The team at Christians Against Poverty (CAP) in Ballymena kicked off a year of events to mark ten years of work in the town with a Men’s Breakfast at the organisation’s local base in Ballymena Baptist Church.
CAP ‘provides free debt help and local community groups across the UK. Our free services, run with local churches, provide practical and emotional support and show people that there is always hope.’
Dozens of men were present on Saturday morning to enjoy a hearty Ulster fry as well as a time of song and testimony from well-known singer and evangelist, David Kelly.
David shared the life-story of Elvis Presley from ‘the King’s’ humble beginnings in Tupelo, Mississippi to rock ‘n’ roll stardom and his tragic death at Gracelands on 16th August 1977.
During David’s talk, he reflected that although Elvis fell victim to the trappings and excesses of fame and success, Presley never lost sight of his Christian beliefs as evidenced by his countless Gospel recordings.
Fascinating and insightful, David’s reflections on Elvis were interspersed with live acoustic versions of classic songs like ‘Wooden Heart’, ‘Love Me Tender’ and ‘I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’.
Following his Elvis set, David briefly shared his own testimony, revealing how God had taken him from hopeless teenager to a life-saving hero who spent time at 10 Downing Street with David Cameron.
It fell to John Maxwell, Manager of the CAP Centre, to sum up what the organisation as achieved locally over the last decade.
He said: “Over the last ten years, Christian Against Poverty in Ballymena has helped around 200 people to become debt free. It is great to celebrate this at the first of several special times we are planning for this year including a Ladies’ Event and a day to say thank you to our ‘befriender’ volunteers.
“We give God the glory and praise for everything he has done, and we will move forward seeking to give others freedom from debt and a message of hope,” added John.
To discover more about the services Christians Against Poverty can offer, log on to: https://capuk.org or or call 0800 328 0006. All services are given free regardless of age, gender, faith or background.