Sydney couple were desperate – then they ‘stumbled across’ the Salvos
BY LAUREN MARTIN
Sabina and Scott will tell you that “stumbling across The Salvation Army” was the best thing that ever happened to them.
The couple and their two children were experiencing financial hardship and had gone to their local Service NSW office in southern Sydney to ask for assistance.
It just so happened that the woman they spoke to had recently connected with the local Salvation Army and knew immediately that they would be able to help.
“She recommended that we get into contact with the Salvos,” said Scott. “When we came, everyone was so lovely,” added Sabina.
The couple recently shared their story at the Shire Salvos Red Shield Appeal breakfast launch.
They related how they had been struggling since the death of Sabina’s mother the year before, which added financial stress as well as grief to the family.
“We had to sign into a payment plan just to receive my mother’s ashes,” said Sabina. On top of that stress, the family car broke down and could not be repaired on the final day that they were moving Sabina’s mother’s belongings out of her home.
That left the family of four with no vehicle. However, they were still paying off a loan they had taken out to buy the car about 10 years prior.
“We had gotten a loan when Scott was working,” said Sabina. “But with COVID … he ended up not in work any longer, and the bank kept saying that we need to keep paying it. We had the loan deferred, and we were paying it off minimally, but there were so many fees and charges.”
“I was in tears ... I was speechless.”
By the time Sabina, Scott and their two primary school-aged children walked into The Salvation Army for the first time, they were struggling to make ends meet on two government payments (both cannot work due to health issues).
Without a car, Scott spent more than an hour each way on two different buses to get their kids to school and then back home. They were behind on school payments, and their boys would sometimes miss out on events. Not to mention other things that many Australian children take for granted, like after-school activities or going out occasionally for a meal.
Practical assistance
The family was welcomed at Shire Salvos Miranda in southern Sydney and were grateful to receive food relief and assistance to pay for their necessary prescription medication. They became regulars at the Tuesday night OneMeal food service.
“Our boys loved coming down; they made friends, and so did we. It’s a lovely atmosphere,” said Scott. When he mentioned one evening to Shire Salvos Miranda Mission Leader, Lieutenant-Colonel David Godkin, about the burden of their loan, David suggested making an appointment with an on-site Salvation Army Moneycare Financial Counsellor.
A few weeks later, Sabina and Scott got the shock of their lives. Their bank had agreed to waive their loan. “I was in tears,” remembers Scott. “I was speechless,” said Sabina.
The result was life-changing. The family is no longer behind on school payments; they have been able to finalise Sabina’s mother’s funeral costs and save money for things like a birthday party at Laser Tag for one of their sons. “It’s been huge,” said Sabina.
“We don’t need to come to the Salvos as often for food support now,” said Scott. “But we still love coming along because the Salvos are like our family.”
At Easter, Sabina and Scott’s two children attended Shire Salvos’ Community Kids Camp – a week at The Salvation Army’s Collaroy Convention Centre on Sydney’s northern beaches, which they loved. Sabina and Scott also enjoyed two nights away, their first holiday since before the boys were born.
Sharing their story at the Red Shield Appeal launch was their way of ‘giving back’ to the organisation that had come alongside them in their time of need and also to let others know that if you’re struggling – reach out for help.
“We feel very blessed that we stumbled across The Salvation Army,” said Sabina.
