A ministry in Manitoba dedicated to helping free people from addiction is hosting a special event this week
From August 3 thru August 6, Manitobans are encouraged to take part in Freedom Fest: Total Freedom Addictions Tent Meeting.
"Freedom Fest is a celebration of freedom. Freedom from addiction and freedom from the bondage of damaging lifestyles, said Mike Blair, co-founder of Total Freedom Manitoba. "We'll have speakers from all over Canada. Music, praise and worship, food and things for the kids to do as well. It's like a good ole' camp meeting. We're going to have a good time with the Lord."
Mike says the hope is to use this event as a way to get their name out to the public and to raise funds for the work they're doing.
"We're a new ministry. We've only been taking in people for a year and a half. We're completely funded by ourselves, so we need this to let people know who we are and what we're doing out here in Sidney, Manitoba."
Total Freedom is a faith-based nine-month program for men battling addiction. Bridget Blair, co-founder of Total Freedom says the men learn a whole new lifestyle while in the program.
"They have courses in the morning. They learn skills such as applying for jobs. It's a whole bunch of stuff that they learn over the nine months," said Bridget.
"We start with the roots of what is causing the addiction and destructive lifestyle. Through that, we are able to work through it and eliminate it, so that is no longer affecting their life, said Mike. "A lot of people coming out of addiction haven't had a lot of experience with life skills. If you've been in that lifestyle for a long time, it takes a lot of changes, a lot of mental, spiritual and physical changing. We try to approach all three of those."
Mike says he hopes that Freedom Fest will allow people to see what they're doing and understand that addiction can happen to anyone.
"We want to see people get better, get healed and get out of that lifestyle and become who God really wants them to be."
Freedom Fest runs from August 3-6 at 68158 Road 62 North in Sidney Manitoba.
