The Chácara

The Chácara (pronounced sha-ka-ra), or little farm, as we call it is the Center for Youth Recovery outside of Porto Alegre in the town of Lavorada. This is a small facility that has between 15 and 20 young men trying to leave their worlds of drug and alcohol abuse. The Chácara was started by an evangelical church in town, that has since left the project. It is a ministry that our church has been involved with for the last few years, primarily because of one of our members, Paulo Renato. Paulo struggled with alcohol for a long time. It had such a stronghold on his life that he found himself living on the street and isolated from his family and friends. He eventually found the Chácara, where he learned who Jesus is: his Lord and Saviour. Paulo lived at the Chácara for about a year and a half. Over time he overcame his addiction to alcohol, found Jesus and became a mentor and teacher to the younger men staying on the farm. Since that time, Paulo Renato has had a special place in his heart for the Chácara. He goes there to visit and encourage the men every Sunday and Wednesday. The men of our church try to go to the Chácara the last Sunday of each month for the same purpose. This has become a wonderful way for many of our members to learn the importance of helping and encouraging others. We have all learned a great deal of humility too.

The Chácara is a very simple place. The men sleep on little cots in one of two bunkhouses. Their showers are very basic (without hot water). They work the land, growing several different types of vegetables. They depend on donations of money and food to get by with what they cannot grow. Our church has been giving most of their food donations as of the last few months. There is one other church in town that pays their electric bill. Sometimes, they are in desparate need and will call or visit us asking for a donation. If this happens I will take money from our benevolence fund and buy enough food for a couple of weeks and deliver it to them. I am always happy to stop what I am doing to help these men. It really brightens my day. Everytime I arrive with food for them they greet me with shouts of "Glory to God!" and "Hallelujah!" It really is something!

One of our other members (who is mentioned in the last post), Moema, has a real heart for the Chácara. She, along with another member, Leni, wrote a letter to the hotel where Leni works asking for help with a food donation. This hotel, the Blue Tree Towers Hotel, has a promotion where they give you a discount on your room if you bring food items for them to give to the poor. The hotel usually looks for a different group or organization to help each month. After they read the letter that Moema and Leni sent they realized that the Chácara had a big need. They decided to put the Chácara at the top of the list of those they want to help. Today, several of us from church went to the hotel with a small trailor to load up the food to take to the young men of the Chácara. In total we took 297 kilograms, which is over 650 lbs., of food to the Chácara! It was awesome! A few employees of the hotel went with us. Due to their visit they decided that they want to continue helping the Chácara. So, we expect to make similar deliveries once every 3 weeks! We are amazed and in awe at the Lord's provision. He has shown these men that He truely cares for them and wants a relationship with them.

This kind gift does more than feed bellies. This kind of gift also feeds souls. These men are encouraged and are giving God the praise and glory. Please join us in praying for the young men of the Chácara. Please pray that they would find strength in the Lord; strength that can break the bondage of drugs and alcohol and lift them up higher than they have ever been. Please pray for their decisions to follow Christ. Please pray that we would continue to be able to give donations like we did today - feeding bellies and feeding souls!

Men of the Chácara with Blue Tree Towers Hotel employees and church members.