Charles Augusto Soares do Nascimento's dream of building a home for his mother has become a reality. After hearing the family’s story, a group of volunteers from the Caleb Mission Project in Planalmira, Brazil, decided to start collecting materials for the building, and construction began in January 2021. Nascimento lives with his mother, Maria Pereira, and they are already living in the new home, though they still need donations to complete the plastering of the walls, floor, and bathroom. 

“I am very grateful for the group's work and I am amazed at what God has done for us,” reports Nascimento. “In record time, with the commitment of these friends, we are living in a dignified residence.”

“When I came to this place, I lived in a small shack and when it rained I had to raise the tarpaulin to get the water out,” Pereira shares.

Some in the Caleb group also offered to help people in the city of Jaraguá, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the site. On Sundays, volunteers travel to collaborate on the project, carrying bricks, washing pots, and preparing lunch for the masons.

According to one of the organizers of the action, Cleiton Marques, the work with the volunteers inspired, in addition to the sense of solidarity, a lot of compassion for others. 

“After hearing the testimony of this family and the situation they were in, we put our hands together to raise this house,” he says. “We count on the help of young Adventists from the cities of Jaraguá and also from Planalmira.”

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site