When Fear Spreads

Belarus

Belarus is currently the focus of the media. The corona pandemic is another crisis: Since the presidential elections in early August, a broad-based protest movement has formed against Lukashenko's government and is encountering reprisals from the police and military. In this country, TOS Ministries International has been running a Rehab Center for drug addicts for more than twenty years. How does the tense situation affect our team and work?

The protests against Lukashenko have also reached the province. In Svetlagorsk, our location in Belarus, smaller demonstrations have taken place so far. At the same time, the military is showing a strong presence on the streets. This is causing fear of spontaneous arrests and a deep sense of insecurity among the population. Our team feel this again and again when they talk to people in their city. In order to counter this fear, our team has decided to expand the visiting services and also to be more frequent in the streets of Svetlagorsk and to talk to passers-by. In this way they want to give them hope in this difficult time. 

Meanwhile, the normal therapy work in the Rehab Center continues without any restrictions. Regardless of the external insecurity, former drug addicts are learning to find a new stability in their lives. Recently, even new rehabilitants have been accepted in the program.