HELPING HAND: A PLACE FOR HEALING AND REHABILITATION

HIS name is Suresh. At the age of 19, he was a heroin addict. He was a
physical wreck, infected with AIDS, tuberculosis and Hepatitis C. He
was taken to hospital before he sought help from a half-way home run
by Malaysian CARE.

Upon recommendation, he was taken into Green Pastures Regeneration and
Renewal Centre for a two-year rehabilitation programme.

"Within a short time, his overall condition improved. Soon, he was
taking part in physical activities," said Geoff Matthews, who founded
(along with Chris Sekar and St Andrews Church) the Green Pastures Home
for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Drug Addicts. It was first located in
Klang in 1991), and moved to Taman United, Kuala Lumpur in 1993.

Suresh, formerly an outcast of society, recently emerged in fourth
position when he represented Green Pastures in a Rehabilitation Sports
meeting in the 200-metres run. He is currently a full-time staff
member of Green Pastures and is re-united with his family.

It is for people like Suresh and some 14 other former dadah addicts
that Matthews, who hails from Britain, has devoted some 15 years of
his life here in Malaysia. Married to a local, Prema, they have
fostered two Chinese girls.

"Green Pastures was established to help drug dependents and drug
abusers who want to turn over a new leaf," he said. "Where they are
now, there is of course a 'greener pasture' over the other side of the
fence. We have to show them how life can be so much more fulfilling
when they cross to the other side of the fence."

The home spends between RM12,000 and RM15,000 a month and it is
totally dependent on charity. "Thank God our needs have always been
met so far," said Matthews.

Partly to sustain the home and partly to train the "students" at the
centre to pick up some skills, Prema runs a catering service. "We are
giving our students a skill that will help them find a job later on in
their life," she said. "Many of them have learned to cook while in
prison." They also do grass-cutting, painting, and cleaning jobs.

Besides single mattresses and a fax machine, Prema said the home's
catering service also needs a food processor, two air-pots, a large
rice cooker and cooking utensils.

Green Pastures is located at 347 Jalan Sepakat 7, Taman United, Jalan
Kelang Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur. Geoff and Prema Matthews can be
contacted at (03) 7980-6504 or via e-mail at greenpastures@pd.jaring.my.
Any donations by cheque should be made payable to Kreasi Baru Bhd, the
centre's registered name.