Rebirth And Transformation-Body Narratives And Practices In A Gospel Rehabilitation

I did my fieldwork in a gospel rehabilitation center which is funded by the local church and approved by the local government in Yunnnan province.Instead of taking methadone which indicates for the maintenance treatment of opioid dependency,the patients abandon drug habits only by praying.Funded by the local church,this rehab is also called as "rebirth garden".My very first question is how the theological word turns to reality.Or,from the outside perspective,how these transformations brought by rebirth affect individuals.Transformations affect not only the body but also the mind.Therefore,this article begins with the feeling of "itching" which connects body and mind.According to the narratives of addicts,this feeling shows their discomfort in the withdrawal period,which connects the individual and society and reflects the state of disorder.For individual,it embodies desire and despair.They bear different kinds of "itching" caused by the above reasons and finally came to this gospel rehab center and participated in everyday practices bodily.After healing process,we can see transformations in their lives and the changes of their cognitions,which rebuilt order of their everyday lives.From my perspective,these transformations are the consequences of healing which is different from “cure” from medical perspective,but more like a process of being “integrity”.That is what "rebirth" means,I argue.