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Scott was a student at Teen Challenge in 2002 and he completed the program in 2003. Scott went on to become the Executive Chef in charge of a team of 20 people and workers at Perronne plaza. Scott was responsible for overseeing the daily preparation of food for the “Village Deli” operated by Supercentre supermarket.

He has been there for 4 years and has had 2 promotions. Scott has a heart for people and has returned to Teen Challenge to encourage the students! Scott is seen here in the processing area being helpful and supervising the preparations for the days’ service. Today Scott lives in Montreal Canada where he continues to work in the food preparation business

SCOTT SEELEY

This letter is for all those in need, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, wives and husbands. To any one who is looking for a little hope to hold on to.
When I was asked to write my testimony for Teen Challenge Barbados,(TCB) I thought “Great no problem.” but then I thought about who would be reading this. It might not be the alcoholic or the crack head or the junky. More than likely it’s someone who loves that person who will be reading this. I wish now to tell all of you that there is hope and there is a love that can bring us out of the deepest hole we may find ourselves in.

My name is James Scott Seeley or Scotty as I’m known in Barbados I’m 36 years old and this is my testimony. Through TCB God delivered me from my addiction to alcohol. I battled with drink for over 7 years or should I say I was drunk for seven years.
I was born in Barbados but I was raised in Canada, and spent 10 years in England. I’m a chef and a food and beverage manager. When my wife and I moved to England I thought it was a great move for us. We were have trouble in our marriage and my wife wanted to go back to England to make a new start for us, I was more than willing to do so.
After working in many Pubs I found work with a large Company that owned and operated hundreds of pups in the UK I worked for them for over 5 years as a relief chef and manager. The money was good but I was never home. My wife believed I was having an affair with one if not many of my female co-workers. I was not but I guess you could say I had an affair with work. The stress of work and time away from home not to mention all my insecurities started me down a road of trying to fill a void that had been getting bigger in my life. For all of my “successes” I felt so empty in side. I started to have more and more parties and countless “lock ins at the pups.( A lock in is after hours I would lock the doors of the pup with a few selected friends. All the while that hole in me was growing.
Aa a result my wife left me, and took all we had with her. I was left with an empty flat and a box of stuffed animals I had given her over the years. It was a this point I stated to drink in the mornings, afternoons and evenings and....well you get the picture.
I tried to stop many times on my on inly to fall even further down.
An opportunity came to move to Barbados and I thought “This is my chance to change my life.” So I moved to the Caribbean only to fall again. At this point I was drinking 3 or more bottles of rum a day smoking at least two pack of cigarettes and watching cartoons on tv never leaving the house unless to get more booze and food ( as a chef I still loved to cook).I had no job and was wrapped up tight in a nice warm and safe blanket of deep depression, I believe it was at this time that I feel in love with my sadness. It was also a time when I herd a voice telling me to get up and call my cousin for help. I had no choice but to call her as much as I didn’t want to I did. She came and saw how I was and she got me out of there that day.
This is when she told me about TCB. When I got there I remember having two very different feelings at the same time, one was that I know I had to be here and the other was absolute terror. I have never been more scared in all my life.

As time went on and as I got to know myself through counselling I realised that there was a good and wonderful person in side of me and that person was Jesus. And as I got to know him better I got to know who I was and that the two of us are part of the same life.Later on as my relationship with Jesus grew I felt a sense of total renewal. I could look back on my life and see myself and thank God for all he has delivered me from. God hasn’t just given me a second or third ro how many chances, he gave me a new life. One where I have a quiet confidence because I know that there is some one who loves me no matter what I do Jesus loves me for who I am and loves me just the way I am faults and all. It is almost impossible for me to describe the feeling of this new FREEDOM that has been given to me and I didn’t do anything to deserve it. I thank God for TCB for it was there that I found out who I am. And now I know that I will never be alone.
God has been working for me and fighting all my battles for me and when things are too tough for me he always sends some one for me or takes out of a situation that he knows I can’t handle. I am forever changing with God and embrace all he has in store for me.
I pray that this will give all who need hope a little light to take that step to save your life or the one of a loved one.

May God keep you well and bless you!