VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 8/29/06)-Habitat for Humanity has announced plans to proceed with the building of 40 houses in a poverty-stricken area of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Construction now is set for the 40 days of Lent, 2007, according to a Habitat fact sheet.
The plan to build houses in Porto Allegre was originally an initiative by the World Council of Churches, which held its Ninth Assembly last February in Porto Allegre. Various complications delayed a start on the project, but it will now go forward with partners that include Habitat for Humanity, churches, local government, and private businesses.
General Board members of American Baptist Churches USA contributed $5,000 for one of the houses during an unusual offering at their meeting in Green Lake, Wisconsin, last November.
Board members usually give several thousand dollars, for a special project, during the final Sunday morning of their meetings. Last November they were challenged to double that offering, in order to build one of the Brazilian houses and also aid Pakistan earthquake victims. The first Sunday offering fell short, so two more were taken, eventually bringing in more than $11,600.
The houses will be for families that live on islands along the Guaibe River, who are among Porto Alegre's poorest residents. Many live in delapidated wooden shacks and survive by recycling and selling items from garbage they collect in the city.
"There is an effort to build cooperative recycling shelters so the people will not literally have to live with the garbage, but that's only in its infancy," said Cheryl Wade, Associate General Secretary and Treasurer, who visited the site. "As we walked in the community, the odors were overwhelming and the flies and heat added to the atmosphere." Still, Wade added, they found residents trying to beautify their homes with flowers, and school children welcomed the visitors warmly.
Habitat for Humanity hopes to recruit 20 international church teams to work alongside local volunteers and Porto Alegre families to build the houses. Two international teams a week are planned for the first five weeks, and five teams a week for the last two weeks.
Churches interested in obtaining more information about how to assist with the project can e-mail Wade at Cheryl.Wade@abc-usa.org or Rick Beech of Habitat for Humanity at RBeech@habitat.org.
Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches, USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/