What a Year: 2014

It has been incredible to see the transformation for this community, as well as see the transition to local leadership in Massa Humana. They are truly doing a fantastic job running this ministry to this needy community, and we are more than happy to step back and support them with prayer!

Project Smile

Firm Promise Baptist church has been calling together some dentists and other groups to come together and provide the community that used to live at the Trash Dump with toothbrushes and toothpaste. They called it Project Smile.

How exciting to see them come and make a difference in these children's lives!

Children's Day Trash Dump

They are not still located at the trash dump (except for 14 individuals who are waiting on homes to be built), but are now located on the westside of Carpina (Pop. 100,000). It is quite a transition for them, but they were ready to celebrate. They are located at the old town cow butchery, which has been shut down for years.

Firm Promise Baptist church did an amazing job of having games, food, trampolines, jump rope, and a ball pit. The kids (over 100) were busy running from one station to the next, having loads of fun. We are so excited to see this church step up and make a difference in their community!

Update and Prayer Partnership

The Federal law in Brazil states that at the end of 2014, all open (current) trash dumps must be closed, and the people working there relocated and trained to work at a sanitary landfill. Over 40 families have lived their whole lives a couple miles out of town, sorting through trash to pull out whatever is recyclable to barely make a living.

This year the government built housing for the community on the other side of town, but didn’t visit or help anyone relocate. The government then started giving the new homes to other people! The trash dump community worked together to move and inhabit the homes, even though they were not completed, and they did not have permission yet. Fourteen people still live at the dump (there were not houses enough for them), and the adults in the community still walk 5 or 6 miles a day to get to the dump, that will be closed at the end of the year. They have no other job skills, and have not been trained, as the law states, to work at the new landfill.

A local Baptist church (Igreja Baptista Firme Promessa)  has taken over this ministry, reaching out to the children every weekend, and providing soup to the community. Overall, the community is happy and so excited to have their own (first) homes—most of them lived in trash lean-tos at the dump. But many of the houses are incomplete, there are still 14 without a home, and the future is uncertain. Also, they have been outsiders all of their lives, and that doesn’t go away overnight.

It is with great joy that we let you know that a group of young people have taken the calling of serving this community, and it is no longer a Living Stones program. They have asked us to join them in a prayer partnership, and so we will continue to report on what God is doing, and hope you will continue to lift these families up in prayer. 

Raissa (front middle) and her amazing team. 

Firm Promise Baptist Church

Four people from the Firm Promise Baptist Church have taken over visiting the trash dump, and providing soup and a special time with the children every weekend.

We are so grateful to Cesar Ribeiro (far left) and Raissa Alves (close to the right) for heading this up! They have let me know that about 15 of the families have moved out (on their own), because they know the government is going to shut everything down at the dump at the beginning of next year. But many of the families have no resources to be able to leave on their own. Please keep the families in your prayers, and the volunteers from Firm Promise Baptist church. 

Trash Dump Update

At the end of 2013, when the leader of Massa Humana (the program that works at the trash dump) had his car stolen (he was held up at gunpoint) on his way to the dump, it scared away most of the volunteers. Washington, who leads the program, continued to go every Saturday and Sunday, distributing the soup, but those who helped with the children stopped coming.

It has been a struggle this year, with the local government doing nothing to relocate the trash dump community into the houses that were built for them. Federal law has given from 2004-2014 to shut down all current open dumps, meaning once 2015 comes, it will just be closed down, and the people left with nothing. The law also states they are to create sanitary landfills and provisions for the current workers to work there, but nothing has begun as yet, and the year is almost half over. Not only that, but other people are now moving into the homes that were built specifically for the trash dump community.

But God always provides for His children: a group of 5-7 people from a different church have been coming and assisting Washington for the past couple weeks. When Washington wasn’t able to bring soup one day, they made sure it was taken care of. This is a huge answer to prayer, and perfect timing.

Washington and his family have been praying, and feel called to move to Joao Pessoa, the capital of a neighboring state. Just last week, their son was driving home from college and was in an accident—totaling the car, but everyone was safe. Please pray as they are now without vehicle and working on moving the end of the month.

Please pray as this new group continues to minister at the Dump. Please pray as Washington and his family move, and are missed very much. Please pray for the local government to step up and begin the proper transition for the trash dump community. 

Those Who Have Lesser Still

At the trash dump, Washington and Massa Humana went to give a very needy family some food. When they arrived, they saw that their neighbors were in even worse condition--no food in the "house" (made of trash), and they were too sick to work. 

The original recipients of the food gladly gave it to their neighbors saying, "At least I can still work in the dump to earn some money--they cannot." The volunteers were humbled and amazed at the generosity of those who have so little. They also made sure that Mona Lisa and her family (their father, of five children, passed away early February. He was their sole income provider.) received some supplies as well. Please keep this ministry in your prayers.

Mona Lisa and Her Family

The smiling girl in the picture is Mona Lisa, holding her little sister, Esther. You can see a pile of trash behind them--that is because they live at the trash dump. Mona Lisa just had her birthday on February 2nd, but there was no time to celebrate--her father was sick. He passed away February 7th. 

Mona Lisa has four brothers and sisters, and her mother takes care of them the best she can, but the father was the one who brought in the income: now there is nothing. I do not know how they are covering funeral expenses. The mother is in a very frail state, and needs help and support. 

Please keep the whole ministry with Massa Humana at the dump in your prayers. They need more volunteers who will come and give of themselves. Recently (before Caid and Rachel's wedding), Washington (who leads the ministry there) was driving to the trash dump and was held at gunpoint and had his car (and licence, wallet, and car full of food) stolen. He was able to walk away with his life, but now many of the volunteers are too afraid to make the trip to the dump, wondering if they too will be robbed. 

It is dangerous, and it is hard, but these children need us now more than ever. Please pray about contributing to this special ministry. If you would like your money to go somewhere specifically, please make sure to note that while donating, and to let me know at amobrasil99@hotmail.com.