HONG KONG (SE): MercyHK, the charity organisation founded by Oblate Father John Wotherspoon, is gearing up to open a new drug treatment centre in Sha Tau Kok this September to provide a supportive environment for young drug addicts on their path to recovery. Faith-based rehabilitation programme offers young addicts hope for recovery and reintegration
Father Wotherspoon said the centre was urgently needed, as a high percentage of addicts who had previously sought help from the organisation eventually relapsed. He expressed gratitude to donors whose generosity made the project possible. “The more we receive, the more we should help,” he remarked.
Holistic rehabilitation model
The new centre, housed in a three-storey village building, will offer year-long programmes designed to provide physical, mental, and spiritual support. Rooted in Catholic faith, the centre will accompany recovering addicts through a holistic process before they reintegrate into society.
Eddie Chan, director of MercyHK, explained that the centre will focus on addicts at the early stage of recovery. Spiritual formation in the first three months will include the Alpha course, Bible sharing, prayer, and values education, alongside activities such as calligraphy and pet care to help residents develop routines and rediscover their self-worth.
Physical rehabilitation will involve fitness training, with plans to introduce nutritional guidance. Socially, residents will be encouraged to cook communally, join volunteer activities such as beach clean-ups, and rebuild family relationships. For vocational preparation, the centre will provide training in practical skills such as computer operation, fitness coaching, and electrical work.
Chan stressed the central role of faith in the healing process. “Understanding God is key to successful rehabilitation,” he said. A chapel dedicated to St. Michael, patron saint against drug addiction, will be established within the centre to nurture the spiritual life of its residents.
Support beyond recovery
In addition to the new centre, MercyHK runs a men’s shelter on Shanghai Street and is preparing to open a women’s shelter to provide transitional housing and family reintegration support. Together, these facilities aim to ensure that recovering addicts can continue to receive guidance and stability as they return to society.
Annual thanksgiving gathering
MercyHK’s annual anti-drug thanksgiving gathering was held on August 16 at Star of the Sea Church, Chai Wan. Addressing the assembly, Chan underlined the importance of love and compassion in combating addiction and reiterated the organisation’s mission to serve the homeless, drug users, asylum seekers, prisoners, and those in recovery, addressing their physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs.
The gathering featured testimonies from individuals who had experienced transformation through MercyHK’s programmes. James, now living in one of the organisation’s shelters, shared his journey of resilience and faith after years of relapse and imprisonment. Having suffered severe health problems due to drug use, he recounted how, after prayer before the Cross, he experienced unexpected healing. Today, James works with other recovering addicts in clean-up jobs and participates nightly in an online Bible study led by permanent deacon candidate Augustine Ma.
Other testimonies included that of the wife of a construction worker who said the shelter had enabled her husband to quit drugs completely and rebuild his family life, and a woman who expressed gratitude for Chinese medicine services that aided her recovery.
The new centre, housed in a three-storey village building, will offer year-long programmes designed to provide physical, mental, and spiritual support. Rooted in Catholic faith, the centre will accompany recovering addicts through a holistic process before they reintegrate into society
Broad community support
At the thanksgiving event, recognition was given to individuals and organisations supporting the project. Representatives from Caritas and Protestant groups were present, along with Father Simon Li, Father Paul Tam Wing-ming, Deacon Faustus Lam of Star of the Sea Parish, and Deacon Thomas Lam—demonstrating the importance of collective effort in addressing drug-related challenges.
MercyHK operates with four paid staff and six volunteers, under the support of the Beat Drugs Fund and in collaboration with the Keswick Foundation. Over the past year, its outreach has included:
- Educational seminars in five schools, reaching more than 1,000 students;
- Outreach at methadone centres, referring over 100 individuals into rehabilitation services;
- Support groups serving 170 drug users and people in recovery;
- A specialised programme for Nepalese drug users, benefiting participants through of 50 faith-based activities.
The thanksgiving gathering concluded with a Taizé prayer and blessings from Father Li, Father Tam, and the deacons present.
A Sign of hope
The opening of the Sha Tau Kok drug treatment centre marks a significant step in MercyHK’s mission to serve society’s most vulnerable. By integrating spiritual formation with physical, social, and vocational care, the new centre offers a holistic path of healing. It stands as a beacon of hope—showing that with faith, compassion, and community support, recovery and renewal are possible.
