In this post, Warwick Murphy, Executive Director of ISAAC Australasia shares the latest from his ministry and work:

In July this year myself, Warwick Murphy and my wife, June made the move from Melbourne, Australia to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Since 2008 we have been making regular trips from Melbourne to a variety of different places in the Asian region as representatives of the ISAAC regional leadership.

During that time we have visited China, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Pakistan, The Philippines, Mongolia and Indonesia. The purposes for such trips have been multi focussed.

1. To provide training to staff
   We have been privileged to run training programs for a number of different agencies involved in drug and alcohol recovery work. A number of these groups are also involved in the fight against people trafficking, particularly in the areas of prostitution.
2. Providing evaluations of the different ministries
   Evaluation is an opportunity to have an honest look at the whole running of an agency with the aim to improve the way we do things.
3. Providing advice and support for the leaders of these organisations
   Some would call this mentoring. Too often leaders feel lonely and struggle with the constant demands on them. Often they have no one to discuss things with. We want to offer a listening ear and possibly some advice, if requested.
4. To assist the establishment of ISAAC networks in each country
   Meeting with others doing the same work is so important. Not to compare your work with another, but to support each other as the Scriptures encourage us to do. Getting together on a regular basis is a great way to do this.

For some time we had sensed the Lord talking to us about making the move to actually live in the region. After much prayer and discussion with family and others we believed it was right to make the move. We chose Kuala Lumpur because it was fairly central and had good flight connections to the rest of Asia, plus we have good friends there which would make it somewhat easier to settle into a new culture. Thank you to Pax Tan and Kenneth Wong.

We have now been here for four months. In that time we have attended three different conferences in the region where we were able to make some good contacts, but most of the time has been getting ourselves settled and orientated to our new surroundings.  Different food, different weather, different language and to say that there is different driving rules here is an understatement! However it is not for us to expect everything and everyone around us to change, it is for us to accept the differences and come to terms with them. It is a bit like going through a recovery period of our own. We have good days and not so good days. Each day is a day for calling out to God for His help. His grace, His patience. Knowing that we are here because He called us. We know from lots of studies that this is a phase that we have to go through. We try to keep our eyes focussed on the longer term view rather than the immediate. We know, like so many in recovery, that this is not a time to depend on our emotions and feelings. This is a time to push through knowing that God is with us. In it all we are excited to be here in Asia to see the work of recovery grow in the region.

We are now starting the process of preparing next year’s calendar. In short we are here to serve the ISAAC community in the region in whatever way we can. We are not here to tell people how to run their programs but we do want to help see the regular refreshing of staff skills. Working in the addiction field can be very stressful at any time and regular training and input from experienced teachers and mentors can help us all do our work at a better level with the outcome being that our clients/residents are better served.

We are here to serve. If anyone in the region would like to have us visit to do some training or just have someone to talk to about your work then please contact us so that we can make arrangements. Using the email warwick.murphy@isaacaustralasia.org is the best way to do this.