In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, there are approximately 7,800 homeless people, according to the 2022 Street Population Census. Of these, around 3,000 have already been assisted by Casa Esperança (“House of Hope”), a project that brings food, shelter, music, and housing to socially vulnerable people in the capital city. This number is in addition to the more than 900,000 people benefited by Adventist Solidarity Action (ASA) projects.
The project's general coordinator, Edélcio Luduvice, says it all started with the idea of a businessman bringing food to people who lived in the vicinity of his store. The project's first intention was deactivated, but the dream remained awake. Years later, the man sought help from Luduvice, who now runs the initiative.
The project's current coordinator says this way of preaching ends up meeting people's needs in a broader way. Casa Esperança was born with the intention of bringing meals to local residents. However, that couldn't be all. Every week, the beneficiaries lived the Sabbath experience known to Seventh-day Adventists; in other words, in addition to lunch, they took part in services, reflections, and Bible studies.
According to Pastor Herbert Boger, director of ASA for the South American Division, "social projects are the first steps that the church takes, showing Jesus in a practical way, as He did, meeting people's needs with love and sympathy."
With the pandemic, spiritual activities had to be reduced, but what used to be a weekly service became a daily one. Until then, they served just under 100 meals in a single day. Since the mass closures, they now serve more than 700. After a few months, they found a place to continue the spiritual care that allowed them to distance themselves from society. This lasted two years.
From this project, several others were born. Today, Casa Esperança offers music lessons for children, a Pathfinders' club, basic needs such as rent, furniture, clothes, and more, as well as job placement and the reconstruction of the infrastructure needed to guarantee stability for families.
Lives Transformed
Luduvice recalls with joy how the project has touched people's lives. Dozens of volunteers and beneficiaries got to know the message of the Bible and wanted to be baptized. One of the men arrived in the queue to receive food and was recognized by the coordinator. He had already been a student in an educational project at the central Adventist church in Rio de Janeiro. He was immediately invited to work. There, he studied the Bible and was baptized. He now has a registered job thanks to the project.
Like Casa Esperança, thousands of other ASA volunteers dedicate themselves to alleviating the suffering of those in need. "There are almost 30,000 ASA points in South America. We have encouraged various projects that help people to help themselves, promoting quality of life as a whole," explains Boger. Figures from January–June 2023 show that there are more than 53,000 projects promoted by Adventist churches in South America. Around one ton of food was collected, among other items.
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) also works to bring relief to people in need. More than 500,000 people have been assisted in emergencies or through the organization's fixed projects in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
Comprehensive Care
In addition to material needs, Adventists care about people's health. That's why they donate blood and provide free medical care. The Adventist Health Network provided 298,759 consultations, exams, and other procedures free of charge. This took place in clinics and hospitals and within social initiatives carried out by the network.
The Vida por Vidas (“Life for Lives”) project also made a difference through its 75,694 blood donors. Each of these bags can save up to four people, which equates to more than 300,000 beneficiaries.
Adventist Education also played its part. Between parents, students, teachers, and the surrounding school community, 50,000 people were helped with food parcels and other services.
For Pastor Stanley Arco, president of the South American Division, "seeing people dedicating themselves to caring for others is confirmation that the Gospel is having an effect and is getting out of the church walls and onto the streets."
See all the data in the infographic below:
The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Portuguese-language news site.