The Liberia Annual Conference (LAC), United Methodist Church (UMC), has completed a one-week training for individuals appointed by the LAC’s Special Envoy, Rev. Caleb Dormah, to tackle “zogoes” or at- risk youth. The training was carried out in collaboration with other churches in Monrovia, and centered around “addiction” and “human freedom”.
Dr. James White, an American who is specialized in addiction and human freedom, conducted the training. He told the participants that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him to bring good news to the poor and proclaim release to the captives.
Dr. White stated that addiction exists when persons are internally compelled to give energy to things that are not their true desires. He said addiction is a state of compulsion, obsession or preoccupation that enslaves a person’s will and desire.
The American facilitator noted that the world needs a detachment. According to him, detachment is a word used in spiritual traditions to describe freedom of desire, not freedom from desire, as there is a big difference between the two. He said for centuries many have misunderstood detachment, thinking it devalues desires, denies the potential goodness of things and people. However, he explained that real detachment uncovers the basic desire for God and sets it free.
Dr. White said, instead of promoting a dry, uncaring state of detachment, it does the opposite: it seeks liberation of desire and enhancement of passion.
He told the churches’ leaders to always remember that grace is two things: atonement and forgiveness from God because of Jesus and his sacrifice as the Lamb of God, and the next is power. White said often the church leaves out this teaching.
He taught the churches’ leaders the five essential characteristics that make a true addiction: tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, self-deception, loss of willpower and distortion of attention.
Dr. White spoke on a wide range of addiction and human freedom issues, and ended by calling on religious groups in the country to join hands with the government in tackling addiction and human freedom issues.
The one-week intensive training on addiction and human freedom was organized by the Liberia Annual Conference (LAC) special envoy’s team, meant to boost its work across the country.
Currently, the LAC Special Envoy’s team is working in ghettoes and communities to help rescue the disadvantaged or at-risk young people in Liberia. Hundreds of young people are in the streets threatening the movement of peaceful residents across the country.