A blessed opportunity

Tuesday March 17, 2009
Five years ago when I first visited Cape Town, I was taken on a tour of the ministry that was later to exert such a call on my life and bring me back to this beloved land. Among the multi-faceted work done by Living Hope was an outreach to homeless men and women who live in another town called Muizenberg. Famous as the surfing capital of South Africa, it was in the apartheid years a playground for the wealthy. The political changes, mostly for the better has left Muizenberg in a sad state that is only now being slowly reversed. So many of the grand beach front homes fell into disrepair and the influx of poor immigrant refugees who now live in many of them has made drug peddling and alcoholism a feature of this magnificent stretch of the Atlantic seaboard. Homeless men and women now filled the sidewalks and slept under the bridges and trees and on the roadside, mostly uncared for. Led by God to reach out to these needy people Avril Thomas started a soup kitchen first at the Christian radio station she ran and later this blossomed into a fully fledged work that is now known as Living Grace. Twice a day these men, women and some children are fed. They have lockers for their clothes and showers to take a bath. Alcohol and drug counselling are available and several have jobs, including street cleaning. It is a wonderful ministry, not with easy answers or much worldly success, but which demonstrates daily the love of Jesus for these folk.
Local businesses help to feed them and are thankful for all Living Grace does to help try to rehabilitate these people. When I first toured the building, a former bank, it was on a Sunday and while there were no clients that day, I felt their presence, and even more powerful, that of the Holy Spirit. I have had a real care in my heart since that time and have prayed for and supported that work as the Lord has led me to. I have interviewed and written stories about some of them and often hear them call out my name when they see me. And now, I have the opportunity every Tuesday morning to give a short devotion. I praise God for this chance to share like many others, a word of hope from the Lord and also to have my life touched by their struggling faith. Sadly I observe there are so many women, often with scars old and new, or fresh bruises from the violence of the alcohol fuelled lives they lead. I am struck by how many young men there are, most of whom have been mentally affected by the drugs they consume. I am puzzled that they sing the hymns about God's love so vigorously and go back into the streets to do the same things that bring them to Living Grace every day. I am humbled at the staff who for many years have served these people with love and care,many times in the face of danger. Yes, I find Jesus there every time I enter and I want to be where he is.