Gina Spence has one wish for Christmas -- that people will come to understand the awesomeness of God.

It's fitting, considering the true meaning of the holiday, but it is a message that Ms Spence spreads all year round in her work in the community, helping others.

"If people pondered for a minute it would change things, He's awesome,'' says Ms Spence who became a Christian a few years ago.

Last Friday, Gina Spence's Productions in Christ held its annual Street Fest on Court Street, showcasing local talent and bringing a positiveness to the area. The event is to help the homeless, and this year the recipient of funds raised will be a family who will have their own place to live over the holiday season.

It is an issue closer to Ms Spence's heart than most people realise. She grew up with 11 siblings in a small wooden home in St. Monica's Mission, spent time in a foster home, and despite not finishing high school, was still able to buy her own home at the age of 25.

Ms Spence is testament to the fact that it isn't where you come from but where you are going that matters most. The fact that she never forgot where she came from and is able to keep it `real' makes Ms Spencer relatable as she talks to disadvantaged people on the street and in the prisons.

"People always think it has to be about money but there are a lot of other things you can do to help people...kind words, some soup,'' said Ms Spence who has her own performing arts company and now hosts Youth Talk on local television.

"It's amazing because if a person is starving or hungry that means so much to them. I've had the opportunity to house homeless people in my house.

"I have a little room downstairs in my house and was able to help a couple of people over a period of time until they found somewhere to stay or got their children back.

"Most of these people had jobs and just fell on hard times or couldn't afford the high rents and in the interim of getting assistance or finding somewhere else to stay that they could afford they had no fixed abode.

"That's when it really hit home to me that there were people out there working every day but still struggling. So we took the Street Fest and used it as an opportunity to help people. For the past three years we have made a donation to the Salvation Army Shelter.

"We found out what the cost was per day, about $5, and from Christmas Eve to New Year's it was $55 to $60. We identified people in the shelter who were working and helping themselves who we encouraged, and the money was earmarked for people in the shelter who were helping themselves.'' Money raised from the Street Fest will help a mother and her children get settled into their apartment for Christmas by going towards the first month's rent.

"I don't think it's good to just give things to people, unless it's a dire predicament and we've done that on occasion,'' she says.

"I think people appreciate it more if they earn it and people giving the donations want to know that the money is being used wisely.'' And it's not just the Street Fest, now almost 14 years old, that Ms Spence uses to help the community.

"We do three major events during the year as a production company,'' she explained.

"We do a six-week summer programme as an outreach to kids who can't afford to go to Jackson (School) or get private tutoring, but have the talent.

"Their commitment is to be there, to participate and follow through to the end and parents must participate. Whatever talent they have we nurture it, behind the scenes, on the stage, whatever.

"We develop a scholarship at the end of that production, to take dance classes or go into the professional realm.'' Ms Spence is going for her certification as a prevention specialist in drug prevention at CADA (Council on Alcohol and drug Prevention), using drama as her teaching tool. She also uses her upbringing to inspire other to strive for more.

"I grew up in a family of 12, wooden house, outside toilet and spent most of my teen years in foster care at the Salvation Army and Sunshine League, so a lot of it is based on my own experiences,'' said the mother of three daughters.

One of those daughters is at Bermuda College, but when she was at CedarBridge her mother was asked to speak to the students there.

"I sat her down and said `you know I'm going to `go there', talk about the wooden house' and I asked her how would she feel,'' said Ms Spence.

"She said `momma, tell them, they need to know because a lot of children think we're wealthy'. One day I drove them (daughters) behind St. Monica's Mission to show them the wooden house and they walked inside and could not believe we lived in that little house.

"People see you in the papers and on TV and think you had this great life.

I'm not ashamed of the challenges I went through or the things that happened.

In fact I'm grateful because I don't think I would be the person that I am.'' Added Ms Spence: "I know that the only reason why I stand where I do in the community is because somebody gave me a chance, the opportunity to do things.

I was a Brownie and Girl Guide even though I was in foster care.

"There was alcoholism and a whole lot of things we had to deal with as a family, but going through those things helped me appreciate what I have. Now I'm trying to teach my children the same principles and morals, of giving of yourself.'' As a Christian, Ms Spence feels her calling is to help others, something she tries to do in many ways.

"I'm not afraid to say I'm a Christian and I always say if Christ was here he would definitely be on Court Street, no doubt about it, and at Agape House where people are sick and suffering,'' she said.

"My challenge to the churches is the Street Fest shouldn't just happen at Christmas time, we should do something once a month. I was doing this before I got saved, so it's not like `I'm a Christian now, let me do this good deed'.'' Ms Spence spent five years at Warwick Secondary School but because of things that were going on in her home life she missed a lot of school and ultimately did not graduate.

"I don't knock anybody with a college degree because I'm going to get mine,'' she promised. I'm doing my GED now, I find it fascinating to be going back to school.'' "But I think a lot of it (college degree) is lost because when they get caught up in it they can't be real, they can't come down to reality.

"When that CEO sits down, takes that tie off and pushes that briefcase to the side he's a human being.'' Two success stories that Ms Spence holds close to her heart involve a former inmate who she met in prison who has now turned his life around and holds a management position with a local company. He also now goes into schools as a motivational speaker.

The other is Gita Blakeney who, as a youngster, got involved in Gina Spence Productions and is now an accomplished singer.

"She always gives us thanks,'' Ms Spence says proudly.