One would think that December resembles ending off, rest and winding down…well, not for us! December meant the opening and renovating of our new Centre of Hope in Durbanville.  In our world, December meant starting things, working hard, and winding up! After two years of prayer for a place within Durbanville, the City of Cape Town granted us the use of the old Lions Club which became a reality during the festive season.

By the grace and goodness of God, we received an empty building with one desk, filled with potential and hope. We jumped in and started sourcing everything we needed to operate, reaching out to churches, schools, local businesses and community members. Our Durbanville community was simply amazing. Our GROW teams grew every day, we prepared meals, shared stories and had so much fun! On Christmas day, we served a fully cooked lunch with gammon, roast potatoes, fresh salads and much more. Tables were decorated to the brim and many of our clients enjoyed their first Christmas lunch at a beautifully set table with a filling lunch. We could not bear the thought of closing our Centre of Hope so continued serving our clients over the festive days.

The new year started off with a bang! We implemented daily workshops, the Meal Voucher system, and started teaching values and speaking about dreams. Our GROW team also had their first Brightstar training sessions where life skills were taught, and hope was restored.

Our aim with the Centre of Hope is to get businesses, churches and communities to take hands. We are currently engaging with the City of Cape Town, neighbourhood watches, churches, schools and businesses to create a network where positive change can be brought to Durbanville. It is amazing to see how willing and open people are to get involved.

Our renovations are ongoing and we thank you for partnering with us in our dream to restore that which the Lord has placed in the lives of those around us. Your support makes our work and the change that you witness in the lives of our people possible. We look forward to what lies ahead in 2021.

Cape Town After School Programme (ASP) kicks-off for the new academic year

Our After School Program (or ASP) has restarted for the 2021 school year. Here we support parents by providing a safe place where their children can be given a balanced meal, educational support, and fun activities to keep them occupied away from the busy inner city. Our goal is to not only look after these children, but also instill in them the love of God and teach them biblical values, while also supporting them in any way they need whether it be emotional, spiritual or educational.

Building relationship with residents through community dinner

Our Durbanville Centre of Hope, in partnership with local churches and small businesses, has started a community dinner initiative where individuals from all walks of life can sit around the same table to share a meal.

This initiative aims to establish and build on relationships within the Durbanville community in order to share our passion and work in restoring and building the homeless in this community. Here anyone, regardless of race, class or background can share their stories, struggles and strengths.

We invite the public to join our next dinner taking place on 6 April.  To reserve your spot contact Franita at cptfundraising@mes.org.za