10 Nov Day 30: Free at Last
After a comfortable life working professionally as a lawyer, followed by several years of raising four children and caring for an elderly mother, God called me back to the world of work....
08 Nov Day 29: Chiq and Bela Salon
Have you ever dreamed about opening your own business, only to give up before you start? That's why I am so impressed with Eduarda, 21 and Tamires, 18. They did not give up, and they are operating in the black....
07 Nov Day 28: Josue and Amos
Having kids with extreme special needs did not seem to be a good idea. We work with many kids who have had violent pasts. They can be “impulsive” (choosing my words carefully). How could we ensure their safety? Nevertheless, Phil found himself in the position of accepting...
06 Nov Day 27: The Perfect Life
Each morning I get up at 5am, go to the gym, shower, come home and put a hot breakfast on the table. We sit, chat and start the day together with prayer. I check that the homework and lunches are in the backpacks before my...
05 Nov Day 26: Answered Prayers
We have failed you. Too often, we ask for your prayers, but we fail to report back when they are miraculously answered. I guess we just take it for granted! I recently came across a letter written by Dalva, who has worked for us for...
04 Nov Day 25: Celebration of Life
I like to imagine the celebration which took place in Heaven the day each of our children was born, as the angels rejoiced for that new life! Sadly, many children coming through our door never had their birthdays commemorated here on earth, or even remembered....
03 Nov Day 24: Voice of a Child
The voice of a child. A voice lifted in prayer to the One who created that very special and very precious life. A voice lifted in praise, in pain, in wonder and in gratitude. A voice lifted in prayer for an estranged family member, for friends...
02 Nov Day 23: Beauty Inside Out
It's easy to see how a girl can be made to feel dirty, used and ugly—from the inside out. When the girls lived on the street, they had little exposure to function and beauty. Their value was as someone else's commodity. The slums are saturated with shoddy, dilapidated...
01 Nov Day 22: The Good Fight
Henrique and Simone were newlyweds when they accepted the call as residential coordinators. During that time they had Samuel. Later, they tragically miscarried at 8 months. Through it all they kept loving and parenting their special flock of former street girls, modeling how to deal with joys, celebrations,...
31 Oct Day 21: Hope’s Heroes
I flew into São Paulo to visit Hope Unlimited, which was started as an answer to the hopelessness of street children. Most have been so severely traumatized, abused, and taken advantage of that they can barely grasp the concept of "home" or "family." Imagine yourself at...