Ivor Markman

 

Eight years ago Pat Dahl, the pastor of the Goodwin Park Baptist Church, was touched by the daily pilgrimage children from the townships were making to the more affluent houses in town in search of food.

But now, thanks to her, hundreds of people in this rural Eastern Cape town have somewhere to go for a meal.

Her idea was quite simple.

She discussed the issue with a few of her friends.

The movement started in a small way when each of her friends agreed to contributed R10 each for bread three times a week.

One Sunday morning she announced during a service in the Goodwin Park Church they would be serving meals for children.

“Mainly it would be just for the children. If there was anything left over then that could be given to the adults.

“Eventually my family got to hear of it and they decided to support the work by sending money.

"It took off and we started the soup kitchen at the Goodwin Park church,” said Dahl.

Dahl’s family suggested instead of having only three days a week with nothing in between, they should provide something five days a week.

Three times a week meals are served and on the other two days jam sandwiches with a mineral drink or soup are served.

A meal usually consists of rice and a vegetable such as cabbage.

They also serve meat and soya gravy.

Unfortunately, because of the drought and resultant lack of water, there was a stage when they were unable to cook vegetables.

But even though their hearts were willing, they no longer had enough water to make soup.

“We couldn't have mixed vegetables unless we bought tins,” said Dahl.

Fortunately for the scheme, there are some local farmers who donate vegetables such as pumpkins, cabbage and carrots.

The township people provide nothing for themselves.

“There seems to be a lack of incentive. These people are very discouraged. It's very difficult for them when there was no water and their welfare money wasn't very much,” she said.

The soup kitchen scheme has grown significantly since it first started and now pupils from three schools benefit.

“We invite all the kids in the school.

"They all come and get something to eat. They don't have to pay a fee or anything, it's free.

“Some of them come with larger containers and they take (food) home (for their families) with what's left over.

“We make three big pots of rice plus a big pot of the soya gravy and cabbage,” she said.

By counting the slices of bread, Dahl has worked out how many people receive food each day.

“At a guess I would say we are feeding 1 200 people each meal.

“Bedford soup kitchen uses 45 loaves of bread a day. We get about 22 slices of pre-sliced pieces out of each loaf.

“Goodwin Park uses 35 loaves. We also subsidize the old age pensioners soup kitchen, St Joseph's. They get R800 from the community, but that's not enough,” she said.

“We served about 600 (scholars) at the Bedford soup kitchen and at the Goodwin Park soup kitchen about 400.

But these are not the only recipients. They supply adults and senior citizens with the left over food.

There are nine volunteers each at both Goodwin Park and Bedford.

Every month three of them are on duty on a rotating schedule.

“We can't afford to give (much) because it's a voluntary thing. "These ladies are all members of the Baptist Women's Association and this is the type of work that they do. They get food as well if there is anything over,” she said.

“Our sponsorship comes from Synovate, an international research company.

Up till (recently) they were sending R5,000 per month. As the price of bread rose, everything, went up.

“Synovate decided they would continue (giving) R5 000 (per month) but every few months would send a large sum of money, something like R30 000,”said Dahl.

Dahl’s role has now changed more to one of administration.

“I'm the one who has to see if there's electricity (and) I've got to see if there's funding for the pre-paid meters.

“Every week I order the vegetables and groceries for the three cooked meals we serve. For the other two days they would get bread and jam and the energised drink.

“(Normally) in winter they get soup.

“There is another thing I would like to see done . . . a more central place where adults, who roam the streets and who have nothing to eat, can go and receive bread and a cup of soup,” said Dahl.

 

TEXT: COPYRIGHT IVOR MARKMAN 2013