Cape Town – Refugees who’ve taken shelter in the Central Methodist Church and living outside on Greenmarket Square received a brief respite from their situation when volunteers organised a Christmas celebration for them.
Inside the church, children and parents sang songs, shared food and gave presents to the young at an event organised by a team of refugees
and volunteers from outside of the church.
All the refugees celebrated Christmas together, regardless of their religion and cultural differences.
“We are all one big family,” said Albert Luninga.
Refugee leader JP Balous said that it was “an opportunity to restore what has been destroyed for quite a long time. Our children could finally know what Christmas meant, because in their situation they could never celebrate it. For many of these families, it’s hard to get food on the table, even at Christmas”.
Nikki Lomba, a team volunteer who has been involved with the
refugees since the start of their protest, said every child received a new backpack filled with gifts and babies also received backpacks specific to their needs.
“From the morning of the 24th until the end of Christmas day the air was filled with music. The children had been rehearsing songs for that moment.
“It was only the community that came together to support and care for the refugee children this Christmas,” she said.
“We are seeing that this group of people are being ignored in their plight by the government of South Africa, City of Cape Town and NGOs that are mandated and meant to be caring for refugees.”
The Central Methodist Mission church also published an entry on its website on December 25 that alluded to the refugees.
“We have been part of the suffering of our fellow sojourners together in sharing in the discomfort in our Gothic sanctuary,” read the church’s message.
“Their pain and the slowness of immigration reform in our country will leave a blight on the history of all the relevant authorities who were loath to make decisions regarding the welfare and treatment of all who needed help.”