POLOKWANE – For some, shopping for clothes is a fun activity, for others, it is a chore that needs to be done. Walking between the rows and rows of clothing, looking here, touching there, can be a stress reliever for some.
On Saturday, 19 October, Taberna Dei invites every person who does not have the money to buy brand new clothes in a store, to come and shop for free at their Second Street Shop.
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“The idea here is to give an opportunity to those who do not have money to come and buy. We use the word ‘shop’ differently from what people are used to. Usually people receiving hand-outs have to take what they get with little or no choice in the decisions. We want people to come, look around and, as in a shop, choose a cut, colour and size that fits them,” explains Christiaan Gouws, one of the organisers of the event.
Anybody who wants to contribute is welcome to donate clothes, blankets, shoes and toys. “We asked the Taberna Dei churches to donate, but there is only so much they can give. It is a project that involves the whole community and everyone can donate. We would like to give the people shirts, pants, dresses, jackets, shoes, blankets and toys for the children. We want to spoil these people a bit and give them something to eat and drink as well as a hygiene packet and grocery box. All of this will be bought or donated.”
On Saturday, from 08:00 people can queue at Taberna Dei Mother Campus at the entrance in Kleinenberg Street. It will work on a first-come, first-served basis. The volunteers will walk with the shoppers through the shop while getting information on the shoppers’ skills to see if they can help with work if they do not have.
The shoppers then can choose clothes, get something to eat and drink and the volunteer will pray for them. “We help everyone that arrives on the day. They cannot ask a family member to get them something. This is for people in need. To help them. We would like to offer more goods in the future in the shop. Other churches in the province also do this and we thought it is a nice idea for Polokwane to help those in need.”
