The city of Nuevo Hamburgo, in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, was hit hard by flooding in April and May this year, leaving many families in dire straits. Among those families was that of Gabriele dos Santos, who saw her only source of income, a mini snack store, lost to the floodwaters. She also faced the added challenge of caring for her son, who is on the autism spectrum and whose frequent healthcare needs made contract work difficult.

The situation worsened when the child, due to dietary selectivity and the trauma caused by the flood, began to lose significant weight. The family faced increasing difficulties in maintaining adequate nutrition, a challenge intensified by the loss of their source of income.

The ADRA Project

Amid these hardships, Santos found new hope when she volunteered to work with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, ADRA. Known for its humanitarian work in more than 110 countries, ADRA offered crucial support to families affected by the floods. Santos became involved by helping identify the needs of vulnerable families. She also became one of the beneficiaries of the relief program.

The humanitarian agency conducts a detailed registry of families, prioritizing the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and pregnant or nursing women. This thorough process allows assistance to be directed effectively and inclusively.

For Santos, ADRA's help came at a crucial moment: “I can't express how grateful I am because I was already discouraged. That help came at the perfect time. It was a blessing because I also received a basic basket; the only thing missing was the food mix for inside the house; it was enough for me to buy what we needed to keep ourselves comfortable; we even still have some things in the freezer."

Paloma Bourscheid, an ADRA worker in Rio Grande do Sul, shares information about how people are received during the searches: “Some are surprised to discover the seriousness of ADRA’s work and are relieved to receive help, regardless of the specific value. Many of these people have already benefited before and help reassure those who still have doubts. Others, unfortunately, refuse help for fear of being deceived, but I am confident that, with the continued growth of our work, ADRA will reach more people with justice, compassion, and love.”

Livia Palma, the project coordinator, reports that in just one weekend, around 1,174 aid cards worth nearly USD$100 (R$ 540.00) were handed out. Counting the aid for several weeks, approximately 5,000 were handed out throughout the state, covering various affected cities such as Porto Alegre, Eldorado, Parque Eldorado, Arroio dos Ratos, General Cámara, Sao Jerónimo, and Charqueadas.

The original article was published on the South American Division Spanish website.