A guest of City of Rest

19:01 Sierra Leone 0 Comments

There are 40 guests currently lodged at the City of Rest. Nine of them are females. The males occupy the ground floor, six or eight to a room with bunk beds. The females share one big room- big enough to accommodate nine guests- and a parlor upstairs. They are entitled to three meals a day- breakfast, lunch and dinner. For recreation they have access to a television, table tennis, volleyball, chess and draught. And it does not cost the guests a penny! This place is more than a city of rest; it is a Five Star Hotel for those who cannot afford


He is chained on the feet and his upper body is trapped in the naked frame of a metal chair. He has bruises on his face, looks dizzy and is clumsily dressed. Thefirst image that comes to my mind is a convicted hardened criminal on death row, but Chernoh is only a guest at the City of Rest - an unassuming two-storey counseling and rehabilitation center, which looks more like a dwelling house, located at No. 34 Fort Street, Freetown. Chernoh was brought to the healing center by his parents. He is suffering from drug addiction. His movement is restricted- with the chain and metal chair - because he is a relatively new guest. "When they are brought in we have to restrict their mobility because they often respond violently to their new environment," said Mr Kabie Fornah, Supervisor of the guests. "But after about two weeks they adapt, and they become less violent. That’s when we take off the chains." Fornah denies seizing the freedom of his guests. "We are not seizing their freedom. If we leave them on their own they will run away. This place does not have a fence..." he says.Fornah is more or less regarded as the City Father because he is directly involved with the guests. He ensures they stay within limits and follow laid down daily routine. Himself a drug abuser for about 20 years before he get to know Jesus Christ, Fornah knows what it means when someone is into drugs, and his experience of nine years working at the center all the more matters. "They need constant attention. They need that care, love and compassion. They need encouragement… and love," he says. 90% of the guests at City of Rest are drug related cases, says Director of the Center Rev. Morie S. Ngobeh - a fragile-looking old man. The general history, he says, is drug addiction especially with cocaine, heroine and marijuana. However, there are other cases of mental disorder, demonic attacks and traumas. "Drug abuse is on the rise in Sierra Leone, affecting the lives of our young people," says Pastor Ngobeh, as he is called for short.
"Among the causes is the increase of drug trafficking activities in West Africa. More and more, Sierra Leone is serving as a transit point for drugs smuggling into Europe and the USA."
Last month about 700 kilograms of cocaine was discovered inside an abandoned light aircraft which illegally landed at the Lungi International Airport, Lungi. Before that a string of drug arrests have been made over the years and Airport authorities say there is a steady increase in drug smuggling through the International gateway.
But, somehow, a good quantity of the cocaine that is supposed to be smuggled into Europe find its way into small drug dens called potes scattered across the country.
"Almost every street in Freetown has a pote and the stock-in-trade has moved mainly from marijuana to cocaine and a related substance called brown-brown," says Fornah. He says government must take strong action against the local drug trade to secure the future of its youths. Similarly, Pastor Ngobeh calls for a united approach to tackle what he describes as ‘two big monsters’- drug abuse and alcoholism. He suggests a ban on alcohol and cigarette advertisement on national television.
"When young people see these ads," he says, "they develop the urge to experiment what they have seen." However, Pastor Ngobeh’s center is not involved in drugs abuse prevention; it heals the victims and sends them back to society to live a normal life. Hundreds of drug/demonic/trauma victims have passed through the center since it was officially opened in 1996 and many have come back to give testimony and help the center in some ways. In fact most of the volunteer staff were once guests of the center."They (guests) come from everywhere, not just Sierra Leoneans. They come from the sub region-Liberia and The Gambia, Europe- Holland and America," says the reverend.The center relies mainly on prayers and counseling for healing. Guests are medically examined once on admission by consultant psychiatrist, Dr Nahim. The rest of the healing process is left to prayers, deliverance and counseling.
"God does all the healing. We commit them to God through Biblical counseling and we lift their hopes," says Pastor Ngobeh.In its 12 of years of existence, the center has never received support from the Government of Sierra Leone - financial or otherwise. Support comes mainly through donations from gospel ministries, monthly contributions by parents of guests and from some of those who have passed through the center. During my first visit to the center, the Pastor of Flaming Church was there to donate the sum of Le4.5m to what he calls a ‘good cause.’
In addition, the Government of Sierra Leone recently officially allocated 3.2 acres of land at Grafton to the center, and Pastor Ngobeh is convinced construction of a befitting structure will commence this November. And by next year he hopes to move in with his guests and maintain the Fort Street facility for administrative work.
"God will provide the funds," he says.Pastor Ngobeh’s passion for his work is unlikely for a man of his age. At one point he was stabbed on the leg by one of his guests whom he describes as the son of a prominent lawyer. At some other point he was scolded on the neck by another and was only freed by the intervention of some staff. In both instances the pastor’s retaliation was: "I still love you," and he meant it."I love my work," he says. "It is God’s call. My joy is to see them free; free from drugs and from whatever torment."He continues: "This is a place of rest for them. When they come here they get peace and we teach them about God’s plan for them… And they come back to give testimony." At the end of the day the guests go through what is called an Assessment period, during which they are released to visit their homes, spend some time there and return to the center before dusk. If they go through this process successfully, then it means they are ready to go back into society and live like any normal person."We organize a graduation ceremony for them and we give them certificates. We have had guests from all walks of life- lawyers, accountants, students, teachers, sons of Presidents…." says Pastor Ngobeh proudly.