Miracle Haven celebrates a special connection
The theme of ‘transformation’ and ‘miracles’ were the focus of the celebrations at Bonnell’s Bay Corps over the weekend. (Photo: Bonnell’s Bay Corps)
As The Salvation Army’s Miracle Haven Recovery Services Centre closes its doors for the last time, its 24-year friendship with the Bonnell’s Bay Corps has been celebrated.
Bonnell’s Bay Corps Officer, Captain Tim Gittins, says the celebration dinner held on Saturday night gave past clients and workers the opportunity to reconnect.
“It was an opportunity for us to try and reconnect with people and try and celebrate as the move from Miracle Haven to Dooralong takes place.” (Miracle Haven Recovery Services Centre is in the process of relocating to the new Life Transformation Centre for men and women at Dooralong on the NSW Central Coast.)
The connection with Miracle Haven originally started when the clients were invited along to the Sunday night service, and the friendship grew from there. “People were able to make connections into a community that they wouldn’t normally interact with,” says Captain Gittins.
The focus of the Sunday morning meeting was around transformation and miracles, representing the experiences that this connection has allowed.
“The challenge, the encouragement, the opportunities that we as a Corps have faced as a result, in some ways, has probably done more for the Corps than the Corps has done for the guys,” says Captain Gittins. “Having the guys in the program has helped us to recognise our own need of God through their honesty.”
Today, some former Miracle Haven clients still attend the Corps and are actively involved in its ministry. Matt Urban, who completed the 10-month Bridge Program in 2006 is one of them. He says he’s grateful for the connection the Corps has had with Miracle Haven, particularly during his rehabilitation.
“Being surrounded by nothing but people in recovery and then all of a sudden going to a church where everybody just treated me like someone else, even though they all knew who I was, was encouraging,” he says.
Matt attended various self-help groups and programs run by the church, which gave him contact with the community and showed him that people within society had struggles as well.
“I was also seeing people out there in society, without a so-called addiction, that were getting their lives together too,” says Matt. “It made me feel much more a part of society and made me realise that everybody has problems. Everybody’s in recovery in one way or another.”
Miracle Haven it due to close its doors at the end of the month.
Comments
Hi,just thought I would say when I found out mirical haven was closing down. Well the feeling when your at a dawn service on anazca day. During the minute silence. That feeling of sadness, the processing of thoughts as they pop up one by one second by second. Not really knowing the dept of sadness , or history upon the faces as you glare around room. Mirical haven Morrisset where I was a fomer graduate of the bridge programme in 2001-2003. And loving contender of my new family Bonnells bay church. Without the Bonnells bay chapel I believe my jernouy at mirical haven would have been Totally different. I have been to many churches over the last 10 years since leaving rehab. It just wasn't the same. Nothing even close a natural high the holy sprit within me after chapel. Was electrifying to say the least. Bonnells bay Salvation Army chore became my family. During my 3 years at mirical haven.and still are. The night I meet this amazing man. for the first time in my 23 years . I Found who I was. Emotional physical,spritual, mentally, for the very fist time.i new Glen I was a mess tho I was a scared broken down soul. At such a young age I was lost fighting to survive in the world I created around me. A little boy crying out for love. to feel excepted and cuddled by his mum.just a little I love you son may of helped.,The pain I had inside was unexplainable. feeling no love or nurturing my whole live. Only physical and emotional abuss I received from my mother. Telling me daily -The negative projections and hurtful words ingrained into me over many years. Soon lead me to believe that's who I am. Liveing the life of an addict was all I knew. That's where I was at my happiest. Doing my best to fit in and hide that my family system is serverly unhealthy. From my so called friends. At the time.wat ever it took for me to be expected I would do. I would change and pretended just to fit into a circle of using manipulating friends. I didn't know who I was consently changing to be excepted. Give me praise tell me how good i am how cool I am. And I did anything to hear thos words. That where missing from my heart. The risks I took and my behaviour were totally out right. insanity is a good word. my friends never got involved in anything that would get them into trouble. Well they never had to as I was there feeling the praise an loved it. Not knowing at the time I was being used. It took for me to be Tied up in a noose being told I was going to die. And not caring. Actually telling the bikes at the time. To do it, pls I want the pain to stop. They let me go and I was of to rehab. my family at the bay and miracle haven went to work within me. Loving me telling me gods love you. stripping me apart soughing thu many many year of emotional Torture bad drug abuse. My best friend Jim burton thru the power of a genuine care to help people.showed me how much God loves me. Many many preys my friend preyd for me. The tears and the pain of the past we worked thru.asking God into my life Jim had God working in my life From the very first night I meet him kneeling in front of the cross at the bay. I still remember the feeling of emotional freedom for the first time in my life I new how it felt to be loved.i didn't have to protect my identity anymore. That night when God released me off my pain I was carrying. all the wrong hurtful stuff I was carrying. was taken away. That is not Glen father jim was preying. Show Glen what you want for his life wrap him in your arms and comfort him. I seriously thought I would never stop crying. I found my higher power that Sunday night at the bay chapel. I guess I'm trying to say is I was a bit cranky thinking no-one else is ever going to get the chance to exsperance the love Bonnells bay Salvation Army have for recovering addicts. Chapels not going to the same without the farm boys there. I really hope they don't move. Anyway once I found out they were only moving to Dooralong it was such a relief.i owe my life to Salvation Army. And to some very special people that never gave up on me. It was a long 3 years tho we got there. love you all and a very big thanks. To ned Thomson. My Concellor major Allan Drayton and Jim burton Jim took me on this amazing spritual jernouy and I'n the end I found Glen coomber I was honestly born again love you Jim burton. God bless Glen coomber-mirical haven :2001-2003