This is a large rented house near the seafront of Olinda. It is used to care for homeless boys who have been on the street, glue sniffing or into drugs. They are given the opportunity to come off the harmful substances and have a safe place to stay until they can be repatriated with their family or found a new supportive family to stay with until they can be independent. Seven boys can be accommodated at a time and staff are there 24 hours a day to help work with their many problems, aggressive behaviour for example.
It has to be run by contributions because if the state paid any money towards the running of the house it would have to stop being a Christian run place, the council would insist on there being no Christian teaching or worship.
Ian and Simea Meldrum, Anglican ministers, work with people who live in a shanty town at the Church called Living Waters (Aqua Viva) next to the garbage dump in Olinda, Brazil. There are many outreach projects which are developing all the time. This site explains some of that work which is God led based on the biblical teachings of Jesus Christ.
Ian and Simea believe that by teaching about the love of Jesus Christ and showing a loving, caring, giving way of living, the families on the shanty town can improve their situation and have a better life.
Our work is about restoring homeless children at risk and families who are very poor with no love in their lives. There are many ways the church community does these things.
The work started some years ago in a small way with very little and now other churches, Baptist and Presbyterian, are getting involved and helping which is a wonderful witness to God that His people in Olinda care for the poor and needy.
At present the main projects are:
- A house called “My Father’s House” which is a safe house for homeless boys.
- “The Living Waters Church” is in the shanty town next to the dump. Services are held on Sundays, on other days the church is used for caring for children and families with a whole range of activities all week.
- “The Farm” which is about 40 minutes drive from Olinda and at the present is used for away days and weekends for groups of children and families. The teenage boys have a Peace Brigade camp there plus the Church congregation go for services, games and relaxation.
All the projects are run by voluntary giving and although there are generous churches and individuals giving regularly.