You Will Not Grow Weary

Half way through the year is a good time to take stock and see how the work of the Ely and District CAP Debt Centre is developing, with a report from John giving a flavour of where we are:

"Compared to March, the tables below give a picture of where clients are in their debt journeys and the number of appointments being carried out by the team.

Following training, we are now focussed on the implementation of our new DHP (debt help platform / salesforce) system. As with any new system, there is a ‘learning curve’ which initially feels quite steep, especially for those who are used to alternative workflows in the case building (fact find) appointment.

Due to the current global instability and subsequent economic impact, demand for debt services in general is increasing and our current 8–12-week lead time feels uncomfortable when set against the more usual first appointment wait of 4 -6 weeks. Couple this with a current 8-week lead time for post budget reviews means that clients can face a frustrating delay for outcomes.

Kim is settling in well to the role of Debt Coach although is discovering the frustration of variable client engagement and the difficult decisions surrounding case closure in response to lack of engagement.

Visit and prayer support is much valued from the wider team although as ever, we would still wish to do more to encourage members from other local churches to join us."

Statistics are a way to give a snapshot of the work of Ely and District CAP, but this is only a very small part of a bigger picture made up of people who can't be placed neatly into a bar graph. Many of our clients are living in a whirlwind of chaos, messy lives leaving little room for financial control and requiring patience and perseverance from the CAP team to help them get through the journey out of debt and to bring light and love into their other situations.

Hebrews 12: 1 - 3 (NIV)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

As Christians we have the Bible to provide us with hopeful and inspiring acts of faith, as well as the examples of those today who are continuing the work of building the Kingdom here and now. Most importantly, we have Jesus as the centre who embodies all that can be done through faith, even through suffering, shame and death. Through His presence in our lives and the support of the Holy Spirit all these witnesses inspire us when we are feeling disheartened - when a visit is cancelled for the second time, when a budget or debt solution seems to be stuck in the system, when a client places demands on our time and patience - in all these times and more, we can know endurance from He who endures for us so that we will not grow weary or lose heart.

We may not always see the result of this patience and perseverance in statistics like those above, but the best way is when we see the results for ourselves, like when Pat was in the park recently and a former client came up, he face aglow to say thank you for the help of Pat and the team - she is now successfully managing her finances and setting up her own business.

Prayer

Please pray for all those working to get the new systems at CAP up and running, for those in our debt centres who are struggling with new processes, and for those at the support hub who are dealing with clients on both the old and new systems, juggling training, providing support and dealing with hold ups. Pray for patience and endurance to get through the early stages, that the new system will grow and develop to help ease the process in the near future.

Please pray for those waiting for their first visits, that although there may be a longer waiting time than usual, they would soon know the support, love and care of the Ely and District CAP team in their lives.

Pray for those who are celebrating debt freedom and those who are having to come back to CAP for further support, that whatever their situation, they know that CAP is there to both celebrate and support.

Pray for all those struggling through difficult times, that they would know the love and support of Him who suffers for them and suffers with them and that we would all know the support and love and perseverance of Jesus when we grow weary.