Ambassadors of hope come to help young addicted to drugs

The founders of Fazenda da Esperança, the Farm of Hope, from Brazil told their story of helping drug addicted youngsters recover from their addiction to some 500 guests at the Corpus Christi Catholic Charitie

Nelson Giovanelli Rosendo dos Santos

s' bi-annual "Dinner & Dialogue with Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey" on Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Solomon P. Ortiz International Center. The event raised $219,404 for the agency, which assists the poor and homeless in the Coastal Bend.

Father Hans Stapel, a Franciscan priest assigned to a parish in Guaratinguetá, Sao Paulo, Brazil founded the Farm of Hope in 1983. Helping Father Hans in his organization efforts was Nelson Giovanelli Rosendo dos Santos, at the time 18-years-old. Both men, along with Father Cesar Santos who wrote the book "It's happened and spread" that tells the history, charism and spirituality of Fazenda da Esperança, spoke at the dinner.

Bishop Mulvey brought the three to Corpus Christi after meeting them on his trip to World Youth Day 2013 in Brazil. The bishop said he had been praying to God for guidance on how to follow Pope Francis' call to go beyond "our boundaries and support the poor." He said he was so captivated by their work and the young people they were helping that he invited dos Santos to come to Corpus Christi.

Father Stapel explained that when he arrived in Brazil he was presented with a series of occurrences in which he was called to take care of abandoned children. The poor kept coming to his door and ultimately he found 500 poor people in a "favela" or slum living in homes fashioned from cardboard boxes. The parish priest enlisted the help of wealthy parishioners who each agreed to build a home for the people in the Favela.

"In that environment, many began to live the Word," Father Stapel said.

In that environment, also, dos Santos began to respond to Father Stapel's example and call to help the poor. Living with his sister while their parents were working in Mozambique, dos Santos began going to a street corner where drug users hung out and invited them to join him in living the Gospel message Before long, six of the young men began to attend daily Mass with him at the parish church where Father Stapel would talk with them about the Gospel. Eventually, Father Stapel bought some land where they organized a "therapeutic" farm.

The young boys began to recover from their addiction and began to renew their faith and found hope. The young boys that come to the farms are devastated, Father Santos said. "They have no faith, they do not know God, only desperation," he said.

Father Santos knows something about desperation. After he began his studies for the priesthood he was struck with leukemia and soon became despondent thinking his dreams of being a priest and a missionary were over. He soon recovered his health and his vocation and his bishop told him he did not need to work in a parish to be a priest. In 1992, he found his way to Guaratinguetá where he joined Father Stapel and dos Santos in their work with the drug afflicted youth.

The methodology used in the Farm of Hope, Father Santos said, "is capable to give these young people hope. They arrive sad and leave full of joy."

The last three years Father Santos has been at the farm in Guadalajara, Mexico facing a new challenge. The Mexican people have faith, he said, but many get introduced to drugs, not only with using drugs, but also into trafficking in drugs and all its accompanying violence.

"My challenge is to teach them the word of God; that if they truly have God they have it all and do not need anything else, even if they are poor," Father Santos said.

In response to Bishop Mulvey's request that they come to the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Nelson asked for his support, the community's support and land. Bishop Mulvey has introduced them to local public officials and the board of directors of Catholic Charities, both groups gave them an enthusiastic reception. On Friday, the three met with a group of priests from the diocese to explore how the work of the Farm of Hope can be implemented in the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

"I hope that Corpus Christi will be the next home to a Farm of Hope," dos Santos said. The group has 70 farms in 11 sates.