Straatwerk

Every day we read in the newspaper about murder, rape and corruption. Every day we walk past hungry people, suffering people, worried and depressed people. Every day we get up with new a new spirit, but some mornings our spirit gets broken by things that upset and hurt us. We know that we are supposed to love unconditionally. We know that we’re supposed to depend on God and God alone. We know many things, but we are struggling. We search for oases next to the road. A bit of cool water to drink when we become tired and our hearts become heavy. And the Lord sometimes surprises us with an unusual oases.

Do you have a minute for me?  I don't want to waste any of your valuable time.  Do you have a number 8 shoe for me.  And a pair of trousers – number 36.  Or no, number 34.  Thank you very much.

How much is a cup or soup at the soup kitchen if you take your own cup? 30c or 70c? And do you maybe have a few cents for me, please?

I am happy that I’ve been off drugs for six, seven years now. If you want to leave drugs then you just need to do it. I did. Just left it. But a person needs sweets, and many of it. It helps to have something sweet on your tongue. You can’t try to tell a person when to leave drugs or alcohol. A person, has a mind of its own.

What an oases when people next to the road are so friendly, so early in the morning.

She stands knitting on the sidewalk in Longmarketstreet and is waiting for Koffiekamer to open its doors. The wool is dark green and by the dexterity of her hands I can see that this woman knows how to knit. Like many others in the Koffiekamer, she waits her turn every morning to see if she can find a shift. Shifts are rare, because money is scarce everywhere. 

Lia came from Zimbabwe to South Africa in 2006. After a struggle to survive she ended up at Project OPRUIM/JESUS SAVES and has since proven herself as a hard worker, and has been promoted to foreman (woman). Lia knows how to clean a street quickly and effectively, but she dreams of fashion design and making clothes- this is what she became skilled to do in Zimbabwe, but for now this seems impossible.

Lia gives love unconditionally. A person can see this in her eyes, her way, in the clothing she knits. Lia struggles as well, but she is an oases in this fragile and broken world.

He is standing at the entrance of the church. His brown and yellow jersey has seen better days and his bright pink shirt and shiny pants don’t fit well on his body or with the jersey. He is the greeting committee and lets everyone feel special and important. He lets us experience that God loves us and is glad that we came to church.

I don’t know his name, but I know- he, too, is an oases in this broken world. A person can see it in his eyes, his way and the way in which he puts 30c in the collection basket.