The reluctant addict: A Christmas story

The reluctant addict: A Christmas story | Daily Tribune

(Note. This is a reprint, inspired by a true story told by Sr. Raquel Reodica, RVM, healer for the Lord.)

When Rene drew a knife on his mother for refusing to give him shabu money, it was the last straw. She could not take it anymore. She decided that the whole family would visit Sr. Raquel right on Christmas Day.

MOTHER: Sister, this is Jennifer, 21, Monica, 14, both first honors at La Salle. This is Rene, 16, top of his class at Ateneo, until he joined a shabu gang. (Rene bows his head in shame) Rene, go to the chapel first.

RENE: Sister, I’m going home.

SISTER: Wait, I’m on your side. Rene, let’s talk later. Let me first get their side. Talk to Jesus. Bring out all your ill feelings to Him. (Reluctantly, Rene goes to the chapel)

MOTHER: Rene has been a shabu addict for three years, advanced stage. We can no longer cope with him. We were thinking you could heal him.

SISTER: I am not the one who heals. Jesus heals.

MONICA: He does not sleep and eat for two days when high on shabu.

JENNIFER: When the drug wears off, he drinks a liter of water, then sleeps for two days.

SISTER: Wow, is that the effect of the drug? Your anger will not do any good. We have to know why he’s taking drugs.

MOTHER: He threatened me with a knife when I refused to give him money for shabu.

MONICA: We said that if he refused to see you, Sister, he goes to rehab. He agreed instantly. He is scared of rehab. (Sister leaves, goes to Rene)

SISTER: It’s our turn to talk, Rene.

RENE: I started taking shabu when my family began ignoring me. They talk among themselves. They don’t talk to me. I don’t feel any love. (Now in tears) It’s like I don’t exist.

SISTER: Okay, let’s pray. Jesus knows your problem. He will fix it for you. Follow after me — “Dear Jesus (Rene follows). Please help me get rid of my addiction. Please help my family to give me love. (Rene bursts into tears, then calms down; Sister goes back alone to the three women)

SISTER: You three are the ones who need healing.

MOTHER: What do you mean, Sister?

SISTER: Is it hard to understand that you are the reason he went into drugs? He feels unloved. He took shabu to deaden his pain. He feels rejected, alone in the world. The more you got angry, the more he took shabu. It became a vicious cycle. You drove him to addiction. (All three are silent; they start to sob)

MOTHER: It’s all my fault, Sister. I put all the attention on the girls.

JENNIFER: We never thought of that. We have been so blind all these years. It’s also our fault, mommy.

MONICA: (Running towards Rene, shouting) Kuya, kuya, forgive us. Forgive us.

Monica embraces Rene. Jennifer and their mother join them. They shed a Niagara Falls of tears. It was instant catharsis for an entire family. It was the greatest Christmas of their lives.

SISTER: It is so simple. Love is the cure for drug addiction.

RENE: Thank you, Sister. I thought I was really going to die. Shabu is slow suicide. I promise to go to rehab. Please pray for me, Sister, because rehab is hard.

SISTER: You can do it, Rene, if you ask Jesus for help. Let us all pray.

After praying, they go home in silence, absorbing the lightning bolt Sister just hurled at them. After a week, Rene calls Sister Raquel.

RENE: A miracle, Sister. Thank you, I’m healed. I stayed in church until 5 a.m., just sitting there. I felt a warm mist envelope me. I don’t need rehab. The Lord has healed me. My addiction has suddenly vanished. I don’t know why, Sister. My healing was instant.

True enough, Rene never went to rehab. He was instantly healed. He was back on top of his class.