Sheltered

Propelled by economic distress, I asked the Napier branch of The Haven Night Shelter group to assist me in my job search in the Cape. They volunteered to put me up for three months for a minimal charge and supplied awesome food from Spar stores, Pick n Pay and various restaurants.

Women are bunked separately from the men in the night shelter and their heartbreaking stories of desperation moved me to tears. Some had been retrenched after many years of service and have no roof over their heads or basic security. One food service lady (pensioned off) sweeps the streets of Cape Town for a small income. A qualified nurse and masseuse was evicted from the premises where she worked and lived when she fell down a flight of stairs and broke her arm.

Thank God for the awesome folk who provide premises and professional staff, including a social worker who helps keep track of our homeless and provides counselling for abused women, as well as mentoring programmes to motivate folk to become economically active after their spirits have been crushed by misfortune. It is heartwarming to know that the youngsters who sell bits and bobs at the traffic lights are accommodated in night shelters from time to time and fed regularly.

It would be so kind of people to donate their resources and time to this valuable cause – if anyone’s interested they can contact

The Haven at 021 425 4700. Please pray for a just and corruption-free government that provides sustainable employment and basic housing for all.

Heather Johnston

Ed: Thank you for reminding us that we can all help – and that there is a reason, often sad and beyond their control – why many people end up on our streets.