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National Director of Christians Against Poverty (CAP), Emma Jackson, writes our latest blog.  CAP is an anti poverty charity who offer hope to those struggling with debt, read about the work they do and the inspiring story of how one life turned around.  

Jesus said to his host - “The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends or family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favour. Invite some people who never get invited out -the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.”
 
As we move out of lockdown and begin to come round tables again, these words from Jesus are a real challenge. Who do we share our time and tables with? A poignant question as we reflect on the economic impacts of COVID, knowing how hard it has hit communities that were already facing the rising tide of poverty. For families carrying the burden of debt, unemployment and many facing issues of isolation, relationship breakdown and loss, life is tough. 
 
Christians Against Poverty is a UK debt counselling and anti-poverty charity that, at its heart, seeks to connect the local Church with those in most need, regardless of background. Our unique partnership between individual Churches, across a wide range of denominations, who know their local communities and our highly trained, FCA regulated, Head Office teams, work to enable families to journey out of debt. 
 
Debt can be all consuming. Shame and embarrassment rob people of dignity. Before CAP’s help, almost 1/5 miss meals daily. Over 35% of clients say that they have seriously considered or attempted suicide because of debt before CAP got involved. 
 
Here in Scotland, our network of 24 community based debt centres offers hope to those in the most difficult situations. Through over 20 years of providing free debt advice locally, we know that there is always a solution. Lives can be rebuilt. 
 
At CAP, we know debt isn’t just a financial issue. We strive to offer people the very best support that goes the extra mile as standard. We are interested in whole person transformation. Our army of volunteers never shy to provide kindness and compassion, a friendly face, a listening ear, electric top ups or a cooked meal. Bringing families round their tables, just like Jesus called us to do. 
 
One client, Andy, was at rock bottom when he called CAP. Broken relationship, mounting debts, alcohol misuse, anger. We took the burden of his debt and showed him a way forward. This created space for him to heal, to rebuild his relationship, his well-being and his life. Andy is now debt free, he paid it all back, married and working as a local debt centre manager, helping others find freedom. 
 
Debt is not exclusive to people of a certain age or of a specific household make-up. Unexpected circumstances mean that no-one is immune to finding themselves in a financial crisis. Debt is not something to be ashamed of and no one should feel embarrassed about seeking help. If you or someone you know is struggling with problem debt, now is the time to seek help. CAP is here to help. 
 
The last 12 months have reinforced that community and connection matter to us all. Even more so when you’re facing the most challenging circumstances. While we can’t all be debt experts, we can all reflect on Jesus’s words - who’s around our tables? Who we could reach out to, offer dinner to? Who are you going to invite? 
 
To find out more about debt help from Christians Against Poverty go to capscotland.org or call 0800 328 006 for free, confidential help. 
 

Emma Jackson, National Director Scotland
Emma is the Scotland Director for Christian’s Against Poverty (CAP) overseeing the work in Scotland of this UK wide debt and anti-poverty charity, which helps around 22,000 people each year. Emma has worked for CAP for 8 years, previously working in senior leadership in disability and Higher Education. Emma speaks widely on the subject of debt, money management and how we can serve those in most need in our communities.  Emma is married to Niall and they have three children. They all live in the rural Scottish Borders enjoying outdoor life. Emma is also a contributor for BBC Radio Scotland’s Thought for the Day and a board member of the Poverty Alliance. 

Sr Margaret Rose Bradley is our 'go to' person here at Justice & Peace Scotland for all things to do with recycling and this week she has given us yet another lovely blog which is sure to make you smile!

Last week I was able to buy £42.69 worth of food for £24.02. I am not an ‘extreme couponer’ that is, someone who trawls through internet sites to find coupons for food and household items. There are some people who do this to save money but it needs time and effort and obviously a keen interest in getting bargains and saving money.

I buy from a site called ‘Approved Food’ where food is a good deal cheaper as are cleaning items and some household goods. For some time now experts have told us that the ‘best before date’ on foodstuffs is only a guide whereas the ‘use by date’ should be followed. Approved Foods sells various commodities at a cheaper price. This is possible because some of the items that have ‘best before date’.  can be safely eaten. Each item on the website has a best before date so checks can be made before goods are purchased. Household cleaning items I find a good buy as they are effective for longer than the given date. 

There is a minimum order of around £22 and a £3 delivery charge and goods are delivered straight to your door. Obviously using goods in this way prevents a lot of unwanted items ending up in landfill. 

In our throwaway society recycling and saving the planet is becoming of greater importance. We have recycling bins of various colours, in some areas councils provide food buckets and we can’t help but see adverts acknowledging the need for saving the planet and recycling. With many charity shops closed at the moment avenues for donating goods are closed to us at the moment. One company will buy books, CDs, videos etc. Amounts paid are quite small but it is one step more in sharing goods and keeping things out of landfill. Try Music Magpie for yourself and also Ziffit — details online. 

While I was putting this together some incidents from my childhood came into my mind. One Christmas all six of us got a shared present of a rocking horse. We loved Dobbin and in our imagination he took us far away from Glasgow. When it was Hallowe’en there were always masks for sale in the likes of Woolworths (though they were known as false faces) and I remember my mother would buy us one. One year one of my brothers wanted a false face with a moustache but these were more expensive so my mother didn’t buy him one of those. Instead good old Dobbin helped out. My mother snipped off the end of Dobbin’s tail and that became the moustache for the false face. 

I don’t know if that would be called upcycling or repurposing or whatever new buzz word  is now in use but we all know how resourceful our mother’s generation could be.
 
As for my brother, he was delighted with his Hallowe’en false face.

In Alex Holmes' latest update from Calais he reflects on the living conditions and the amazing resilience of those stuck at the UK border. 

‘How are the mice, Yoel?’
‘Mice are busy’.
‘What will you give them for dinner?’
‘I give them whisky then they dance.’ 

It had begun a few days before. ‘I moved out of the army camp to a house, but it is a horrifying house. It stinks very bad. I vomited 3 times. I stayed in army camp 7 months but camp is better than here.’

Yoel was moved from Home Office accommodation in a former British army barracks. He was dropped at the door of a house and given a key. Just a key. No money, no food. It was a Friday.

Monday came. ‘Today I got some money. I was cleaning all the day. I am tired. I think this house has not been cleaned for 10 years. If the manager sees he will say thank you.  Problem is a lot of mouse in the kichin.’

Across the Channel in Calais, it’s rats. They run amok in the refugee encampments, playing brazen games of chase, gnawing holes in the guys’ tents, and eating into their food supplies. They also swim. A group of Eritreans watch aghast as a rat doggy-paddles across the putrescent drain that runs beside their camp. ‘This is amazing’, says Abel, ‘Eritrean rats can’t swim. Perhaps we tie many rats together and they carry us across the sea to UK.’

CRS, the camp cat, is no ratter. Named after the French riot police, Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité, CRS the cat bears none of the riot police’s aggressive tendencies. She walks delicately around the puddles and avoids the mud. Her favoured night time abode is Jamal’s tent. 

Jamal is from Eritrea. Having escaped a country which has been described as the ‘North Korea of Africa’, he dreams of reaching the UK. ‘I strongly believe that the UK is the country of democracy and freedom. I know it's not a paradise. I think you should be grateful for the safety & freedom you have today in your own country. I swear to God if I have had all this stuff in my country I would never leave my beautiful homeland but unfortunately I was forced. I had no other option but flee.’ After a year in Calais, ‘my mind is restless. I'm frustrated. Tired. Fed up. I see people making it to UK very easily while I'm stuck here. I guess some people are luckier than others, but I know God is not going to forsake me.’ 

This same week, two of his fellow Eritrean exiles in Calais had successfully reached the UK. Fikru, who had penned the words ‘Never Give Up’ onto his tent. And Saare, who two days prior to his crossing of the Channel, had sent a photo of a bird of prey pinning a snake to the ground with its talons. ‘I thought this would describe life. There are challenges every time, but we manage them like the bird is doing’. And like Yoel is doing. ‘I disgust with mouse’. Accompanying the message an emoji, an arm with a bulging flexed bicep. Yoel is on the attack; beware, drunken dancing mice.