This is a outside & inside view of the old dormitories. As you can see, they are pretty cramped, and a little worn out. The lack of space and lack of adequate facilites are just one more reason for guys who are on the verge of giving up their recovery to throw in the towel.
Here are the new bathrooms and showers. Can you believe that previously, these 20 guys shared only one toilet and one showerhead? Now they have three of each at their disposal! Check out the style of the new rooms - anti-slip flooring, fresh paint on the walls, finished ceiling with light fixtures - these guys are lovin' it! All the work was done by the men themselves, and they worked literally up until the last minute to get the dorm as ready as possible for the big day! The dorm has five rooms which will hold four beds each - providing more privacy, safety, and space to grow for the men as they persevere in their recoveries.
As I've stated in previous posts, the Youth Recovery Center, known affectionately to us as the "chácara," is not managed by our church - it's run by an independent, non-denominational Pentecostal church. Our church and a few other local churches have joined in collaboration to support this work, which we believe is a work of God in the community of Alvorada to help young men & their families overcome severe drug & alcohol addictions. The inaugration began with a worship service, as you can see below the folks are really fervent! They really get into their singing and music. From our church, Paulo Renato & I were invited to speak and we were thankful for this opportunity to recognize what God has done throughout this year amongst all of us: I could not have ever imagined how many marvelous things would happen!
Meanwhile, lunch was being prepared. Claudemir, the man in this picture, is one of the guys who has completed the nine month rehabilitation program. Gabriela, a woman whose husband Gari was recently baptized, helped Claudemir get a job unloading trucks at her firm. He is helping take care of our barebecue meat here! Waleska did her part, along with our Brazilian sisters Raquel and Moema, in getting the saladas ready. We had 100 people in attendance; lots of hungry mouths to feed!
I must mention some folks who have been very important collaborators in our work this year. To the left are our sisters Leni and Irotildes, who go with me every Wednesday to the chácara to prepare a special lunch & snack for the men and encourage them. The guys have really taken to them and have come to see these two ladies as motherly figures. They have done an excellent job this year of bringing joy to the men! In the right photo are our friends Amélia and Adenir. They are my brother-in-law´s in-laws, if that makes any sense. Anyway, we took them to the chácara earlier this year and they became very interested in helping, because they live in Alvorada. Amélia has met with several local business people and politicians to try and drum up support for the work, while Adenir agreed to pay for and prepare all of the meat for the inauguration barbecue! We are grateful for these folks and their dedication.
This is Isaias, the director of the chácara, with his wife Claúdia and their children, Evelyn and Jónatas. I have gained a tremendous respect for this man throughout the year as I have worked with him side-by-side every week. He does this job completely out of love for the Lord; he works nights as a municipal guard in another town, then comes and spends his days at the chácara without ever earning one cent for the work he does with these men. He combines biblical knowledge, pratical experience, compassion, discipline, and patient endurance like few people I've ever known. I thank God for him and wish there were more like him whom God would call to this kind of social impact in the name of the gospel!
This post would not be complete without telling you about some of the men who are changing their lives at the "chácara." To the left is Ricardo (blue shirt) with his family - he is 24 and has been at the chácara for 6 months. This is his third time to be here, and this time he is persevering! To the right are Eduardo & Rodrigo, brothers ages 19 & 20, with their parents. They come from a pretty tough neighborhood in Porto Alegre; they got involved with drugs early on as teenagers. Their parents brought them to the chácara in search of a solution and after two months they are doing great!
Meanwhile, lunch was being prepared. Claudemir, the man in this picture, is one of the guys who has completed the nine month rehabilitation program. Gabriela, a woman whose husband Gari was recently baptized, helped Claudemir get a job unloading trucks at her firm. He is helping take care of our barebecue meat here! Waleska did her part, along with our Brazilian sisters Raquel and Moema, in getting the saladas ready. We had 100 people in attendance; lots of hungry mouths to feed!
I must mention some folks who have been very important collaborators in our work this year. To the left are our sisters Leni and Irotildes, who go with me every Wednesday to the chácara to prepare a special lunch & snack for the men and encourage them. The guys have really taken to them and have come to see these two ladies as motherly figures. They have done an excellent job this year of bringing joy to the men! In the right photo are our friends Amélia and Adenir. They are my brother-in-law´s in-laws, if that makes any sense. Anyway, we took them to the chácara earlier this year and they became very interested in helping, because they live in Alvorada. Amélia has met with several local business people and politicians to try and drum up support for the work, while Adenir agreed to pay for and prepare all of the meat for the inauguration barbecue! We are grateful for these folks and their dedication.
This is Isaias, the director of the chácara, with his wife Claúdia and their children, Evelyn and Jónatas. I have gained a tremendous respect for this man throughout the year as I have worked with him side-by-side every week. He does this job completely out of love for the Lord; he works nights as a municipal guard in another town, then comes and spends his days at the chácara without ever earning one cent for the work he does with these men. He combines biblical knowledge, pratical experience, compassion, discipline, and patient endurance like few people I've ever known. I thank God for him and wish there were more like him whom God would call to this kind of social impact in the name of the gospel! 
This post would not be complete without telling you about some of the men who are changing their lives at the "chácara." To the left is Ricardo (blue shirt) with his family - he is 24 and has been at the chácara for 6 months. This is his third time to be here, and this time he is persevering! To the right are Eduardo & Rodrigo, brothers ages 19 & 20, with their parents. They come from a pretty tough neighborhood in Porto Alegre; they got involved with drugs early on as teenagers. Their parents brought them to the chácara in search of a solution and after two months they are doing great!
These are a few of the 22 men who have been immersed into Christ at the chácara this year and are living examples of how God works miracles of transformation in our times!
Each week I talk to them, pray with them, and encourage them to persist in their transformation, because in Christ, all things are possible!
A special THANK YOU to Fourth Avenue Church of Christ and North Beckley Church of Christ for your donations that have helped make this dream come true! Thank you for your support!
