“Shower on Wheels” initiative brings dignity, care to the homeless

Some of Saint Lucia’s most vulnerable persons were given a helping hand on December 21 by members of the local Seventh-day Adventist Church. In the spirit of giving back, a group of “Good Samaritans” supported unprivileged citizens including homeless individuals by bathing, feeding, and clothing them. The group was largely made up of members from Zone A of the SDA Churches on the island of Saint Lucia, in collaboration with other persons turning out to aid in this noble cause. These activities were held at Church Lane, Castries, utilising the St Aloysius R.C Boys School for the project.

The programme included helpers of all backgrounds and ages. While adults dealt with the more technical aspects of the project, the children’s ministries department supported by providing breakfast of tuna sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, cake, and juice to the homeless in Castries and directing them to the location for the showers and lunch. 

This is part of the “Shower on Wheels” initiative led by Evangelism for Saint Lucia, a programme intending to share the gospel with individuals through ministry and acts of kindness. Coordinator for Evangelism for Saint Lucia Donatus Sydney revealed why his organisation chose this season to give back, noting: “It’s a time when everybody wants to give, everybody wants to do something. So we choose this season, this time of the year, and we’re hoping to make it an annual event, where we can spread some more dignity and pride in our homeless citizens to let them know that they are part of this country, Saint Lucia and we thought maybe that kind of action, that kind of compassion and kindness, perhaps would go well with the season.”

The District Pastor for the Maranatha District of SDA is Pastor Chad Goolaman told St. Lucia Times the initiative aligned with the Adventist ethos to help develop the community holistically and not just spiritually.

“As a church, as a district, we recognise that it’s not only about the spiritual aspect, but the social aspect, about transforming lives, about giving those who might not have a home, might not have a meal, to feed them, to empower them, to encourage them, to bathe them, to clean up them, and to give them a new start,” he said. 

“We are excited to also launch other programmes in 2026 where we will impact the community, impact Castries, and we just want to ensure that we give them a good start so they can also in the future impact society and Saint Lucia at large”.