Embracing hope
24 Nov, 2021When Matthew thought about his future, he didn’t see much hope. Life was generally depressing, difficult, and lonely. What was the point in trying? Things would always be this way. So, he found solace in drugs, a coping mechanism that led him to an expensive lifestyle, worsening his financial distress and bringing him to the brink of homelessness.
Enter Penny, from Matthew’s local church, trained by CAP as a debt coach. Penny walked through the process of getting Matt’s financial situation sorted, extending generosity at every opportunity: inviting him to dinner with her family, regularly checking in, allowing him to use her office to do paperwork.
Along with Penny, the whole church embraced Matt, and were committed to seeing him go on a journey of deep transformation.
“I didn’t really have a connection to the community at the time and meeting Penny and the others really did help with that. I was struggling with drugs, almost homeless, but was made to feel part of something. It gave me confidence and worth”
Matthew started to sense things could be different. Having Penny equip him with knowledge, and then walk him through the process helped move head knowledge around money and priorities to his heart — and transformed it.
“I’d paid my bills, covered my living costs and still had savings left over. That had never happened before. I realised that my future didn’t need to look the way it always had”
Matthew found his attitude shifting. He started valuing different things, had greater self-respect, and no longer felt the need to spend to ‘keep up with the Joneses’.
“Without seeing the option [from CAP] to better my life financially, I had no hope to try. It was the same with drugs, until I knew there was a better life available, I couldn’t see a way out.”
This is the power of hope. Knowing the future could be different motivates us to make good decisions and helps us change. But when you’re at your lowest point, digging yourself out is near impossible, it takes somebody else equipped and committed to show you another path. This is what CAP trains and supports people like Penny to do.
Matthew’s story represents thousands untold from the one in four Australians in financial distress. Your generous heart is needed to bring the real hope of Christmas to those too burdened, too burnt out. Today, your donation will train more like Penny to walk alongside those in financial distress, sharing the transformative hope of Jesus.
Let’s make Christmas merry for all, will you give today and share Christmas?