Sick, Sober and Sorry – But Oh what Fun I Had!

In Phuan culture, every special occasion is accompanied by copious amounts of drinking. “If you love me, drink with me” is repeated frequently. The pressure to participate is great, “if you don’t drink with me, it means you don’t love me.”

After a party, folks get onto their motorcycle and drive home. The result is often tragic. Drinking driving accidents and deaths are common, especially among adult men.

Three weeks ago, Mr. K had several too many, jumped on his Honda and headed down the road. He was so inebriated that he managed to run into the back of another drunken motorcyclist in front of him. Soon he was plowing down the road; face first – no helmet, no protective gear of any sort.

In Mr. K’s case, he survived with nothing more serious than a lot of black and blue and torn up skin and muscle.

Please pray

• Against the machismo that loves to combine hard drinking with driving.
• For believers among the Phuan to know how to respond to repeated pressure to drink irresponsibly