Cape Town - Two Grassy Park pensioners who have opened their hearts and home to the needy for 15 years are this time welcoming visitors as they transform their front yard with Christmas trimmings and lights.
Kenny Felix, 72, and his wife Heather, 67, feed up to 800 people a week with their feeding programme for the homeless and needy.
Kenny revamped an abandoned park by beautifying the small field opposite the couple’s home in South Close by planting trees, plants and flowers, and placing chairs and tables to make it a spot where neighbours can relax.
Kenny said he switched on his Christmas lights on Saturday.
“I discovered with load-shedding and being in darkness, you feel down, but when the lights go on someone will always shout ‘there the lights go on’, because light brings hope.
“When you see the cheerful faces of children and families coming to see the light from yonder and far and neighbours who never met, it motivates you to continue and bring people together.”
“This is not a cheap thing but we are driving this thing without looking at the cost.
“It is about how many people we impact who can have a joyful and wonderful festive season.”
Kenny adds that he sets up all the lights on his own and it took about six weeks, but he had help with the power cables.
“It is a walk-through and after you are done watching the lights and want to have a seat or refreshments, the park opposite our house, which I revamped into a garden, is available.”
He said that as pensioners they are a busy couple and believe that what God has blessed them with they need to give back.
“I am the only one in the area who does the lights so we get quite a few people coming to our house on a daily but it brings me joy to do it.”
The lights will be on every night at 8.30pm at the couple’s home until New Year’s Eve.