For me, Christmas is a difficult time. On the 21st of December I was in my house with my family in Spain, and my ex-wife told me she was in love with another man and I had to go. This was after 22 years of marriage. I think about that day all the time.
I had nothing in Spain. My doctors told me to change my life, so I went to England in 2018 and my life has changed.
When I came to Manchester I had £3,000 and I tried to get a room to live in. Someone told me they would rent a room to me for £750 per month and two months’ deposit. After the first month, I told them I didn’t want to live there anymore. They said they wouldn’t give me the money back, so I ended up on the street. I thought, oh my God, what am I going to do now?
I lived on the streets, which was very sad and horrible. I lived in Piccadilly Gardens and slept in the train station. It was November and the weather was so cold. Nothing like it was in Spain. I remember feeling very sorry for myself.
At that time people give me a little money and one very good person told me about the opportunity of food and a room at Emmaus Bolton. I cried and cried and cried when I found Emmaus Bolton. It felt so good. I cried for two days because I had been feeling very low. In one day you have a room, you have a job, you have a little money, you have your food. You have everything you need.
My first day at Emmaus
I remember my first day at Emmaus. It was frustrating because I didn’t understand anything, but the director took the time to translate things for me. I know that I can go to the staff with any problems.
One of the people who was a trustee at Emmaus Bolton also gave me free English lessons. It meant so much to me for her to give her time to me. I never took English in school. I remember listening all the time when I first came to Emmaus, listening to customers and companions.
Giving new life to furniture
At the moment, I’m in the workshop. When my English is better, I would like to rotate around the other Emmaus Bolton charity shops. I like what I’m doing in the workshop at Emmaus Bolton because I like restoring furniture. When you see the furniture for the first time, you might think it’s meant for the rubbish dump, but I think about how I can change it, and afterwards people are amazed it’s so different. They say I’ve done a good job and it’s important to me that they like what I do.
I would like to work in a shop in the future. People visiting Emmaus speak with me all the time. They ask me how I am and how my diabetes is. I enjoy speaking to customers and need this.
My life will change 100 per cent in the future when I have dental treatment to replace teeth I lost through diabetes. I’m putting a little money to one side and, little by little in a year’s time, I will have enough to replace my missing teeth.
Improving my health
I was a metal worker in the past, but I can’t go back to that now due to my age and my health. I’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, narrowing arteries and fibromyalgia.
Emmaus has helped me with this. The community manager at Emmaus always reminds me about my appointments, comes with me and translates what the doctors say. The community manager was with me for three hours when I had my insulin pump fitted.
I have the best companions. Emmaus is my family. my father, my mother, my sister, my brother. Emmaus has been there when I’ve been in pain and had no money. Emmaus is there when you have lost everything: lost money, lost work, you have lost family, your friends.
I’m so much better with my diabetes now that Emmaus has helped me get an automatic insulin pump. It automatically puts the right amount of insulin into my body for my blood sugar level. I had pain in my leg before, but since I’ve had the insulin pump fitted this has now gone.
I have narrowing arteries, which the doctors say is for life, but after Emmaus helped me, I’ve been receiving treatment for a year and new pills, so everything is now much better. I also have fibromyalgia, and I have a patch for the pain. I can carry out tasks in the workshop every day but I can’t do too much.
Emmaus is so very good. It’s the best. Emmaus is an opportunity to get off the streets and change your life. I want to thank Emmaus supporters. A thousand thank yous for everything. Emmaus has changed my life 100 per cent.
If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness and need help, you can find out more about the help available from Emmaus Bolton here.