Organisational partners, Every Nation Churches Paarl, Tech 3:23 and HEART NPO hosted the second successful Day of Dignity at the Manyano Centre in Paarl on Saturday (12 April).
This extraordinary event, which saw 150 homeless people from Paarl’s streets attend as honoured guests on the day, welcomed each individual with a warm cup of coffee, sandwiches and a small treat before guests all received toiletries, gender-appropriate underwear, socks, beanies, protective overall pants, a fleecy top, rain jacket, worker or gumboots and a blanket, after which a steaming hot shower was enjoyed by all.
The aim was to ensure the most vulnerable people on Paarl’s Streets have warm items at the onset of winter.
Personal grooming – haircuts, facial shaves, manicures and pedicure foot massages – and a scrumptious meal were followed by a ministry around every corner throughout the day.
Day of Dignity’s guests were served by selfless volunteers linked by organisational partnerships, and complete strangers bonded over tubs of hair relaxer, mountains of warm clothing, navigating disabilities to prevent exclusion and freely giving pure, unconditional love.
Guests were truly humbled and extremely grateful. Many broke down in tears, not remembering the last time they felt such a sense of acceptance and belonging.
Street living is a harrowing ordeal with daily traumas experienced by the most vulnerable, but Day of Dignity was a safe place where each guest could simply receive blessings from a caring community and renew hope that their current circumstances will change.
Melt Loots, owner of local business Tech3:23, conceptualised the Day of Dignity, the result of a personal spiritual longing to do something to serve the homeless in Paarl.
He has a steadfast vision that the Day of Dignity can now be copied elsewhere, a unique template that can be replicated in any city or town in South Africa.
One Day of Dignity volunteer, previously homeless on Paarl’s streets and supported by HEART NPO through rehabilitation and reintegration, is now sober, working and living independently for two years.
This person summed the day up in this way: “No-one except a homeless person can truly understand what a day like this means. When one has no hope to lift one out of one’s own destructive mindset and behavioural patterns, you start believing that suffering is all life has in store for you. Looking back now, I know that simply being and feeling loved, truly saved my life.”
“As a former street person myself I know every person who passed us on their way out and thanked us for their Day of Dignity experience was sincere in their words,” another HEART NPO success story-turned-regular volunteer and donor shared.
“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of and experience, another Day of Dignity in Paarl.
“What an awesome day it was for me to serve at the coffee station on Saturday, where I got to see all the befores and afters as guests arrived and left. I was unable to recognise most people on their way out- not only because of the hot showers and personal grooming which made such a massive difference, but there was a complete shift in their confidence and People were glowing with renewed hope.”
Any individuals or businesses who would like to become involved with the next Day of
Dignity in Paarl or ongoing homelessness-support in Paarl can contact Melt Loots on 063 185 3282 or Mandie Erasmus on 062 537 5206.
