Hope House

One of the boys :)

This is Bio. Pronounced bee-u. He's 17. He's pretty good at soccer, and a hard worker.

This is Joaime. He's 17. The only boy to speak English fluently, and he has been in the hope house program since age 4. He has an opportunity to take a test to possibly go to a university next year!

 

Pedro(in green) has been at the house for 5 months now. He's 13. He still is dealing with some trauma problems that are causing him to wet the bed. He is very annoying, but you gotta love him!

Messias and Lucas! Messias is 14 and Lucas is 12. The shirtless boy, their youngest brother might also be joining the house later this year. Messias is one of the most well behaved, always does what is asked of him without being told twice or complaining. He is very good at soccer, and kind of the peace keeper. Lucas is very attention needy, which accounts for why Pedro kinda acts out cause Lucas gets all the attention.

Beto is 17. He has to take medication twice a day, for what I think is epilepsy. Translation could be a little of, but something like that. Great soccer goalie. He is one of the funnest people to be around. He does the weirdest things, always dancing, and he is just Beto. CRAZY.

In the red is Leonardo. He is 16. Like the rest of the boys, loves playing soccer. He keeps to himself except for a few people. He kind of has anger problems and has been in and out of the house a few times. Struggling with some stuff going on with his mom.

Wesley is 16. He a good singer and guitar player, the only boy who can play right now. He never seems to get in trouble. Learning English, but too bashful to practice unless its only one person listening.

 

 

This is Edneilson(NeNe) and his wife Natalie. NeNe is Brazilian, Natalie is Dutch. The girls are Joanna and Sara, and there is a little boy Jonathan on the way! The kids are trilingual. Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, and a little English. The have a house attached to the Hope House, and are always around.

Can't cross my eyes

Webio! Pronounced web-u. He was like having my uncle Ed around!! He lives on base with his wife and son and helps out at the house a lot. He is also a master BBQ -er and taught me the tricks of Brazilian cook outs! He is always looking out for me too! Taking me to hospitals, asking how I'm doing and if I wanna participate in different things. He's quite the jokster as well.

This is Arlan. He is 19 and went through the Hope House but is now staff. He is like a big brother to the boys, and is around helping a lot. Very good at soccer!

Matti! He is the base director. He is Samoan, married to a Canadian woman named Julie. They live on base with their two sons and one daughter.

Adneilson. A jolly little man. (Bonded with him over bbq with webio and cous-cous cooking with Lindsey.) Always greets me and Lindsey with a big hug, awkward kisses, and lots of talking and saying random things. The joke was who to call Zaheula. Which here is a name you call someone who starts something and never finishes it, it's usually used jokingly as in this case.

Luchas(Lucas). He is 20 something. He was one of the first boys to go through the Hope House. He is an awesome worship leader, speaks very good English, and is great with the boys! He lives in the hope house, so he's always available for soccer!

Georgina lives in Brazil, she's on base about 3-4 nights a week living in the hope house. She grew up in England though. The boys adore her. She is teaching them break dancing and helps them with school along with the regular house staff duties.

They usually are smiling

Most of the boys are very far behind in schooling. Only two or three can read and write and the youngest is 12. They all LOVE soccer. They all are so completely different. They are boys...always rough housing, playing outside or FIFA on the PS2. None of them know their Dad. They come from rough housing situations. They either are on the streets cause there is no room at the house, in Beto's case. Or they think life on the street is better than home. Beto's brother is considered to be dead after 5 months of not finding him, he was involv with a lot of drug trafficking and disappeared randomly. He was 16. His older brother is the only person with his mom. He is 21 and very addicted to drugs. The house is about 8x8. There was no room for Beto at home. Leonardo's mom is fighting to get Leo back but he doesn't want to go home because he would go home to two mom's. Sometimes the kids get wrapped up in street life so young they don't want to leave. It's too hard to leave what they know.

 

The Hope House has a triage(spelling?) every spring. Throughout the year they go once a week and hangout with the people living on the street and get to know them, and minister to them. They don't bring food, because sometimes in these situations handouts can be used as a crutch to stay on the street. Of the know they have meals coming they don't need to get off the street.

If through relationships the boys show an interest of getting of the street, or ask abut the hope home they are invited to the triage. The triage consists of taking the interested boys to the beach house for an allotted amount of time to see if they want to commit, etc. a lot of times they never show up when the staff goes to pick them up. Too scared of change. If the boys adjust well to the beach house they are welcomed to the Hope House. They cannot be kicked out of the Hope House easily, but they may leave if they want. At the Hope House they have chores, go to school, play soccer, go to church, and as they get older are trained with computers and get jobs on base. Once they turn 18 they are prepared for a computer type job off base or on base, and move into an apartment if they choose to stay at YWAM. Most do because this has become home, and family to them.

Worship!

We were privileged to live with these 8 boys for 2 months. 24/7 together. There were times of laughter, crying, worship, annoyance, joy. We got to disciple them and have times to share experiences. We got to play soccer, work, eat, cook, travel, vacation, play, dance, and learn together. These 8 boys are like family! The staff just as much!!

I pray all of them continue to live in the Hope House, and be discipled and come to know Christ on a deep and intimate level. I pray blessings over the staff - the volunteers and the ones that live along side these boys each and every day, that they would have strength, endurance, patience, and wisdom. Thank you for the incredible blessing of an outreach where we live in our ministry. Thank you for these boys being off the street, the boys who went through before them, and the boys you are preparing to come through after them. Thank you for placing this ministry where it is, and giving the staff the passion to serve and disciple these boys! Thank you for the change we've been able to witness, and the words of life we were able to speak over these boys life.

 

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