This winter, thousands of people are feeling cold, without hope, and alone due to debt and poverty.
Your gift today can provide practical immediate and long term support, through the local church, so that they can break free from debt and look forward to Christmas again.
I always loved Christmas with my family. But debt turned Christmas into a list of things to dread.
Victoria, mum and Nanna
Victoria’s story
Victoria: I remember as a child I always said to myself, ‘Christmas is always going to be happy. We’re always going to have family, and the tree, and the presents and food.’ – I couldn’t see into the future where it wouldn’t be.
I was made redundant from my job. I had an accident and then my marriage broke. And before I knew it, it had just… spiralled out of control. Debt took Christmas away from me. You go to bed Christmas Eve and you wake up to a cold, empty house. The contrast is so great. Happy and colourful and warm, to cold and stony. It was almost like, ‘Is it over yet? Is Christmas Day over yet?’ Because there was nothing to celebrate…Narrator: No one should face debt and poverty alone. At Christmas, God came into our world to bring hope to the darkest places. Today, local churches carry that same light into their communities. Christians Against Poverty supports churches to offer face-to-face debt help, and the hope of Jesus to those trapped in the darkness of poverty.
Victoria: They said to me, ‘This is going to be a long journey and we’ve got a lot of hurdles to get over – it’s not going to be easy, but you’re not doing it on your own anymore.’
Before they left, they prayed for me. I still remember going to bed that night with a smile on my face. It had been so grey and cold and stony for so long, and sad, that I actually smiled. And I slept for the first time in I don’t know how long. That was the start of an amazing, hard, long journey.Narrator: Poverty is a cruel thief, but you can help bring the hope of Jesus to people facing their darkest financial storms this Christmas. Please, would you give today and help restore warmth, hope and connection to more people like Victoria?
Victoria: And then, I became debt-free and oh my gosh it’s like, ‘I actually don’t owe a penny to anybody!’ My life has changed so much for the better, and my future is so much brighter. Oh gosh, you know, I love Christmas now. Christmas to me is: family, friends, happiness. It’s just enjoying even the simple things. There’s help, there’s hope. And that is the big word: Hope.
Narrator: Thank you for restoring hope to someone like Victoria this Christmas. Poverty stops with us.
Victoria used to love Christmas with her children and grandchildren. Every year she would look forward to the lights, carols, warmth and laughter. Then debt ripped it all away.
Freezing and hungry, she didn’t want her family to know how bad things were. On Christmas day, she put on a smile and a festive hat for a video call with her grandchildren. After the call, she went back to bed and wished Christmas was over.
I couldn’t think of anything to look forward to. All I felt was cold, pain, numbness, fear and stress.
Then she found CAP. Sally, a debt coach from her local church, supported Victoria to tackle her debts and offered to pray with her too. Victoria realised she didn’t need to face this alone. The ongoing practical and emotional help was exactly what she needed to face her situation.
Now Victoria is debt free!
Today, I can make that Christmas list again: family, happiness and things to look forward to. I have my faith back and I know there is hope in Jesus.
You can help others facing debt this Christmas who will be feeling as Victoria once did – cold, without hope, and alone.
*based on twelve months of giving
