You never know what you’ll find behind a closed door

This story really touched our hearts. Not only because 99–year–old Mrs C was living in dreadful squalor …

But because her 70–year–old son – who’s elderly and a bit wobbly himself – was doing his best to look after his mom, without any help or support.

Isn’t that what love means? Not romantic gestures – but loyalty, commitment and patience. It is sticking with a parent or partner through the bad times and always being there for them.

You won’t believe how many elders in our Homes have no contact with their children. They don’t visit, or even call to find out how mom or dad are doing. And it’s heartbreaking.

Mrs C is fortunate to have a son who loves her. But, owing to his age, he wasn’t coping well at all. That’s why neighbours contacted Tafta to report a suspected case of an elder in distress.

They’d noticed that her house was looking more and more run down. Knee high weeds sprouted in the garden, and the house itself looked spooky and desolate.

When our social worker finally managed to gain entrance, she was shocked. Clearly, the house had not been cleaned in years. Thick grime covered the floor, and the walls were dirty and laced with cobwebs. Every available space was strewn with clothes, old newspapers, boxes and other junk.

Mrs C was sitting hunched on a chair eating a dry piece of bread. She never lifted her head or said a word while our social worker chatted to her son.

He gladly accepted our offer to arrange for a carer to come in to help tidy up.

And when we promised to deliver daily meals for both him and his mom, his eyes lit up. You could see how much this meant. Gone are her days of eating dry bread. She now enjoys meals that are nutritious and healthy – and so does her son. He is so grateful and appreciative.

And we feel the same way toward our loyal supporters. Because it’s your kindness that makes it possible for us to deliver tasty nutritious meals to needy elders for the week.

If you can give R250 now, you’ll provide meals for a week for someone like Mrs C. R500 provides meals for both her and her son.

And a donation of R1000 means a delicious, healthy meal every week day for a whole month! Any amount you give makes a difference.

And, this evening, when you sit down to your own supper, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve shared your blessings with someone like Mrs C and her son.