"Why I Help Addicts Shoot Up"
This is the title of an article written by nurse Meera Bai, with help from her supportive Regent College professor, which is a Christian apologia for harm reduction on Vancouver’s downtown East side. (And bravi, I say, to my friends and erstwhile colleagues at ChristianWeek for publishing it.) Meera and fellow Christian Bethany Jeal, the clinical coordinator of InSite, have set us all a powerful, provocative example of obedience and love in an otherwise desperate situation. And they have suffered frequently from fellow Christians who have condemned them for their mission of mercy.
The disgusting and perplexing complication, however, is that the Harper government–whom I have supported on many issues–are determined to shut it down. They have tried and tried, and are trying once more at the level of the Supreme Court of Canada.
So I hope you’ll read the article, support what Meera, Bethany, and her colleagues are doing, and write to your MP and to the PMO to back off and let these courageous people do what most of the rest of us really, really wouldn’t want to have to do–and someone must.
UPDATE: Meera talks about InSite on YouTube here.