In times of need

“There were thousands, thousands of cockroaches running around the room … I’ve never seen such a terrible sight in all my life in Australia.” – Major Hilton Harmer OAM

It was the smell and the cockroaches that initially shocked “actively retired” Salvation Army officer Major Hilton Harmer when he helped a homeless man move into one of inner-Sydney’s unregulated boarding houses.

“The conditions vary greatly between the boarding houses,” says Hilton (pictured above), who stresses that many boarding houses he has subsequently visited are well regulated.

“Many are clean, they’re comfortable, run with discipline and the tenants have a code of conduct. That’s on the top end.

“But at the bottom end they are only one step up from living on the street and people are paying exorbitant rents of over $150 a week.”

Having spent a lot of time working in prisons and courts, then with the most disadvantaged homeless on Sydney’s streets for the last seven years, Hilton thought he had seen it all.

Then, two years ago, he visited a boarding house in Sydney’s inner-west to help a man who had previously been homeless, move into accommodation.

“He had no furniture so he asked, ‘Hilton, can you help me?’ It was a cold, dark night and a fellow emerged from the shadows and he said, ‘mate, are you from The Salvation Army?’ I said, ‘that’s right’, and he replied, ‘I wonder if you could help me like you’re helping him?’”

Hilton went to see the man in his accommodation and was stunned by what he encountered – a cockroach-infested room with no furniture, not even a bed.

He soon realised that there were many others with deep needs living in the same boarding house. So he started visiting them once a week. This soon grew to a weekly visit to 10 boarding houses in Sydney’s inner-west, plus a number of private rental houses.

Hilton takes fruit, vegetables and groceries, and helps with blankets, doonas, heaters, fans and essential furnishings through donations from members of the public, the Ozharvest organisation and the Dulwich Hill Salvation Army. He even takes cakes, kindly donated every week by Clempton Park Cake Shop.

Optometrist Sue Thompson, who with Hilton already offers a free monthly eye service to the city’s homeless, now also visits the boarding houses. Hilton, who is embarrassed by any fuss made of the ever-expanding work, says he is just fuelled by love of his saviour Jesus and simply offers a hand where he sees a need.

Resident Louis says he is lucky to have accommodation in a reputable boarding house. It does, however, cost $190 a week for the single bedroom with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities.

Louis explains that he had worked fulltime all his life, but after a heart attack and now with some serious back problems he can now only work part-time. He is planning further study.

With some work and family nearby, he is luckier than many in local boarding houses, but, despite careful budgeting, he says the high rent can mean there is little left over if unexpected emergencies crop up.

Louis says he is not only grateful for the practical help with groceries in recent months, but also for Hilton’s friendship.

“The only thing missing from Hilton is his wings,” he says. “The man’s an angel!”