NEW SARPY – Bishop Otis Kenner, plans to expand his church to accommodate hundreds of drug addicted St. Charles Parish residents but needs $350,000 to complete the work. Faith, Praise and Deliverance Temple, on 1164 East Harding St. in New Sarpy serves as a church and outpatient drug treatment program and is the only ministry like this in St. Charles Parish, Kenner said.
“Even though we’ve received parish approval to expand the church, we still need funding to help save the lives of the people struggling with drug addiction,” he continued.
By expanding the church, Kenner said he will be able to provide more outpatient treatment services.
“We do everything for these families to help them get back on their feet, we’ve paid house notes, assisted the wives of the husbands by paying some of their utilities, because once somebody becomes an addict he basically stands to lose everything, including his family.
“There are a lot of people in the community addicted to drugs and it isn’t any particular racial background that is suffering more than the others from what I see,” he told the Herald-Guide.
“We counsel people with heroin, crack-cocaine, and marijuana addictions, just to name a few,” he said.
“We’ve partnered with Liberty Restoration Rehabilitation Clinic in Hammond and we’ve made an agreement with them to hospitalize people with more serious addictions,” he continued.
Kenner said the church pays for the residents to stay in the intreatment program and the cost is $380 per month per patient for room and board.
Kenner said the outpatient services are not nearly enough to accommodate all the people that need help.
“I’ve had drug addicts come to my house at 1;15 in the morning asking for help to get over addictions,” he said.
“And I never turn them away.”
With the increased need for drug rehabilitation support services Kenner wants to provide to residents, he’s considering opening an inpatient drug clinic.
“My wife and I are considering purchasing another home, and taking our current place of residence which is right next to the church and starting an inpatient drug rehab clinic,” he continued.
“We want to get them in a controlled environment, where we can teach them about filling out an application and help them get a job once they are off drugs. We also want to counsel the families to hopefully reconcile some marriages.”
Kenner said that the principles and teaching of God’s word are key components in the clients recovery.
“When the drug addicts come to my church for help, they are getting the best of both worlds,” he said.
“Their salvation is being restored and a lot of marriages are being saved.”
Kenner said the long term impact of drug use affects, wives, mothers, and children of the addict.
“The drug counselors were once drug addicts themselves and that’s a miracle from God and hope for the community that anyone, if they put forth the effort and make a decision, can be helped.”
Kenner said he’s gotten a lot of support from the St. Charles Parish Council and appreciates all they’ve done so far.
“I received an award in June from the parish council,” he said.
“I know they are thankful for all my ministry is doing to help the residents.”
For more information on the Faith, Praise, and Deliverance drug rehabilitation program call Bishop Otis Kenner, 24 hours a day seven days a week at 985-764-4433.
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