Pick ‘n Eat Pavements
We all have a few “defining moments” in our life time that contribute significantly to the kind of person we become. A defining moment is an experience that happens in our daily life that affects us deeply.
Denise O’Callaghan who has been around Rosebank Union Church for many years had one of those defining moments when she was working as an au pair in Paris in the middle 60s. Coming from a privileged home in South Africa, she never questioned the apartheid way of life. As a young person, away from home and very homesick, she was determined to attend a Miriam Makeba concert so she could have some connection with home. She met Miriam personally and so began a wonderful relationship between a young white South African girl and a great star in exile from her home country. Something significant happened in Denise’s heart. Miriam was kind, gracious and generous towards Denise, and Denise began to see people of colour as being the same as her although different in culture and appearance.
When Denise was in her mid twenties and a wife and mother, the next defining moment happened. Her husband became a believer in Christ and Denise reacted very negatively towards him and the other Christians she met. She went kicking and screaming to house meetings making a scene whenever she was around other Christians. At one of the house meetings, in the depths of emptiness, she had a vision of Jesus. He was leaning towards her with his arms outstretched, all knowing, all understanding, all forgiving. Before she knew it, she was standing up, arms held high, praising the Lord, utterly unaware of her surroundings. The Denise who walked into that meeting was not the Denise who walked out. That was 38 years ago and she’s never been the same since. Those two defining moments have contributed towards the person Denise is and the passion she has.
Denise continues to be excited about the volunteer teaching she does to Grade 10 (Life Skills) and Grade 11 (English) students at Roseact Saturday School in Alexandra Township on Saturday mornings. (For more information about this great ministry, contact Louise Cameron at louise@ruc.org.za or 073 303 3021).
Motivated by the biblical principle that we are to take care of the less fortunate (Matthew 25:37-41), Denise has been growing vegetables (tomatoes, beans, spinach, gem squash, chillies, green peppers) out side her property in Parktown North for the past 5 years. These vegetables are made available for passers-by to help themselves as they are en route to the taxi rank or bus. She calls her unique brain child, “Pick ‘n Eat Pavements” and is hoping that the concept will grow.
To keep others from taking everything for themselves, Denise has added these words to her sign “Pick what you need but please leave some for your brother.” It’s a principle right out of Deuteronomy 23:25 where God says “You may pluck a few heads of your neighbour’s grain by hand, but you may not harvest it with a sickle.” What profound wisdom! What a wonderful way to fulfil Matthew 25:40 “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it for me.”
Well done Denise!
