The Thomas House of Hope is situated near the corner of Victoria and Sergeant Streets Somerset West  They have  a very meaningful slogan – YOUR FUTURE STILL HAS HOPE. And their Mission Statement reads as follows; “We offer to partner with you to overcome some of the challenges that life has thrown at you. Together, we can help you get back your dignity, find your inner strength and provide you with all the support you need to get back on your feet. We accept all walks of life” Their caring extends to the homeless, addicted, rejected and destitute people of the Helderberg basin. It is a Non-profit Organisation in terms of the Non-Profit Organisation Act and is registered as Public Benefit Oragnisation.

“THOH” provides a breakfast and lunch Mondays to Fridays, a hot shower facility, a shop providing some basic necessities, a place of safety, social worker guidance and spiritual guidance with the opportunity to attend the Sunday Street Church services and various other initiatives.

Our church helps to support this organization financially, and in order to encourage us to continue to offer our support, two testimonies from folk who have been helped by “THOH” have been included.

My time at Thomas House of Hope

Before I changed my life I was on the streets with nowhere to stay and nothing to eat, using drugs whenever possible. Coming to a point that I could not carry on like this anymore. I wanted things to change and I started coming to “THOH”. I found a place of stability where I was able to come and ground myself. To pick myself up again. As long as I took part in the program I knew I always had a meal and warm shower, as well as warm clean clothing.

As I regained my hope and strength again, I wanted to stop using drugs and got myself into rehab. I came out of rehab and continued to take part and volunteer at “”THOH”  which was a big part of my foundation in my early recovery and coming off the street. It was the people of Thomas House of Hope that made feel more welcome there.

The Return of the Prodigal Son.

When you fall from grace it’s unmistakably one of the scariest things that can happen to any human being especially for those who have had a “good life” It happens slowly, builds momentum and than bang the trap door opens beneath you and you are left hanging. Everything you once identified with and everything you once knew vanishes. No more job, no more home, no more family and no more friends. Friend are nowhere to be seen, just gone. Feelings of hatred, anger and resentment flood your mind. How can this be! How can you blame me, it wasn’t my fault it was theirs. Those who said they loved you, cared for you and who you depended upon are gone. You are in denial. This can’t be happening to me

I found myself thinking about this as I woke up from my sleep, laying on 2 cardboard boxes I had flattened as a mattress with my blanket over me, my shoes were used as my pillow. (If you have a good brand of shoes, they get stolen off your feet while you sleep). You sleep with one eye open, listening to every sound, never sure if

you would have to get up to flee, or fight for your life. I slept opposite the Police Station with some other “better” street people, who understood that sleeping in numbers was safer. I find it hard to understand how the very people who are struggling, steal from each other. I became another person, hard, ruthless and in your face. You earn respect on the street with that kind of  attitude “I’ll hurt you before you even think about taking anything from me” I learnt that the tough survive and the weak fall along the wayside.

After a few nights on the street I heard about the Thomas House of Hope, a decent place with friendly staff that show respect and treated you like any other “normal” person, not any lesser one. Through their program I leart to take full responsibility for my life and actions. On the one day I got a free breakfast, a shower, toiletries and one grey blanket and then I went off to the Garden in the centre of town to work for the morning. The garden is a Non-profit Organisation (Somerset West Village Garden) run by volunteers who oversee the (THOH) people and other struggling people. In exchange for my time, I was paid in tokens, 3 tokens for 3 hours work. With these tokens I could redeem them for meals, basic groceries, additional blanket, getting my ID card and other services. After lunch I showered, changed into clean clothes that I had washed in the washing machine (for one token) and then went back onto the street for the remainder of the day.

Believing that part of my problem for ending up on the street was my drinking, I joined the AA meeting held at (THOH) on a Sunday afternoon. Gradually I became more comfortable and open to the fact that I was a sick man and so after a few weeks I got a sponsor who worked with me and became “my friend”. I was forced to be brutally honest with my thoughts and the perceptions of myself. I learnt to take responsibility for my life and to stop blaming everything and everyone. I surrendered my life to the God of my understanding.

THOH arranges meetings from charity groups and individuals, for street people, on different afternoons and evenings to which I was recommended to attend.  These get-togethers were helpful and helped my spiritual and mental wellbeing. This was my first step to recovery and taking back my life. After some time I was offered a job on a contract basis for six months at a time. I was able to stay with a friend and slowly got back on my feet.

Two years later I’m still doing the same job. I have accommodation, I’ve been able to make amends to many people I hurt along the way. I have paid outstanding debts, developed a healthy self- image and learnt to love myself again and to be grateful for the small things that so many of us take for granted. I believe that if it were not for the help I received from Thomas House I would not have been able to get the opportunities I have been given. I know that there is always hope and if I believe this, there will always be a way and everything will be possible. I say thankyou to the staff at Thomas House, “my friend”, all people who have believed in me and to the God of my understanding for helping me get through the challenges of the last three and half years.

(This letter has been shortened and edited). For more information on Thomas House you can check their website at www.thomashouseofhope.co.za)

Claradon Fransman