when Wee was arrested and despatched to the government-run Drug Rehabilitation Heart (DRC) for six months in his 20s, nothing modified. He returned to his previous methods solely to be arrested once more.

His second stint lasted 15 months, and this time, members of a Christian group shared the gospel with Wee and different inmates. Years earlier, Wee had heard the excellent news from buddies and even attended church with them. However he didn’t think about his conversion real as his way of life didn’t change.

At this level, Wee was determined to be free from medicine and realized that solely God might give him the ability to beat his dependancy. He grew to become a Christian, began learning the Bible, and led a Bible examine group made up of fellow inmates. When he obtained out, he admitted himself to a Christian midway home, Home of Hope, realizing that with out assist, he would doubtless relapse. He promised God, “This time round, I’m severe about my life. I wish to comply with the Lord.”

After two years on the midway home, Wee was capable of finding a job and get married. Ultimately, he began his job at Breakthrough Missions in 2002. Reintegrating into society hasn’t at all times been simple as he has confronted rejection based mostly on his previous. Usually, it’s by way of quiet withdrawal fairly than overt actions.

“I at all times advised myself I needed to do one thing about my life no matter whether or not, in the long run, society accepted me or not,” Wee mentioned. “I can’t change the exterior, however I can change what’s inside me.”

Singapore takes a really powerful stance on drug offenses. These caught trafficking, importing, or exporting unlawful medicine—together with methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and hashish merchandise—of sure portions obtain necessary loss of life sentences. This zero-tolerance method to medicine is supposed to discourage the abuse of medication and preserve order within the nation, but it has its detractors.

On the similar time, the city-state has created an ecosystem to assist ex-offenders launched from jail and DRCs—which quantity greater than 10,000 every year—begin afresh. About 74 of inmates commited drug-related offenses, so many initiatives aimed toward reintegrating ex-offenders are designed for this group.

The Singapore authorities focuses on a three-prong method: employment, household, and peer affect. Christian midway homes—which make up half of the properties working with the Singapore Jail Service (SPS)—add a fourth factor: religion.

Nonetheless, working to assist drug addicts keep clear is a troublesome endeavor: The SPS discovered that inside two years, 26 % of offenders in DRC find yourself again in jail or detained, and inside 5 years, that share jumps to 45 %. CT spoke with 5 Christian leaders working in jail ministry and midway homes, most of whom have overcome dependancy themselves.

Jobs to suit into society

To assist ex-offenders rebuild their lives, the Singapore authorities established the Yellow Ribbon Singapore in 1976 to offer inmates with expertise coaching whereas in jail and job alternatives upon their launch.

The federal government additionally provides employers upto $36,000 to encourage them to make use of ex-offenders underneath the Jobs Progress Incentive (JGI). To help job retention, Yellow Ribbon assigns a profession coach for as much as a yr to assist the ex-offender and the employer. Between 2012 and 2021, Yellow Ribbon helped greater than 2,200 inmates every year to safe jobs.

On the Christian midway home The Serving to Hand (THH), residents are required to work throughout their keep: They will select from the providers THH gives, together with transferring furnishings, portray homes, constructing furnishings, or baking pastries. THH additionally companions with native companies to facilitate on-the-job coaching and supply employment for his or her residents.

Mervyn Lim, the CEO of The Serving to Hand, mentioned they search employers which have a robust assist construction and that provide expertise to assist ex-offenders discover jobs after ending their program. “This [on-the-job training] program additionally builds up their shallowness and confidence.”

One other nonprofit, HCSA Neighborhood Companies, which isn’t overtly faith-based, has a culinary academy to assist residents change into office prepared. Graduates depart with a certification to work in meals providers and assist for job placement.

Picture: Courtesy of Andy Ong / Edits by CT

Former drug addicts at midway home HCSA participate in a culinary class.

Household as a bulwark in opposition to re-offending

Households are additionally thought-about an integral a part of the reintegration of ex-offenders. The federal government-run Singapore Anti-Narcotics Affiliation (SANA) offers households of inmates with info and assist to allow them to stroll with their family members of their restoration journeys. SANA additionally has a tele-visit facility to assist households preserve contact with their family members in jail.

Jail Fellowship Singapore (PFS) makes use of an built-in ministry (IM) technique that cares for offenders from the time they enter jail till after their launch. On the similar time, they stroll with the offenders’ households, offering tuition providers, house visits, counseling, and monetary help.

“We glance after the silent victims, the members of the family, bringing therapeutic and restoration,” mentioned Lee Oi Wei, the top of the IM program. “Our important objective is to assist carry reconciliation to the households as a result of household is a really sturdy motivation for change and turning over a brand new leaf.”

As soon as the offenders are launched, Lee famous that getting them again right into a loving neighborhood is vital. In any other case, they typically return to their previous neighborhood and previous habits. Sadly, that’s the case for a lot of who’ve been alienated from their households. Based on Tan Hock Seng, govt director of The Hiding Place, solely 10 % of those that enter this system find yourself finishing this system and staying clear.

Religion that builds everlasting change

Those that expertise lasting change typically credit score religion for his or her transformation. That was what Tan skilled when he first signed up for the Christian rehabilitation program at The Hiding Place in 1981. He was 23.

When he arrived on the middle, he was on the finish of his rope: He couldn’t surrender medicine. He was depressing and had no peace in his life.

“However there was great pleasure at The Hiding Place. I used to be interested in that,” Tan mentioned. “Once they challenged me to present Jesus a strive, I believed I had nothing to lose. I stunned myself as a result of my coronary heart mentioned no however my mouth mentioned sure.”

He requested Jesus to remove his need for medicine.

In the future whereas scrubbing the ground, he thought to himself that if the ground might converse, it could say that being scrubbed was very painful. He then felt God saying to him, “I’m going to scrub your life identical to you might be cleansing the ground.” It was step one of his journey of sanctification.

At this time, Tan, 65, heads the midway home and pastors a church. The house’s non secular program includes each day quiet time in addition to Bible examine lessons within the morning and lessons within the night that embrace the evangelistic Alpha course.

Christian midway homes impose construction and agency guidelines of their 6-to-18-month program. Residents are required to rise at daybreak and comply with a schedule that comes with studying the Bible and sleeping early. Clear residing is predicted: no smoking, consuming, medicine, violence, or cursing. Violate any of those guidelines and you might be out of this system.

The stay-in packages typically don’t enable guests for the primary month or house depart for the primary six months in order that residents don’t return to their previous buddies and patterns. Breakthrough Missions additionally doesn’t allow the usage of cell telephones.

“Habit is not only about maintaining away from the medicine after which you’ll stop,” mentioned Wee. “It’s a psychological downside. The thoughts retains enthusiastic about it. So, we have to hold the thoughts on path.”

A neighborhood to cushion reentry

The ministries additionally discovered that an vital key for wholesome reintegration is discovering an genuine neighborhood. In 44-year-old Andrew Ong’s case, it was the seek for neighborhood following his dad and mom’ divorce that led him to affix a gang. From there, he grew to become hooked on medicine and was despatched to jail. “They had been my much-needed assist,” Ong mentioned. “They grew to become my second household. It was a neighborhood—simply the fallacious neighborhood.”

Ong was 18 when authorities sentenced him to 9 months in jail for rioting. In the future, he discovered a New Testomony in his jail cell. Studying it, he encountered Jesus. However when he was launched, he went again to his previous life.

At 22, Ong overdosed. When he was revived, he realized that God had been with him at each juncture of his life, even when he didn’t acknowledge Him. That very night time, he surrendered his life to God.

At this time, he’s the director of partnership at HCSA Neighborhood Companies the place he helps others who’re caught the place he’d been. The nonprofit’s midway home has a community-based program that brings in volunteers, most of whom are former residents and ex-offenders, to function function fashions and assist the residents really feel understood.

Lee from PFS mentioned that for individuals who go to the midway homes searching for neighborhood, the success charge of their rehabilitation is “very, very excessive.” Then again, these with no dedication to a neighborhood typically return to their previous lives.

PFS additionally holds a weekly join group the place newly launched ex-offenders can fellowship with volunteers and ex-offenders who’ve efficiently reintegrated in society.

“There may be worship, a sermon the place the Phrase of God is shared to construct and produce therapeutic and to encourage, and the factor of fellowship the place they get to know those that have overcome,” Lee mentioned. “A very good testimony is a strong, encouraging motivation.”

Past the camaraderie contained in the midway homes, the teams additionally discover church buildings for his or her residents in order that they’ll have a religion neighborhood exterior the house.

Church buildings that welcome ex-offenders are sometimes open to providing second possibilities. Besides, some adjustment is required on each side. When Ong first began attending a church, he discovered that he stood out not solely as a result of he had a felony document but in addition due to the church’s demographics: Most of them had been middle-class and had faculty levels.

“It’s not that they discriminate in opposition to you,” Ong mentioned. “However there’s a ignorance of the sorts of challenges and struggles we face. Generally, I felt a bit misunderstood.”

As an alternative of adopting a sufferer mentality, Ong determined that he wished to be concerned within the church and selected to embrace their fellowship. He mentioned that the expertise helped facilitate his reintegration.

Wee famous that whereas the midway homes present all they’ll to their purchasers, “reintegration will depend on whether or not this individual is able to face the challenges exterior.”

Although Wee didn’t face outright discrimination, he did discover that some coworkers and church members didn’t wish to get to know him and even go close to him after they came upon about his background.

He’s discovered to not take rejection too personally. “If I do, then I change into defiant,” Wee mentioned. “As an alternative, I see issues in a broader perspective and settle for that, typically, society is like this. I actually wished to be reintegrated into society, no matter how society handled me.”

Christine Leow is a author for Singapore’s Salt&Mild.