Fine dining for the homeless
FERNDALE – Homeless people were treated to a decadent lunch served under the shade of trees.
A life of living on the streets is very hard as there are many challenges – and this is something that Pots of Hope aims to change, one meal at a time.
About 146 homeless people were treated to a fine dining experience at the Ferndale Bible Chapel where they were able to order from a menu and were served by waiters.
Founder of Pots of Hope, Trevor Webster said that he had recently started the organisation and that he really wanted to spread some goodwill to the homeless. “This is the first event hosted by Pots of Hope and we just wanted to serve the homeless a plate of food in a dignified way,” he said. He explained that being homeless had its own set of challenges and that, at times, they get involved in dubious activities due to their circumstances.
#Potsofhope A huge thank to Ferndale Bible Chapel for the venue.Jugglers Singers big smiles and great food #Hopeforthehomeless pic.twitter.com/Cm9CttG1AQ
— Doorway to Dignity (@Doorway2dignity) December 11, 2016
He added that over 20 donors sponsored potjies to serve the guests of honour. They were treated to curries, chicken meals, vegetarian meals and even ostrich, all followed by dessert.
#Hopeforthehomeless #TheStreetStore We will be hostingwith ferndale Bible Chapel 4 Fe https://t.co/cfBJs8fTPX via @YouTube
— Doorway to Dignity (@Doorway2dignity) December 11, 2016
“There is a perception that homeless people are criminals but we need to value them as people because someone who lives on the streets has lost their self-value but, through such events, we aim to remind them of their value,” he said.
David Mbele has been living in the streets for the past 16 years, looking for his fortune in Johannesburg. He never knows when his next meal will come from. “I am so grateful to have been fed such a delicious lunch, I am really happy,” he said. Mbele explained that he did not often get a full meal to eat and often had to do with the scraps that he found, sometimes in dustbins. He said that he enjoyed the ostrich potjie the most, as he had never tasted it before, adding that it was delicious.
