In Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, the city of Novo Hamburgo was severely affected by recent floods, leaving many families in difficult situations. Among these families is that of Gabriele dos Santos, who saw her only source of income, a small snack bar, lost to the floodwaters. She also faced the additional challenge of caring for her son, who is on the autism spectrum, whose frequent needs for health treatments made it difficult for her to work with a formal contract.

The situation worsened when the boy, due to his selective eating and the trauma caused by the flood, began to lose significant weight. The family faced increasing difficulties in maintaining an adequate diet, and the challenge was intensified by the loss of their source of income.

ADRA's Involvement

During these difficult times, Santos discovered renewed hope when she volunteered to work with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), a recognized humanitarian organization operating in over 110 countries. ADRA was actively providing crucial support to families affected by the floods in the region. Not only did she volunteer to help identify the needs of vulnerable families, but she was also surprised to find herself as one of the beneficiaries of the assistance program.

The humanitarian agency carries out a detailed registry of families, prioritizing those with elderly people, people with disabilities, and pregnant or breastfeeding women, among other vulnerability criteria. This meticulous process allows assistance to be targeted in an effective and inclusive manner.

For Santos, ADRA's help came at a crucial moment: "I can't express how grateful I am because I was already discouraged. This help came at the ideal time. It was a blessing, because we also received a basic food basket, the only thing missing was the food mix for the house, we were able to buy what we needed to survive comfortably, and we even still have something in the freezer," says Santos.

Paloma Bourscheid, an ADRA employee in Rio Grande do Sul, shares about the reception people receive during registration: "Some are surprised to discover how serious ADRA's work is and are relieved to receive help, regardless of the specific amount. Many of these people have already benefited from aid and help to reassure those who still have doubts. Others, unfortunately, refuse help for fear of being deceived, but I trust that as our work continues to grow, ADRA will reach more people with justice, compassion, and love."

The coordinator of this project, Livia Palma, reports that during a recent weekend alone, approximately 1,174 aid cards worth nearly USD$95 ($540.00 Brazilian Reais) were delivered. Counting the aid from previous weeks, approximately 5,000 have already been delivered throughout the state, covering several affected cities such as Porto Alegre, Eldorado, Parque Eldorado, Arroio dos Ratos, General Câmara, São Jerônimo and Charqueadas.

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