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God and this safe haven get lives back on track
The Salvation Army Family Mission Centre in Krugersdorp is making astonishing differences to people who are on the verge of despair. This centre offers a home to families who are really facing major difficulties – a room and three meals a day per person at an incredibly inexpensive rate. We can take up to 55 people in total aged between 21-60. Majors Michael and Amenda Doubell run a well-disciplined home – no drugs, no alcohol – yet the atmosphere is relaxed and happy. Let’s have a look at a family which has recently got its life back on track.
Julia* and her two sons were living in Randfontein while dad worked in Guinea, he came to visit just before Covid hit and he lost his job. He couldn’t find a job here, and neither could Julia who has a human resources diploma. Within no time they lost everything, house, vehicles, furniture, clothes and food. At one point it was so bad they had to live in a park for two weeks, the lowest point in their lives. The husband eventually got a job in Port Elizabeth. Julia and their two sons found their way to the Krugersdorp Family Mission centre which was a wonderful respite as a home.
“I love this place” says Julia, “even the chores are fun. Thankfully, it is not a drug and prostitution environment, as had been in the guest house where we stayed for a short while after our time in the park. We all feel safe and cared for. Major Amenda is incredibly kind and is trying to get sponsorship for my sons to complete their studies. We are blessed with two wonderful sons. I am so proud of the way they have coped – losing everything in the flick of an eyelid and the appalling conditions under which we have lived. This journey has been very hard. It certainly taught me not to look down on homeless people. It’s only with God’s grace and mercy that we managed to survive.”
Most people who come here have faced retrenchment and joblessness; others have lived for years on the streets. “It’s marvellous to see people grow and begin to shine as their lives improve” says Major Amenda. Her thoughtful regulations and boundaries work well and have earned the Major a great deal of respect.
Major Amenda is just one of the many modern women in The Salvation Army who bring hope and meaning into the lives of so many others.
enjoying a new life with his brother and mom.
*Names changed to protect identities.
