Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway participated Monday morning in a voluntary distribution of breakfast to the poor in Oslo.
Long before the Crown Prince and Crown Princess came to hand out food, more than 100 had got in line to get a free meal. This is an offer, which is established by the Norwegian Church. The offer is called “City-breakfast” and was established in 2015. Every Saturday, Sunday and Monday about 120 breakfast guests stop by.
Tøyen Church in Oslo. Photo: Mahlum via Wikimedia Commons.
Soon after arriving at the Church Centre, they got a presentation of what the church does for the poor and who the breakfast guests usually are. There are several dining facilities for the poor and homeless in Oslo on weekdays, but not on the weekends. Therefore it has been important for the Church to provide an alternative for those who need it on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Among the guests was a large number of visitors from Europe. Many are migrant workers who either are exposed to social dumping or who can not get a job in Norway. Others are visitors who attempt acquire an income in Norway. Common to all is that they need help to meet their basic needs. In addition to a hot and nutritious meal, they can wash themselves and their clothes, and there is access to the internet, opportunities for guidance and more.
The Crown Princess was quickly initiated in serving today’s hot vegetable soup with bread and butter. This Monday all the tables were full and there were many who would have a chat while the Crown Princess ladled soup and Crown Prince served. Crown Princess Mette-Marit has visited a number of the Church`s projects in the recent years, and towards the end of today’s visit, the press asked what kind of impression she was left with.
“It is a big challenge. When Europe is changing, we see it also in the city of Oslo,” said the Crown Princess “It’s good we have offers like this.”
Soup kitchens are easy to establish broadly by Churches and Civic Groups. The U.S. did so en masse during the last Depression. Stores and others, where there is no Government support simply chip in what they have to give. There is no end of possible charity activity here until with guidance or FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps jobs at building up the country are provided by the Government. I have seen some pretty rich and expensive meals served for the Nobel Laureates and elsewhere without the selfless love that Charity demands people bring to their giving to the poor. England had begun soup kitchens, that I liked but about a month later, they are murdering the homeless by spraying ice water on them in the freezing cold. Murdering the poor is killing those whom Christ loved and in part died for.