Penrith’s freedom hub changes lives
Russell Brown says the wide range of services in the new Penrith centre are helping transform lives. (Photograph supplied by Lauren Martin)
From welfare and financial counselling to lifestyle programs, the incredible range of services at Penrith’s new freedom ‘hub’ are transforming lives.
For Russell Brown, Community Services Manager of the new Salvation Army Nepean Penrith Freedom Centre, a typical day can be “miles and miles of people in trouble.”
“The needs are enormous,” he says. “There have been times when I walk away with tears in my eyes.
“The bulk of people come to us needing food – they’ve paid their bills and their rent …You see a family come in and they’ve done all they can and you see their little kids (and) they don’t have any food in their cupboards.”
Yet despite the overwhelming needs, Russell remains positive that the newly relocated service – in Penrith’s main street – is now able to offer a significantly increased level of holistic care as well as welfare.
“We’ve been praying about this for so long and it’s all falling into place. It’s just going to be an amazing place and I’m sure we are going to see so many people set free,” he says.
The centre has invited a range of other services to become part of The Salvation Army’s Penrith hub and also incorporates a wide range of Salvation Army services in the building. Services include Moneycare financial counselling, Pathways drug and alcohol service, support groups, court chaplains and the Positive Lifestyle Program.
“We seek to ‘empower’, not ‘enable’,” Russell says.
“Realistically, unless we really get involved in somebody’s life, find out their issues, how can we help, ask them where they want to be in twelve months’ time and address that, we’re not going to make a [lasting] difference.”
Russell also passionately believes that “sharing Jesus” is essential to helping people find freedom.
After a successful twenty years working in sales, and after turning down a significant income offer to change careers completely, Russell says working with such an “amazing” team and managing the centre is a privilege.
He says: “I knew God was doing something and that’s when the job turned up – it fits me like a glove. As soon as I walked in I knew this is where I was meant to be. I’d left everything else behind.”
Russell says that he has seen lives transformed and says, for example: “There was a fellow in horrible addiction, definitely at rock bottom; he had cancer and other physical problems.
“His whole outlook was negative and couldn’t see a way out. It was really bad, a really sad story and I said ‘look, you need Jesus’. The state he was in, I just wasn’t sure what would happen,” Russell says.
“After many prayers and discussions and seeking medical help, his life turned around to the point where he now comes in grinning from ear to ear, often saying how good God is as his cancer is now in decline, his general health is better and his mental wellbeing is stable.”
“He now loves to come in and just say hello – the difference in him is amazing!”
Russell says the service helped the man in a number of ways including Moneycare financial counselling.
He says: “We send people to Moneycare – fantastic Moneycare! There’s a lady called Lisa Ross who is just wonderful and will bend over backwards to help people! She helps many out with a massive debt.”
It is seeing transformations in lives that Russell says keeps him going when the needs seem overwhelming.
“You just don’t know what kind of difference you are going to make, even if you have only one day with a person,” he says.
Comments
Good to see that the salvation army is with the people in the main street,so many of the Army's centres have withdrawn to first floor situations , complete with security person at the door!!!! one wonders ,what would the founder have done ?, the question could be asked "is the Army standing with the people?" communication is needed, not isolation !!!!