Our History

For over 20 years, a few of us have been taking recycled clothes and items to impoverished communities in Brazil. Although small, these deliveries have been much appreciated as reliable and valuable contributions that have benefited many needy individuals across various regions of this country.

In the spring of 1995, a couple of Brazilian Americans worked with a group of American doctors and nurses on a charitable medical mission in Brazil. This project aimed to perform corrective plastic surgery for our beneficiaries in this country. Unlike other medical missions conducted by famous groups with more resources, such as their own planes, we worked quietly without fanfare or corporate sponsorship. With the help and assistance of hospitals and good-hearted professionals like you, we were able to raise the necessary funds for this endeavor.

Thousands of people with birth defects, victims of accidents, diseases, domestic violence, and severe burning traveled days by bus to have their “miracle” surgery in the city of Recife, located in Brazil’s northeast region. Many came from adjacent states and had no place to stay, sleeping on the sidewalks outside the hospital.

Although it was sad and difficult to turn down so many needing care, we could not accommodate this volume of patients. So, our volunteer local doctors screened and narrowed the thousands of hopeful patients down to 250, who were told to return for a final screening with American doctors. That is how we ended up with 75 patients who received the life-changing procedures they needed.

Many folks like you helped us accomplish the medical mission in 1995. While the mission was a success, the number of patients we could not help has been a constant thought in our hearts and minds.

One little patient, “Baby #33,” had a serious heart condition in addition to his treated birth defect that would not allow him to live past his teen years without additional surgery. We did not have enough time or the facility to perform the operation that could give him a chance to live a normal life during this mission. However, we were confident we would be back the following year in plenty of time to save Baby #33.

Our team has continued delivering clothes, shoes, and school supplies to the poor. However, we have yet to be able to repeat 1995’s amazing medical mission.

We don’t know how Baby #33 has lived all these years. We hope he is a happy teen going to school and enjoying things a teenage boy enjoys. However, a dozen years later, we are fast approaching the time the beating of his heart will start to slow down and eventually stop.

Will he finish school? Will he be part of his class graduation ceremonies? Will he have a girlfriend and sad friends to mourn his short life? Will we be back in time to help Baby #33?

Many other similar stories are the thoughts that drove us to build this organization. We alone are not enough to save the whole world, but existing as a registered organization enables us to reach out to more wonderful people like you. With your generosity, we will be back in Brazil to help Baby #33 and others who have heard of our medical mission and are waiting for our return. We encourage you to help us launch more life-changing missions for these communities because hope is all they have, and to let it go would leave them with nothing.