‘This is humanity’: Program helps Martin turn his life around
Winter Shelter Program
A workplace injury, the loss of his income and almost two months sleeping rough could have sent one Nambour Winter Shelter guest into a downward spiral.
Instead, “Martin” – whose full identity is being withheld at his request – said the program gave him the breathing space to begin rebuilding his life.
Martin had been working casually in construction when the injury occurred. “I couldn’t work because I was working in construction and when you work in construction, you’ve got to be fit,” he said. “After that, I had no cash flow, no income. And the only solution was sleeping in the car.”
Martin said he had previously lived comfortably and stressed his homelessness resulted from a temporary setback rather than a long-term situation. By the time he was directed to The Shack and Nambour Winter Shelter through local community services, he had been sleeping rough for almost two months.
“But this was life-changing,” he said. “It is the best thing to ever happen. This is humanity. This is what humanity should be about. I saw love here. I saw hope. I saw a future in this program.”
Martin decided to enrol in a course in order to be productive during his recovery time. He has a few modules left to finish.
Through connections made during the Winter Shelter program, Martin has since moved into The Shack’s Gen One Village men’s housing project in Nambour.
“This was a gift from heaven. I wasn’t expecting that,” he said. “It’s very hard to find houses. It’s not easy. Especially with no income.”
Martin’s experience with the shelter did not end when he found somewhere to live. He returned twice as a volunteer to help other guests going through similar circumstances, while also continuing his studies and doing some tutoring in his spare time.
He said he hoped others sleeping rough would take up the opportunity if the program returned. “The door was opened to me,” he said.
“There were days here where there were only like three people and there were so many volunteers. If more people came, they could have been blessed too.”
The Nambour Winter Shelter brought together The Shack, Flametree Baptist Church, Sanctuary Park Church, Nambour Christian Church and Ignite Church Nambour, with each hosting guests on different nights of the week and volunteers providing beds, meals, showers, conversation and company.
