In Brazil, poor youth often choose life on the streets to escape the poverty of the slums and, more often, to escape abusive families. On the streets, they are exposed to HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, child prostitution, substance abuse, and violence. With the blessing of the National Baptist Convention of Brazil, Corenne and Philip minister to children who are part of a residential program that rescues homeless street children and youth ranging in age from 8 to 18. The program provides guidance, education, and training for future employment. All students have completed a paid internship and are employed before they leave the program. Phil is the president and CEO of the residential program, Hope Unlimited for Children, which was founded in 1991. He is serving in Brazil in a joint appointment by International Ministries and Hope Unlimited International.

Phil writes: Things have been busy of late, but Hope has been incredibly blessed!

This week I have had the joy of interacting with our 400 new children at Hope’s new pre-school, who started class November 10.  Our initial experiences at the school itself have been smooth and without surprises.  Especially the first few days, the children had a hard time adapting, and we started the first week with only half the kids, staying for half the normal time. Many of them were sobbing the whole time they were with us, which got all the others sobbing. But their smiles are emerging and growing bigger every day. 

In the slums, there are virtually no residents with any kind of local extended family to help baby-sit. If the mother works, she either leaves the toddlers locked up inside the house, or leaves them with a neighbor all day who she may barely know. If the mother does not work, she probably does not have things together very well, nor does she have income to provide adequate nourishment to her children.  Statistics show that 65% of the households in the slum are single-parent, so there is no back-up in caring and providing for the children.

 Of course, while the pre-school performs an important service, it is also a means to a larger end, involving a dream to provide a safer and more wholesome environment for the rest of the children and teens in the community.

• Pray for Phil and Corenne as they reach out for Jesus to the needy children of Brazil.
• Pray for their family, including their children Marc (6) and Suzanna Isabella (19 months)