Cheryl’s incredible story of transformation
24 May, 2023
Content warning: This story mentions domestic violence and being at risk of suicide.
A young girl sits alone in a church building. The world she knows is a scary, cruel place. It is a place where she feels alone. But here in the church, the girl feels safe. It is her sanctuary from the abuse, an escape.
Ever since she was a small child, Cheryl was drawn to the Church.
“Throughout my whole life I have experienced different kinds of abuse,” she says.
“But I have always been drawn to the Church because it felt safe. As a small child I would often go and sit in the churches by myself to feel this way.”
As Cheryl grew from that small, scared child into an adult, the abuse continued throughout her life. Her mental and physical health was severely impacted, and she became angry at God for all she’d been through.
Then, after escaping a domestic violence situation and entering emergency housing, Cheryl hit extreme financial hardship. She had less than $25 per fortnight for food and soon ended up in hospital when she was unable to pay for her diabetes medication. Cheryl had lost hope and was at risk of suicide.
The turning point
Through a social worker at hospital, Cheryl was connected with CAP and she met Ang, a CAP-trained staff member at her local church, Catalyst Church in Ipswich.
“Cheryl was a woman who was beaten down and treated really badly by people,” says Ang.
“The treatment of Cheryl through her life had without a doubt played a huge part in the outworking of Cheryl’s mental health, physical health and financial wellbeing.”
In her 10 years of partnering with CAP to walk alongside struggling people in her community, Ang has seen hurt in every person she’s met with – which is now more than 200 people.
“Depression and anxiety are present in every person I have worked with in my CAP role,” says Ang.
“People struggling with finanical situations are embarrassed and isolated. They don’t feel they can talk about it. There is so much hurt out there.”
Ang developed a friendship with Cheryl as she walked alongside her to help address her financial struggles. Along with the support she received from Ang, Cheryl’s debts were negotiated, and payment plans with creditors were set up for Cheryl to manage.
“Cheryl is now in a better position to manage her finances, but [our mentoring relationship] also has brought peace of mind and strengthened her to be able to stick to her budget and she no longer has bad habits around budgeting and getting into debt,” says Ang.
“She loves that at the end of the week she now has ‘play’ money to spend on her family and grandkids or to simply go out with friends for a coffee.”
Along with regaining control of her financial situation, Cheryl found hope.
“Hope returned about five months into the process with CAP. I began to see light in the present and future again.”
Meeting Jesus
During the first meeting with Cheryl, Ang sensed that Cheryl’s heart began to soften, and she was curious about God.
“Ang was always gentle with me,” says Cheryl.
“She never pressured me with religion, instead, she would ask my permission if she could pray for me.”
A few months later, Ang invited Cheryl to attend a course aimed at exploring Christianity. Half-way through the course, Cheryl gave her life to Jesus!
Cheryl has been a member of Catalyst Church in Ipswich for just under two years now. It is a place she has found acceptance, love and support. When she needed to move house, it was the church that showed up to help her with moving.
“When I entered the church Ang took me to it was a completely different set up!” says Cheryl.
“They welcomed me, this Cheryl, the Cheryl they first met. It didn’t matter where I had come from, it didn’t matter to them. They welcomed me with open arms.”
Incredible transformation
Last year, Cheryl was baptised and invited her family along. Cheryl’s granddaughter saw the change in her grandmother and has been attending youth group at the church. Cheryl’s life has been transformed in many ways since she met Ang and now there is generational transformation happening, too.
Ang has also seen transformation in many other participants she’s journeyed with. It’s what she loves most about being a CAP-trained Money Mentor.
“When I run a group meeting, people start by being emotionally closed, their posture is slumped, you can see the defeat in their demeanours,” says Ang.
“Mid-way into those meetings, you can identify when hope enters in again. They start to sit up, their demeanours change, and I can see it on their faces they are thinking ‘I’m no longer embarrassed, I’m not alone’.
“There’s always hope. And then there’s people like Cheryl who confirm it even more.”
It’s not OK to be alone in financial distress. Will you help struggling people like Cheryl go from alone to connected? Donate today.