Paul Brittenden was addicted to illicit drugs for a quarter of a century before he made contact with The Salvation Army. Paul is now employed by the Salvo’s as a community engagement worker. He advocates for clients with the courts and government departments like Centrelink. He also provides counselling to people in addiction and pastoral care through God’s Sports Arena (corps) in Brisbane, where he works alongside for Bronco’s Chaplain Bill Hunter.

Paul’s early life was not pleasant. He was adopted as a baby, had an abusive childhood, started on drugs at 14, left home at 16 and spent the next 24 or so years heavily into the drug trade. He had a good paying job, but spent it all on drugs. In 2013, he voluntarily entered the Moonyah rehab program. The “religious stuff” at Moonyah didn’t interest him. He had been raised by a religious family, but abuse within the family and church turned him away. After coming to Christ, he appeared in court on drugs trafficking charges and was sent to prison. Salvation Army people went to court with him and visited him in jail. They had an effect. Paul started “a church” in prison. Listen in to his story this week on Historymakers!