Hope Village wants to be place of refuge for batter women and elderly

SECUNDA – A local couple has their sights set on opening up a shelter for battered women and elderly people who are destitute.

Mr Dries and Ms Marelise Meyer know all too well how tough life can be when you lose your earthly belongings, and they now want to help, and minister to others who are in need.

Their own ordeal helped them to depend more on God, to live in prayer and strengthen their faith.

The Meyers feel led by God to open a shelter, especially for battered women who need to face the world again after escaping a volatile relationship.

“These women are often too afraid to leave their abuser, because they do not know how they will take care of their kids on their own. We hope to give these women back their dignity and help them become independent,” said Ms Meyer. They are also touched by the plight of so many old people who do not have a place to stay and want to also accommodate the elderly.

Mr Meyer is an artisan and is dependent on contract work. He was unemployed for many months.

“We prayed with our close Christian friends for work, and later even for any entrepreneurial ideas to generate some form of income,” explained Mr Meyer. God answered their prayers in a rapid and massive way and they now believe it was God’s way to bless them to bless others. “Everything is just falling into place. Solutions are offered for problems we had not even yet considered. Help is coming in from everywhere – from people volunteering to be board members and accountants, to donations in the form of clothes and furniture.

Hope Village, a non-profitable organisation, is scheduled to open its doors at Brendan Village in the beginning of March.

“At this stage we are looking at a 10-bedroom house, but hopefully we can later move into the lodge where there are currently more than 70 rooms available,” Mr Meyer said.

According to the Meyers, the potential is endless at Brendan Village where they will explore the idea of a small home-school, a church, a bargain shop and a vegetable garden to contribute to the self-sustainability of Hope Village.

A board of directors are in place that plan to bring in the services of counsellors and helpers. “This is not just us, but a team of people working and praying towards the same goal,” said Ms Meyer.

Donations are welcome as there is still a need for furniture, clothes and food.

For more information or to get involved with Hope Village, contact the Meyers at 060 339 0907.