Christmas testimonies: Matthew
“I got up on my first night and I shared something and I was impressed when people listened to me.”
– Matthew
When Matthew Robert Payne walked into The Salvation Army’s Sydney Streetlevel Mission for the first time, he immediately recognised that it was a church like no other he had been in before.
“It was full of people that didn’t look like church people, didn’t look like manicured and well-dressed church people,” he says. “These people looked like, half of them were down and out and desperate. They were my sort of people.”
Sydney Streetlevel Mission exists to see the love and compassion of Jesus bring life, hope, healing, restoration and freedom to those who attend. The emphasis is on a holistic approach to social and personal development, by caring for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those who live a shared life in the Streetlevel community.
Matthew, a former addict who suffers with mental health issues, stood and spoke in the regular “care and share” time. He felt supported by the fact that everyone listened to what he had to say. He’s been a regular on Friday nights ever since.
“I find it so encouraging to listen to the stories and the things that people say each week,” he says. “It’s a very welcoming church and it’s a church that’s very open and full of transparent people.”
Matthew has become a valued member of Streetlevel Mission. He is involved in various groups and is a regular contributor at the weekly “care and share”.meeting.
He says being involved in The Salvation Army’s Christmas commercial this year was a real eye-opener. "It was a very enlightening experience to get to see behind the scenes and to get to interact with everyone on set," he says.
“My name is Matthew Robert Payne and Jesus set me free”
To meet more of the cast and read their real stories, visit the Christmas website salvos.org.au/christmas/
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