NAMIBIA: Old Folks’ Valentine Treat a Hit

. WINDHOECK, Namibia / New Era / February 17, 2009 By Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro The hosting of a Valentine’s Day for senior citizens of the Katutura Old Age Home is not something that the St Stephen Rommanna Church of Africa can boast about, as this has been divined by the Almighty so that other denominations can emulate this benevolent act and spirit and provide for the senior citizens next time around, said the General Secretary, Bishop Anton Kandjima. Likewise, Bishop Gustaf Mutaazu of the St John Prophecy Church, echoed Bishop Kandjima pointing out that the church’s act is according to the scripture in the “Book of Life” and it has been empowered and spirited as such by it. The essence of Christianity, he said, is to look after communities. He prayed for strength to the Government so that it can in turn continue to look after communities. He especially prayed that the Government gives the Church the necessary support in view of the fact that the Church works for all Namibians inside and outside the country. He said the Government must pay heed, especially to the efforts of the Church in communities. The church’s Archbishop, David Kakero, in turn appealed to the Government to seriously look at the situation of senior citizens in the country, especially their monthly N$450 allowance. He said the senior citizens do not spend this allowance on their own needs but this has become an important lifeline for many a household, with most of the senior citizens spending it on caring and looking after families, including their grandchildren. The Government, he said, today owes its existence to the contribution to the struggle of the senior citizens. Thus, it must look at their needs. He said it must look beyond old people in homes such as the Katutura Old Age home and into the broader society, where they are carrying the burden of looking after their families. In this regard, the Government must look at exempting them from paying for services such as water and electricity. The Katutura Old Age Home here was on Saturday a hive of activities as members of the St Stephen church converged on the home to give senior citizens living in this home a Valentine’s Day treat. The treat started with the tidying up of the home, which included cleaning the rooms of the lodgers. The lodgers were also treated to manicures and haircuts for the gentlemen before the activities culminated in a Valentine’s Day lunch for the lodgers and a few other elderly citizens from the surroundings. It wound up with some spiritual trance as the church, led by its youth choir, engaged in some spirited singing in which the Archbishop himself, fellow bishops and the supervisor of the home, Martha Pholoana, joyously joined. Despite the tranquility of the day characterized by messages such as “St. Stephen Church Cares About You”, “Share The Love”; “God Love Us All. Love Is In The Air,” one of the lodgers, Josef Titus, used the opportunity to air his unhappiness, complaining that they only get one meal a day – porridge in the morning. After that, they are left to their own devices and are expected to fend for the rest of the meals out of the pension allowance of N$450 a month. He says the balance of N$430 after a N$20 deduction for meals a month, is not enough to provide for the two other meals every day. However, Pholoana says the lodgers receive breakfast and lunch and the only meal they have to provide for themselves is dinner. She says N$430 is enough to provide for a daily dinner for a month. The home relies on business benefactors to cater for the meals of the lodgers, while the building housing the senior citizens belongs to the City of Windhoek that also takes care of the electricity and water bills. The church also donated old clothes to the home. Copyright 2008 ©New Era Publications