"My name is Julian and I am a rehabilitated alcoholic; I followed the rehabilitation programme at the Good Samaritan Centre for one year: My time at the centre was good although in one year there is time to live all kind of moments.

The first days were the worst: it was the first time that I was separated from my wife and my son, and when I realised that I was there without any possibility to smoke and drink, the only thing I wanted was to go back home. But then I thought about my wife, my son and my friends to whom I had promised to try to give up alcohol, and that helped me to stay there.

During the daytime, I was OK because I was busy with all kinds of duties and things to do at the centre, but when I was in my bed at night I started to think about many things and couldn’t sleep. Anyway, the days passed, some were good, others were bad, but I adapted well into the rules of the Centre.

I also quickly made friendship with the other residents, it was good to share our problems and console each other. “

Julian stayed for a year at the Centre.  There he accepted the Lord. He went back to his home in Pozoblanco two years ago and now he is working at the local radio station as an accountant. He sometimes comes to church with his wife.

“I entered the world of drugs when I was 15. I thought I could give it up whenever I wanted, but I was wrong. I passed through very bad moments and my refuge was drugs.

I met a girl and I married her without telling her about my addiction. One year later she became an addict as well and even if we thought we were happy, the reality was that we were sinking more and more. After 5 years we had a son, and thanks to God he was born free from addiction even though Anamari was consuming heroin throughout her pregnancy.

The situation was getting worse and worse. Anamari entered a rehabilitation centre and when she came back, we divorced. I kept on taking drugs for 4 more years but at last I asked for help. I went to the same rehab centre for a short time and then I went to the Good Samaritan centre. I accepted the Lord after being there 8 months, then I went back to my town where I was baptised, and Anamari and I remarried. My wife had become a Christian at the other centre. Another miracle God has made, is that my mother, my brother and my sisters have also accepted the Lord. I give thanks to the Lord for his love and mercy towards my family and I”.

Manuel and Anamari are part of the evangelical church of their town, in the province of Seville. They have had another son and their testimony is well known by the people who live there. They have helped a  number of other drug addicts to come to the Good Samaritan centre too.