Dave Mackie, an ordained pastor from the Manchester Diocese of the Church of England, moved to Pakistan with his family in 2015. By 2017, he began ministry work with SIM, where he repeatedly encountered heart breaking stories of drug-addicted young people and the immense suffering faced by their families. While living among these communities, he conducted research and discovered a critical gap: apart from one centre in Karachi (a different province), there was no Christian ministry addressing drug addiction in Pakistan. Yet the need was overwhelming—685 drug-addicted individuals die every day in Pakistan.
Although rehabilitation centres exist, most are unaffordable for underprivileged families. Burdened by this reality, Dave began sharing the vision with others who carried the same compassion, and together they prayed faithfully for years. In God’s timing, when Rt. Rev. Nadeem Kamran, Bishop of Lahore, learned about this burden, he prayed with Dave and offered a compound on the diocesan campus to be renovated and transformed into a recovery centre. What followed was months of hard work. Overgrown bushes were cleared, the space was secured, and new rooms were created. Today, in the will of God, 10 participants are enrolled in our residential programme. The picture here shows them during one of their weekend art sessions—an important part of our holistic approach. Family involvement is central to healing; therefore, every weekend includes dedicated prayer time with families. Participants follow a structured daily programme that includes group therapy, exercise, Bible studies, worship, work duties, and more. While our content and approach are Christian, we welcome individuals from all communities.
Current Needs
To continue serving effectively, we seek support in the following areas:
- Sponsorship opportunities so participants from the poorest communities can access treatment and freedom.
- Installation of a solar power system before summer to ensure 24/7 electricity—crucial during withdrawal in extreme heat and essential for security systems.
- Installation of an underground water tank to ensure uninterrupted water supply during withdrawal, especially in hot months.
- Expansion of our facilities, as we are already at capacity. More construction or renovation is needed to accommodate additional participants.
- Development of business elements within our model for skills training and income generation, requiring financial investment and technical expertise.
