Job gone, loan gone, house gone: How quickly poverty can happen

By Misch Pautsch Switch to German for original article

Christmas isn't the only time when people need support and a sense of community. This is also evident at the eighth 'Barbecue de la rue'. Here, people facing difficult circumstances not only receive a hot meal, but also find a place where they are welcome and feel they belong. The fact that visitor numbers are on the rise again shows just how great the need is.

Suddenly, everything goes quiet. Léon Kraus, the president of the charity, microphone in hand, declares the buffet open. Many of the visitors to the BBQ de la Rue immediately get to their feet to form a queue on the parched lawn. It's too hot to be a perfect day for barbecue, but nobody here is letting that spoil their appetite or their enthusiasm. For about an hour now, 35 volunteers have been barbecuing, deep-frying, chopping and mixing. Water and soft drinks have been flowing non-stop at the drinks stall for an hour.

"We've bought in food for around 300 people this year, " says Zivana, secretary of the ASBL. The team hopes to be able to cope with the demand this year, having consistently seen more people turn up than expected in previous years. "That's why we've deliberately estimated high this year." Chips are already being prepared at full speed, as they're set to be particularly popular again this year.

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