Miriam Infant Home - Jonathan Abel

This ministry in Campo Mourão has changed much over the last few years. Mostly because of new laws imposed by our government which is more socialistic. This has caused the ministry to become extremely bureaucratic and we thank God for Soraia, a lady that Pr. Oséias brought to our ministry from the AMECAM ministry of trouble teens. She really knows her way through government paper work, as each child that comes to us, comes with a file of rules, regulations and requirement of almost an inch thick. Fortunally, the government still gives us free rule of what to put in the minds and hearts of the kids. To do this part of the ministry we have Christians house mothers, and a Seminarian student who has devotions with the kids every day, and others who take them to church. The Miriam Infant home works in the following manner. The government requires that Orphanages be not big institutions, but more like homes. Therefore we must have one social mom for every 10 children. We also need to have social moms for the weekend and holidays so that the regular social mom can take a break. Most of the kids are only in the home for a period of time till the courts can decide what to do with them. They come from single parents or from parents that have some very serious problems like drugs, alcohol, mental problems or disease and have no relative to stay with. Last year 29 kids went through the home. This year we had 27 by June. In June we had 19 children living in the home, in July 21 and in August 22, being that many had come and gone. This year we think that the number of kids coming to the home will double. We also now have teenagers in the home. These are a brother or a sister of a younger child, and the government will not allow siblings to be separated. We also have some very young single moms, with little babies who are at risk (like being beaten of assassinated by there abuser or getting into a life of prostitution for survival). At present we have 7 children that have been extremely abused sexually, physically and mentally, they were taken away from their families for the safety of their lives. All the kids that come to us come only with the clothes on their backs. So part of our ministry is to provide them with clothes, shoes, school material, and everything else they need. If they stay for only a week, a month, six months or a year, when they leave they take everything they were given with them. That’s why we are always in need of buying tennis shoes, T-shirts, shorts, uniforms etc. Soraia works hard to get every grant the government allows us to get, but these funds are only for special projects or paying staff. They do not cover things like food for the kids, or school material, uniforms and shoes. These the government wants civilian social ministries to take care of. We try to get as many things from businesses as we can, but never the less, we see that this ministry is having a short fall of about $1000.00 dollars a month. Soraia also has told me that she was in great need of tennis shoes for school for the kids. Pr. Silvio is working hard with his board to both think of ways that they can raise money for the Home, as well as cut the budget to meet expenses. But with the increase of kids, and the government demands, that is going to be a real challenge. Jonathan’s concern is that if the home starts owing people around town it will ruin the reputation of the mission, the Association and our churches in the Community. At present we also have 3 teenagers who are up for adoption. Pray for the kids, the staff and the mission as they minister to this very needy segment of society.