Streetwork and work with homeless people
On the streets of La Paz
How do you usually react when a homeless person addresses you with “Have a euro? “Discomfort? Rejection? Compassion? Uncertainty? Then you would feel like almost everyone else: you want to help, but how?
It’s not different in La Paz. The team from Soforthilfe La Paz e.V. is on the road to visit the homeless in La Paz and El Alto 3 days a week. The interns and/or volunteers from the program “Weltwärts“ actively assist in it.
Every week they reach 10-12 groups of homeless people. They meet and spend the night under bridges, on public squares and streets, in the forest or in unfinished buildings. Up to 40 people are reached and cared for every month.
Giving hope and pointing out approaches
In addition to warm tea or hot chocolate, rolls are also provided, which our rehabilitants bake and fill themselves. Through medical aid, we quickly gain the trust of the men and women in order to be able to talk to them and come up with solutions to their life problems. Pastoral counseling, prayer and the offer to be taken to a therapeutic center are inherent parts.
The team wants to bring hope to these people and accept them as they are. But at the same time, they want to show and offer them possibilities to leave this life and start a life with dignity. It’s a long way to get there, but it’s worth it.
