Thanks to the work of a self-published author, homeless people in Goiânia, the capital and largest city of the central Brazilian state of Goiás, are receiving personal hygiene kits to help them through the novel coronavirus pandemic of 2020.
Yonara Aniszewski, a writer and Seventh-day Adventist whose books include “Só hoje eu vou vencer” (“Today I’ll Win”), decided to embark on the campaign, using proceeds from online book sales.
“My husband and I have always helped several institutions and social projects, but most of them with financial resources and community aid with groups of people. However, one night, reading a digital magazine, I was very touched by what ordinary citizens were doing in different parts of the world: giving their time, their talents to help others directly and personally,” she said.
On Sundays, she gathers some friends to help with the distribution of materials and receives support from local police.
Aniszewski thought about donating hygiene products to a home for the elderly or another care center, but viewing a news story about the suffering of homeless people during the pandemic caused her to change course.
Still according to her, the motivation is to do good: “I understand that the greatest good is done to ourselves. I haven't felt as blessed by people in ages as I feel for them, because they even pray for us. This is fantastic,” she points out.
Protective masks and copies of the 2020 South American Division sharing book “A Maior Esperança” (“The Greatest Hope”) are also delivered with the kits.
André Souza, publishing director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Goiás, this period has not been easy for anyone in Goiânia, a city of 1.4 million, but it’s been especially difficult for people living on the street. "We took this moment to bring not only this kit, but also a little relief, a word of hope and a prayer," he said.
The distribution of personal hygiene kits was highlighted in the Novo Tempo Magazine program.
Download the Mission Impact 2020 book for free. The event was rescheduled for July 25 due to the new coronavirus pandemic. Until then, enjoy reading and praying for those who will receive the copies. (click here to download the book)
This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site