Isaias has spent much of his life involved with recovery centers for chemical dependents. His father Alvaro, and mother Luci, ran a halfway house/recovery clinic (Isaias and his family lived on the grounds of the clinic) for many years in Alvorada, a Porto Alegre suburb. In 1995, Alvaro began a shelter for homeless men at the chácara's current location, and over time, this location evolved into a second halfway house. Alavro passed away in 1998, but his wife Luci continued the work at the first location, while a local pastor took over the work at the chácara. The work went well for a time, but unfortunately, it turns out this pastor was stealing money that was coming into the chácara's common fund. In 2004, this guy left (he even dismanted the house he had built on the property) and took almost all the men living at the chácara with him to another location. The chácara had to be closed for some time, fearing that it would never reopen.
This is when Isaias stepped in. In 2005, after much prayer and pondering, he decided to reopen the chácara, working as a volunteer. Isaias works the night shift as a security guard for the city of Gravataí, another Porto Alegre suburb. He spends as much time as he can during the day at the chácara, helping the men resolve their problems, teaching Bible lessons, building walls...the guy is a real handyman; he seemingly can do it all! The men call him "pastor" and that's what he is; a shepherd who is steering them away from the harm of substance abuse and steering them towards the gospel of Jesus. And he does all of this as a volunteer...he does not receive one centavo for his work. In fact, he uses some of his own salary here and there to buy supplies for the chácara when they run out.
I am amazed at how balanced and centered of a man Isaias is. He doesn't get stressed easily; he remains calm and patient while dealing with problems between the men. He maintains a hopeful and humble outlook on circumstances; he is quick to give credit to God for the good things that happen in his life and to the chácara. I have learned much from Isaias about how to listen to and encourage people with problems; how to love people yet not put hope in people, but in God; how to affirm the good that God is doing while being patient when it seems that God's work is stuck in neutral or going backwards. I greatly admire his sacrificial spirit; I don't know many people who would do what he does, with the intensity that he does it, without receiving a dime. His treasures are in the right place - he is investing in the kingdom of God that comes daily and will come in its fullness one day.
Isaias is married to Claudia and they have two kids: Evelyn, age 7, and Jonatas, 8 months. Remember this family in your prayers!
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