Last Week...
Last week, we heard a radical story linked with alcohol and leading to severe consequences. This week, the victim of an angry alcoholic father turns to alcohol to escape from trauma and severe pain.
Meet Paddy (not his real name); he is from Northern Ireland. Paddy is an alcoholic; he has been drinking alcohol since the age of 15, today he is in his early 40’s.
Paddy grew up in a small community, on a farm with his mom, dad, and 2 brothers.
They were all affected by ‘the troubles’ between the Protestants and Catholics, and the Irish and the British. Lots of anger, always seething under the surface, sometimes erupting in violent behaviour.
His dad was an oppressive man, there was always an ‘air’ about him of anger and obsession with control. The entire family catered to his needs and desires… one of those desires was sexual, and it was often taken out on Paddy.
Paddy ran away from home at a young age, living in flop houses, and abandoned buildings, eating when he could, and drinking as often as he could.
He was raised in the Church of Ireland, but he didn’t find anything that could help and support him through the trauma that was affecting him.
He eventually made his way from Northern Ireland to London England.
By the time I met Paddy, he was drinking more than a fifth of vodka a day; day in and day out.
Life seemed hopeless to him.
Hope for Paddy
He was one of the first persons I met coming to London that was an alcoholic, and we had months of conversations about alcoholism, trauma, faith, and God. After about 18 months of almost weekly conversations, one Saturday morning, he asked me how to become a Christian! So I shared with him, and we prayed the sinner’s prayer together.
We were overjoyed, at the time.
Over the next few weeks, we continued to meet, just him and me at first, and then he came along to the course we were presenting at that time.
About half way through the course, Paddy disappeared, and I have not seen, or heard from him since…
Please join me, and pray for Paddy.
John Childress
Co-founder and Men's Facilitator Free! Recovery