Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Official Report 651KB pdf

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Time for Reflection

The first item of business this afternoon is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is Sheila McKay, chair of Grampian Family Support Forum.

My son was a heroin addict for seven years. Exactly five years ago today, he entered a Christian rehabilitation centre in Derby and the Lord delivered him from his addiction.

When my son came home from rehab, I could not believe the change in him. He was healthy, strong and drug free, and seemed to have an extra dimension in his life. I decided that I wanted what he had, so I opened my eyes and I saw; I opened my ears and I heard.

My calling is a direct outcome of my son’s bad choices. How do you know what your God-given assignment is? Whose tears affect you? Whose pain do you feel? Who do you want to protect? Whose enemies do you want to confront? Your assignment is geographical: there is a place where you will flourish.

I am chair of a voluntary organisation called Grampian Family Support Forum. Our members have been affected by drug addiction within their families. Knowing that a family member has a drug problem is a painful and lonely experience. The majority of our members are part of family support groups, kinship care groups and, sadly, bereavement groups. Our core aim is to encourage the formation of new peer-support groups and increase the membership of those that already exist.

We have been community partners with the Scottish Parliament during the past year. Since the project started, our numbers have increased from three to 21 throughout the north-east of Scotland. Our profile has been raised, our opinions have been valued and our voice has been heard. We have had the privilege of working with MSPs from several parties on various issues. With the help and encouragement of those people’s champions, we are making an impact and planting the seeds of change.

We want to use our lived expedience to make positive changes within our communities. Why? Because, when you are qualified to speak, people listen. Otherwise, they would just tune out. Built into every trial that we go through in life—every trial that forces us to grow—are the answers that other people need.

In the words of the great statesman Edmund Burke:

“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for enough good men to do nothing.”

The fact that I am standing here today on the fifth anniversary of my son’s restoration is by no means a coincidence, it is a God incidence!