'Take me to the Salvos'
26th August 2009 by Julia Hosking
Darren Allen started using drugs and alcohol at the age of 11 - and during the following years he went in and out of ‘rehab', over and over again. Today, 25-year-old Darren works full-time at The Salvation Army centre that helped him get clean. This is his story.
Where it all began
When Darren migrated to Australia from South Africa his life was turned upside down. At the age of 10, Darren felt as though everything he knew about life was thrown out the door and he had to start over. After a year of painful grieving for the life he left behind, 11-year old Darren began to use drugs and alcohol to numb his pain. And he didn't hold back. "I started using pretty regularly from the start," he shares.
Drugs continued to play a prominent role in Darren's life throughout his teenage years, and this significantly affected his family life. He was in and out of home, even arrested, and his parents didn't know how to deal with him.
They wanted him to go to rehabilitation, but Darren needed a stronger push. "I just woke up one morning and something compelled me," he explains. "I don't think it was me, I believe it was God. I got up and said to my mum, ‘take me to the Salvos, I need to go.' And to this day, I've felt like it wasn't me doing it, it wasn't me speaking those words."
Step one
And so Darren entered The Salvation Army Townsville Recovery Services; soon after that, he became a Christian. "I gave my life to God and everything was fine and dandy. By the end of seven months I still had a long way to go, but in my mind I thought I'd arrived. So I thought I'd try and take things on myself."
But the road ahead wasn't so simple.
Now that he was out of rehab, Darren thought it would be easy to stay clean. But over time, he drifted away from the people who had helped him get clean and as a result he suffered multiple relapses.
Darren is grateful that the Salvos always kept the door open. "They [The Salvation Army] always took me back in, even though I'd burnt my bridges ... The Salvation Army's been great in standing by me and always giving me a go and always supporting me and telling me about the love of God."
Kicking the habit
It took a while for Darren to overcome his addictions once and for all. "I think I came about another four times through rehab, and yeah, I suppose I learnt in the end I've just got to give it all to God because I just can't do it all myself," he shares. "You need to stay connected with other people in recovery and stay connected with positive people, places and things."
Drugs no longer rule Darren's life, for one reason. "Staying and growing a relationship with God [has made the difference], because the strength to stay clean and to stay sober does not come from my own means, it comes from God," he says.
A life transformed
The Holy Spirit has since planted in Darren a strong desire to help others. He's worked for Scripture Union on school camps and through chaplaincy. He wants to rescue young people from the problems associated with drugs and alcohol.
He is also back at The Salvation Army's Townsville Recovery Services as a full-time case worker. He facilitates groups, counsels clients one-on-one, and helps them sort out legal and health services. "The best part," he says with enthusiasm, "is when you see a guy really struggling with something and you see him overcome that ... It's awesome to be a part of that. That's probably the most rewarding part of the job."
Becoming clean has also helped Darren's relationship with his parents. "[Dad] told me how proud he was, and how much he really cared and loved me. It was a really big step because we'd never been able to do that before," Darren shares.
"What I've been through, I don't see it as a burden. I don't regret it today; I sort of try and view it as a gift. A gift of experience and I suppose God has put it on my heart to share that experience," he says.
*In addition to working for the Salvos, Darren worships at The Salvation Army's Townsville Riverway Corps.
Julia Hosking is a journalist with The Salvation Army, writing for the MORE website and Pipeline Magazine. She is a perfectionist at heart and loves eating chocolate, drinking coffee and chilling out with her husband, Michael.
Julia and her husband worship at Menai Salvation Army, and during their honeymoon they discovered a passion for lying on Thailand beaches.
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Comments
Hey Darren,
Great story!!! Its been great to see you grow over the past year!! Keep it up mate!! Your an awesome man of God. He is only JUST STARTING.... Cant wait to see where God takes ya!!!!
""Greater things are yet to come"" I'm believing that for you Daz!!!
Darren,
WOW mate you are an inspiration to many many people and will continue to be an inspiration.
Keep looking to Jesus in every situation.
God has BIG plans for you - this is just the start!!!!
Bless you heaps
It's amazing to see how far you've come. Congrad's and keep inspiring young adults to turn their life around!