![On the occasion, nearly 400 kits consisting of household items, bed and bath linen, and cleaning and personal hygiene materials were delivered. [Photo Credit Joilson Pereira]](https://images.hopesoftware.org/resize/L3c6MTkyMCxxOjc1L2hvcGUtaW1hZ2VzLzY1ZTcxMzAxZjY1NTI4MWE1MzhlZDM3My82YXMxNzEzODgxODk3Njg2LmpwZWc/w:1920,q:75/hope-images/65e71301f655281a538ed373/6as1713881897686.jpeg)
The United States government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), directed donations to families affected by the rains in Itabuna, Bahia. On the occasion, nearly 400 kits consisting of household items, bed and bath linens, and cleaning and personal hygiene materials were delivered, with the support and organization of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), which has been actively involved in this emergency.
The moment of delivery was personally accompanied by Jacqueline Ward, the US Consul General in Rio de Janeiro. “I hope these kits help a little bit in the recovery process,” she said. She also congratulated the ADRA volunteers for their work.
Fábio Salles, ADRA director for Brazil, and Leonardo Mendes, regional director for Bahia, were also present at the ceremony and shared information about ADRA's action in recent weeks. “We were, in fact, involved, getting our hands dirty, literally. These rains started in the extreme south, Jucuruçu, and Itamaraju, and there we started. Since then, we have been working hard to alleviate people's suffering,” Mendes highlighted.
Pastor Cleiton Motta, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the southern region of Bahia, thanked so many people for their supportive involvement. “I have two words: ‘gratitude’ and ‘hope’—gratitude because we have support, people, communities, nations that have reached out; hope because we have a fresh start, and we are not alone; we are with friends, hand in hand, together and grateful to God that He has brought us this far,” he said.
Municipal authorities were also present, such as Júnior Brandão, the Secretary of Government, and Suse Mayre, representing the Secretariat for Social Promotion.
Carrying mattresses and bags with donations, many of those benefited by the action left the place expressing happiness through words. “God bless, see, young man!?” and "Glory! Our blessing! I will take our blessing!” were some of the phrases said.
The Southwest region of Bahia also received support from USAID and ADRA.
This article was originally published on the South American Division’s news site