I was an apprentice when I was 12 year-old, and I learnt illegal gambling on horse and dogs from my seniors. When I was twenty-odd year-old, I become a public servant but my interest of gambling was larger and the habit was continued. Until I was 48, I totally addicted to gambling, I had to pay the gambling debt with my retirement pension by applying voluntary retirement scheme. I had a half-year peaceful time yet I was still could not quit gambling. Not over 3 months, I reverted to old vices and borrowed money from finance companies. The nightmares had come again when I lied to my family and addicted to gambling again. At that time, I had not thought about my future, I was very excited when I could play mahjong, gamble on horse-racing and bet on soccer, etc. I would vent my bad temper on my wife and children when I lost, I had no enthusiasm for working and thing which was shown on my brain was just gambling.

Gambling had brought serious damage to my family. During the years of my gambling life, my wife had to afford the family expenses on her own, I could not provide my children any chance to develop their interests and even made them worried about their tuition fees of promoting to university. My family had to pay my debt. The finance companies frequently sent their person to come to my home and collect debt which affected the studies of my children and the mind development very much.

One day, I got the hotline of Caritas A G Counselling Centre from a soccer newspaper. Under encourgement of my wife and my children, I tried reluctantly and received the service for the first time. The counsellor, miss Chen, analyzed to me and let me realized that gambling is not wise. Then she also met my wife, taught her to counsel and help me with handling my debt, face our future and also assist me to quit the bad habit of gambling.

Since I had stopped gambling, the financial problem was improved and my life was less anxious. My youngest daughter then had money to learn her favourite guitar. Although I still have to pay the debt, I will not be annoyed by the increasing debt and I can work hard concentrately and take the responsibility of my family. Now, my children will not afraid of me like before and they can be concentrated on their studies, my parents have told me before, "We are now happier than getting a big prize when we see you are well-behaved." I am really moved by them and I will not forget the cruel lesson which gambling taught me. As I borrowed my friends' money to pay the debt usually, they feared me so much, but now they will not hate me like that.

I fell gratitude to Caritas A G Counselling Centre and the counsellor very much for giving me a chance to reborn. I will treasure every moment I have and I am confident to make my family to have a happy life together again. I will never make them worry about me. Finally, I want to say something to other gamblers, "There are no win in gambling. You will lose your family love and waste your time only. If you face the problems bravely and search for professional assistance, you must have a bright life before you.