Starting this summer, we have been setting up a project location in Recife, the easternmost major city on the Latin American continent. Why are we doing this? Why there in particular and what has already been done? On the following pages, discover the profile of a city whose need is crying out to heaven and what could be the answer.

City of the Homeless                             

Recife is known for many things. A metropolis in the northeast of Brazil located by the sea, it offers beautiful beaches, extremely friendly people and very diverse neighborhoods that you might find in any big city. Having grown rich from sugar cane plantations and the rubber boom in the past, many people have now migrated to other provinces in Brazil. Unemployment, poverty and a lack of prospects have spread. Celebrated as a popular vacation resort in the 1980s, many houses are now dilapidated ruins. It is estimated that 15 percent of Recife's inhabitants live on the streets. The COVID pandemic has exacerbated the trend. During the lockdown, many children fled to the streets from their cramped huts, where violence and abuse often came to a head - some to play soccer, others to "hang out". For some, this was the beginning of their life on the streets. Every night they run the risk of being robbed, abused or killed. In some neighborhoods, a human life doesn't count for much. Even an argument can lead to a drawn knife and a person wounded or killed. Recife has one of the nation's highest murder rates. Even just knowing or seeing too much can get you killed.

The Tragedy of the Uprooted                           

We go to the places in the city where children and people without shelter gather, seek contact with them and learn their stories:

Mali lives on the street with her two children. As a teenager, she came to the city from the countryside to get a better education. She sought support and security from the wrong people and unwantedly became pregnant. She was ashamed to return home with the child and without a diploma. So she began to sell herself on the street in order to feed her child. She was soon pregnant with her second child. Now she no longer believes that there can be another life for her. She assumes that it will always go on like this.

Kyla was born on the street. Her mother ran away from home as a young girl and gave birth to her in an environment full of danger. She never went to school and doesn't know how to spell her name.

Rezi knows that she is one of the people on the margins of society. Her only goal in life was to have a child herself so that she would "have someone" and not be alone. She became pregnant at the age of 16.

Venezio's parents left the house in a violent argument and never came back. After a few days, he heard that his mother was no longer alive. There has been no sign of his father ever since. When food ran out, Venezio took to the streets to look for some money or a small job. He heard that there was work in the next largest city. So he came to Recife. He didn't find work, but he didn't have any money to return home either. That was several years ago. Venezio still lives on the streets of Recife.

We spoke to these precious people in a square that at dusk turns into a gathering place for those looking for a place to sleep. Some bring thin mattresses, others lie down on a bag. Many lie directly on the floor. A baby cries, but no one reacts. The people nearby stare listlessly into the distance. They have taken drugs and can't hear the crying.

Our Response to the Need - Just a Beginning

Since July 2023, we have a team on site in Recife. We go to the square twice a week, talk and play with the children and win their hearts.

For many children, these are the happiest hours. They play with such concentration that they forget everything else around them.

We are slowly gaining the trust of some of them. We pray for them and show them ways out of their situation. We invite them to the " Blue House" - our base- to take part in further workshops and children's programs. This is a refuge where they can find protection from the dangers of the street and learn about Christian values: no stealing, no violence, no drugs, a place where they can encounter the love of God.

But this is just the beginning. In the future, we would like to expand the workshops even further. Children will have the opportunity to take part in creative activities that help them to escape the struggle for survival and lack of prospects and to develop normal daily structures. Later, they can take part in advanced courses to learn skills with which they can earn money. We also plan to incorporate elements of the city's Jewish culture and history, as our new premises are located in a former Jewish cultural center.

Why we came to Recife 

We had heard about the situation of street children in Recife, were moved by it and wanted to provide an answer. At the same time, we discovered that the Kahal Zur Israel synagogue, the oldest Jewish place of worship in the Americas, is located in the historic city center. As Christians, we know that our faith has Jewish roots. That is why we visited the synagogue to express our appreciation for it. It turned out that one of the staff members there would become an important contact for our project.

To get an impression of the situation, we explored several poor districts, or "favelas" in Portuguese, in Recife and spoke to experts and representatives of the city administration. This made us realize the sheer scale of the need. It soon became clear that we could not limit our work to just one neighborhood. This gave rise to the vision of finding a house near various hotspot districts, creating a contact point for people living in these favelas. In the end, we found a street with a very special atmosphere. As it turned out, the street was located in the former Jewish quarter, which was largely abandoned decades ago. Now most of the houses are occupied by poor people from the interior.

This and other parts of the city fell into disrepair. Today it borders on several poor districts. Squares where street children gather are nearby. Thanks to the mediation of the staff member we met during our visit to the synagogue, we were able to start renovating a house in this street, which - like most of the buildings - is in a dilapidated state. At the same time, we are organizing the first activities for children and adults there and expect to witness many new beginnings in people's lives. 

You can find news about our new location in Recife, Brazil here.