HopeTown expands premises

One of All Nations Cape Town’s local ministries recently hosted an open house to showcase their new premises and all the incredible work they do.

HopeTown is a ministry that focuses on helping young people at risk. The team loves God and loves people by creating opportunities for holistic development through education, skills training and mentoring. Over the years, the ministry has expanded to include kids and youth clubs as well as many different skills training initiatives that each offer hope and alternatives to gangsterism to young people.

These ministries operate out of the HopeTown house in Ocean View, a building purchased a few years ago that has been undergoing big renovations this year. HopeTown leaders Stefano and Doris Lindsay and the rest of their team welcomed guests to the HopeTown house Monday to showcase the improvements to the building and give local team members the opportunity to share about the projects they run. Young people shared about the various HopeTown initiatives like jewelry making, dance class, floorball, art and surfing.

The HopeTown team is comprised of some foreigners who are members of ANCT but also many young people who are from Ocean View and have been raised up as leaders through the HopeTown programs. All local staff and interns are required to learn a skill and lead one of the HopeTown projects, as well as serving in the community, Doris said. “It gives us loads of opportunities to disciple them,” she said Monday.

Lance Allen is one of the local team members. He leads the floorball team and said the project isn’t just about the sport — it’s all about relationships and showing that he cares for the kids that he coaches. “I feel like every time when I’m with them, they’re my kids,” he said affectionately.

HopeTown’s art class also focuses on building up the students who take part in it, said Maria Schilling, ANCT member who leads the art program. She’s been teaching art to the group for a while, and now also has been working with the students to teach them how to market and sell their art for income. Candice Owies has been one of these art students. Monday, she shared about how it’s meant so much to her to be part of the art program. She said she didn’t know how to paint anything before she started and now she’s learning how to sell her art.