God gave Marie strength to survive

AMS Staff | 3 July 2006

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Marie John’s world fell apart the day her husband disappeared.

For the Liverpool mother of three, tragedy and financial crisis was something Marie never thought she’d experience. She had a loving husband, three boys and a faith in God she thought was unshakeable.

But on 11 January 2005, swamped by depression and unable to bear the strain of the unpaid debts of the family business, her husband went to work and never returned.

Marie still clearly remembers the last time she spoke to her husband, the day he disappeared. “He said he was going to our old house to pick up some things and he would not be home until later”. But when she had not heard from him by late evening her concerns for his whereabouts were realised when she found he had not been there [old home] that afternoon.

The police were notified that night and three and a half weeks later they informed her that her husband’s body was found. He had been found on a remote bushwalking track in the Blue Mountains in his car. Marie went into shock with the unexpected news of her husband’s death.

Battling her grief, Marie struggled to keep the family business afloat after her husband’s death for as long as she could. Unfortunately the past debts were too great and she was forced eventually to sell.

With her only source of income gone and with two of her three boys to feed, Marie was referred to Anglicare for support. She needed a break and could least afford it, but she had to keep going for the sake of her children.

While it’s true that some families seeking support have struggled with poverty for many years, according to Ms Sylvia Sant, Program Manager of the Liverpool office, most, like Marie, are in crisis because of factors beyond their control.

“It’s a common misconception that the people we help have always been and will always be welfare dependent,” says Ms Sant. “Some may find their feet again after a few months and others may take a little longer. However, sooner or later, our goal is to see healthy functional families who no longer need our help.”

“I remember interviewing Marie when she first came to us last year. She was, and is, an incredibly strong woman, very proactive and involved with her family. Other than the financial crisis that she faced, there was intense grief, lots of hardship, hurt and disappointment that needed to be worked through and which is still continuing today. So we started to put in place support structures that could help her to move out of her current situation.”

According to Marie, her Anglicare case worker is an angel that has walked beside her through a valley of chaos, grief and uncertainty.

Marie admits “there are days that are so dark, but God’s grace gives me the strength to keep going and live another day”.

Even though she is still struggling with the financial and emotional impact of her husband’s death, Marie says that she will always be grateful for the people who helped her during this time, for the support she received from her husband’s business friends, some of her family and her Christian friends who came to the house to pray with her and her boys and who were supportive in other ways. “Thank you Toni and Anglicare for your support with food, shopping, electricity, nappies, Christmas presents, training and advice”.

Anglicare operates a wide range of programs including family support, the provision of care for the frail aged through its nursing homes and community care programs, people with intellectual and physical disabilities through respite care, as well as those suffering financial hardship through emergency relief.

In 2005, Anglicare provided vital assistance to more than 400,000 of Sydney and Wollongong’s most desperate and marginalised.

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