Pastor Infuses Latino Community with Truth About Drugs

Rev. Roberto Recillas reaches Southern California barrios with fact-based drug education

Rev. Roberto Recillas of Downey, California, knows the value of effective drug education. Founder and executive director of the I Believe in my Future initiative, he is dedicated to educating and inspiring children, parents and families to make a difference in their lives and the community.

Rev. Recillas was born in Mexico City, came to the U.S. at age 12, becoming a citizen through the Reagan Administration amnesty. The father of three, he understands the challenges of raising a family in today’s world. As a pastor, he realizes the vital role of the church in bettering the lives of children and families.

“Our communities are infested with drugs,” says Rev. Recillas. “With many men and women serving time, dealers use kids to move their drugs. They recruit them out of elementary and high school—give them free drugs and then get them selling.”

Determined to give youth an opportunity for a better life and always on the lookout for programs that will help, the Rev. Recillas attended the Truth About Drugs training program organized by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Multi-Faith Clergy Council in 2011, where he learned drug prevention tools. He has been making good use of this information ever since.

“I have conducted more than a dozen Truth About Drugs education seminars,” says Recillas. “You just use the materials and follow the instructions. It is very easy to do.”

Rev. Recillas trained 45 Latino ministers on the Truth About Drugs curriculum at the Church of Scientology Community Center in South Los Angeles in August 2012, so they can provide drug education to youth in their areas. In testament to the popularity of the program, one of the ministers who attended Rev. Recillas’ seminar has now brought the program to Iowa and Indiana to train pastors there to implement the curriculum.

“The pastors are a bridge to the community,” says Rev. Recillas. “They are breaking new ground.”

Rev. Recillas has also partnered with the Church of Scientology of Orange County in Santa Ana, where he was special guest speaker at a drug education open house in July.

“When you have a passion to help and you find great materials like the Truth About Drugs, you want to use them to empower the community,” says Rev. Recillas. “With materials like these, you use them.”

The Church of Scientology has published a new brochure, Scientology: How We Help—the Truth About Drugs, Creating a Drug-Free World, to meet requests for more information about the drug education and prevention initiative it supports. To read a copy of the brochure or to learn more about the drug education program, visit the Scientology website.

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progress—drugs and other biochemical substances. These can put people into a condition which not only prohibits and destroys physical health but which can prevent any stable advancement in mental or spiritual well-being.”

The Church of Scientology supports The Truth About Drugs, one of the world’s largest nongovernmental drug education and prevention campaigns. It has been conclusively proven that when young people are provided with the truth about drugs—factual information on what drugs are and what they do—usage rates drop commensurately.