SPARE THE ROD, SPOIL THE SON
![Jeremiah Pandian](https://www.malaysiancare.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/35-stories34-jeremiah.jpg)
Jeremiah Pandian
Ex-drug addict, now Founder & Leader of The Vineyard Keeper
I’m a living example of what too much ‘love’ could do to a son. Born to a Christian family, I was pampered with love by my loving parents. I remember my father has only beaten me once. At 9 years old, I started mixing with gangsters and hooked on drugs at the age of 14.
My loving and caring family didn’t know how to help me. My eldest brother resorted to chaining me with a dog chain and fed me with heroin in reduced dosage every day. Later, I was given opium.
In 1979, I was sentenced to prison. After being released I took alcohol then back to heroin and pushing heroin. During that time, I read Psalm 121: “I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord…” I cried out to God for help.
Around the same time, my youngest sister was crying for me in the laboratory of University Kebangsaan Malaysia. Her German lady boss came to console her and later referred me to Malaysian Care’s Rumah Cahaya. She was a volunteer at Malaysian Care then.
I was determined to change and completed a 18-month rehab program at Rumah Cahaya. Later, I became a staff and eventually the leader of Grace Centre, an off-shoot of Rumah Cahaya. After much prayer, I felt called by God to start a rehab centre in Ipoh, my home town. And it has been 21 years since The Vineyard Keeper began operations with 5 boys and 2 helpers. Now it has 125 boys.
Today, I’m happily married with 2 sons studying at a Bible college, a daughter studying psychology and the youngest daughter in Upper Six.
Christ is the answer. I could not have turned around without Him. I have tasted His goodness and have seen His power manifested in so many lives.- Seeing Posibilities
- Born 3 Times!
- God's Agent of Change then & now
- Happy wedding, why is everyone crying?!
- Hope
- Called to serve the VVIP
- A Life Together
- Empowered
- God Took Care of My Needs
- 'I Care' — through the eyes of donors
- He Turned Himself In
- From Testing to Trusting
- Adidas & I in FAITH Garden
- Mental Disorder is NOT a Death Sentence
- A Volunteer Staff who Found His Life Purpose
- I Too Can Work!
- Early Intervention Centre in KK
- Shut up, sit down and listen!
- Out of UK, God Calls...
- From a parent of a Young Man with Autism
- I'm lucky I had cancer!
- Follow the rhythm of my heart
- Berwawasan
- Where does my strength come from?
- I'm weak enough to serve
- From Prison to Pulpit
- Finding Grace
- High
- Offering my first fruits
- 'They' are pure joy
- God heard me
- Following my Sifu
- What's so special about them
- Spare the rod, spoil the son
- Little Precious who spoke with her eyes & smiles
33. What’s so special about them 35. Little Precious who spoke with her eyes & smiles