“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”Matthew 5:3

In my last parish, I preached a sermon on the rich young ruler. You know it. It’s the one that ends with the unforgettable saying, “It is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” We used to have a Bible study immediately after the service. Before we could start, a member insisted that we talk about the sermon. She was obviously disturbed by it. She wanted to know how a middle class American like herself had any chance of entering the Kingdom of God. I was impressed by her honesty. She did not attempt to justify nor deny her privileged status. Most middle class Americans live better than Roman Senators in Jesus’ period. Her sincerity gave the other members the courage to have an open discussion on what it means to be rich in the light of the gospel. We had to put aside our bible study and had a heart to heart discussion about the subject. Needless to say, we did not reach any plausible conclusions. This is not the point. Jesus gives us a lot of things to wrestle with and hopefully in the process, we discover the deeper meaning of the gospel for our lives.

Just for the record, I do not believe that Jesus wants us to sell all our belongings and give all to the poor. I believe that this was something he said specifically to that young man. Although, we have examples of many saints in our Christian tradition who have done this. However, this is not what Jesus desires for all of us. In the gospel of Luke, there were several wealthy women who supported Jesus in his ministry. Jesus never expected them to give up everything. The second important thing I want to clarify is this is not a subtle self-promotion on my part. It might seem like Mary and I am doing what Jesus said. It might seem that we have left everything to serve in the streets. However, we are still rich; I mean, we still have lots of resources. This is perhaps why there is a qualifier attached to this beatitude, “in the spirit”. You can be poor but still be rich in resources. If I find myself in dire straits, all I have to do is make some phone calls or write to the churches and I believe many will come to our aid. During the Pandemic, especially during the period of quarantine, I was confined in a comfortable apartment lacking nothing whereas there were millions in Brazil were forced to risk their lives and work in order to put food on the table. Many have died as a result of this. I had resources to deal with the pandemic. I belong to the privileged class but we know many who are poor in spirit.

In the beginning of this year, we received a call from Kawanna. She is one of the homeless teens who has become a squatter in an abandoned storage space under a highway bridge. It is not appropriate for housing by any means. They lack running water and electricity. However, many families who occupy these spaces usually have skills that enable to get these things through creative means, usually bordering on illegal. This abandoned storage space is divided into tiny rooms and Kawanna lived there with her partner. It is her first real home and they have been there for a year. Often times, they invite the other children and teens to take showers and have a warm place to stay during cold nights. The space is tiny but their hearts are big. Unfortunately, immediately after Christmas, her partner suffered from a violent psychotic episode. Mental illness is common plague among our homeless children. This resulted in a violent physical struggle and Kawanna had to leave her home for her own safety. She was back being homeless again. As you can imagine, the streets is a dangerous for a lonely 21 year old girl. She had no one to turn for help. She called us.

We asked what she needed from us concretely. We assured her that we were willing and open to help her in any way. Unfortunately, all she could do was cry. She was at a complete loss. She had no family support. Her mother had abandoned her since she was a child. Her friends in the street would offer drugs to soothe her pain. She did not want that anymore. She felt that everything was working against her and it was hopeless situation. She was truly poor in every possible way.

Jesus said that someone like Kawanna is truly blessed. Seeing this young beautiful girl in tears with no support and hope makes it seem like Jesus was out of His mind to make such a statement. After all, who in their right mind would consider her “blessed”. We put all our strength and energy to avoid being in her situation. Yet Jesus sees things differently. It is so different that it is hard for us to comprehend. Whenever we read this verse or any other verses which make us feel uncomfortable, we tend to skim through it without dwelling too much on it. This is because we are comfortable where we are in this world. This is the problem. We may not be ready to receive what He wants to offer us. Kawanna, on the other hand, reads this verse with joy and hope. She is ready to receive what the Lord has for her. She has received nothing in this world worth holding onto.

Our homeless children and teens do not have any hope in this world. They do not believe that the politicians whether good or bad will change their lot in life. They don’t believe that education is going to open doors for them. Sad to say, they are right. It is not that they lack ambition nor drive for life. They just don’t trust this world. After all it has rejected and despised them from the day they were born. However, this does not mean that they are hopeless. This is perhaps the most fascinating thing about our children. They still have hope to find meaning and fulfillment in Life. However, they don’t share our definition on this matter. We have our feet planted in two Kingdoms. We like to have treasures in both worlds. Eventually we will discover that only one of these treasures will endure. Our children know that there is nothing in this world for them. They have eyes and ears only for what the Kingdom of God has to offer to them. And what exactly Jesus offers to them?

After the tears have dried, Kawanna, asked us if we could help pay for a night in a hostel. It was a temporary solution but it was necessary for that night. Nevertheless, we had no idea how to find a permanent solution. We were honest about it. We were also honest about our concerns for her. We shared that we wanted what is best for her and will be willing to help her explore all possibilities. There is something special and beautiful about this young girl. We have known her for a while. In spite of all unfairness she had experienced in life, she is one of the most caring and loving girls in the streets. Our friendship with her opened the doors for the others teenage girls to approach us. Kawanna listened and then she hugged us. This was what she needed to hear. She did not call us to solve her problems. She was no fool. She knew that nothing would be resolved immediately. She was feeling vulnerable and lost. She wanted to hear that she was still loved and accepted. For her, this was the most important thing in her life. This is the treasure she seeks to live a fulfilling life. The moment of sadness almost disappeared immediately. Kawanna talked about her interest in plants and music. She showed a renewed zest for life. Later in the week, she convinced her partner to seek medical help. It seems like they are back on the right track. We learned that the things which make life beautiful and special are not living a comfortable and peaceful life in this world but receiving the people that Jesus has put in our lives. These people are the Kingdom of God. These are the treasures which our children constantly seek in the streets. They are open to find them and they discover them in all shapes and forms. Sometimes for us, wealth and success in this world can distract us from appreciating these eternal treasures.

Being poor in spirit is not desirable but it opens our heart to realize what are the most valuable things in Life. In this way, it is truly a blessing. We don’t have to be poor to understand this. We just have to be open to know that the poor have valuable things to teach us about life. We need to have eyes and ear to listen and humility helps, too.

I first came to this city in 1994. Almost thirty years ago; sometimes it’s hard to believe it was that long ago. I travelled 56 hours by interstate bus from the city of Manaus in the Amazons to São Paulo. It was from one extreme to another in many ways. When I got off the bus, I was confronted by this huge and chaotic mega city which seemed strange and familiar to me. I have always been an urbanite. From the bus station, I managed to find my way to the missionary center without the aid of a cell phone nor GPS, all these were non existent at that time, at least, not for the general public. My Portuguese was basic. I had only been living in Brazil only for six months. Upon arrival, I was introduced to the team who worked with the homeless children which then consisted of an American couple, John and Patty, one Brazilian, Marinette, and, a German, Karin. Almost immediately, I was invited to a picnic they organized with some of the older homeless teens the next day. They thought it was a good way to introduce me to the children and teens.

The next day, we went to the streets to pick up the teens for the picnic. The homeless youth then hung out exactly at the same place were we meet them today. There were literally hundreds of children of all ages sleeping in the streets. I remember that the official count was about three to four hundred just in that particular area. They were dressed in clothes that were literally torn and tattered and their faces were covered with specks of dirt. They looked like personalities from a Dickens novel. Almost all of them had with them the same kind of blanket but filthy in varying degrees. Curiously, the same blankets are distributed to the homeless population today. The children were sniffing some pink substance in a plastic bag. I found out later that it was nail polish. It was the cheapest drug available then. Today our children sniff paint thinner which is basically the same stuff. My team mates introduced me to three older teens, Nelson, Pedro and another one whose name I can’t recall. They were the very first homeless youth I met in this city.

We went to a park together and they were curious about me and asked a lot of questions. I understood some things but my Portuguese was not good enough to have any profound conversation. It did not bother me. I was interested in just being with them. Later on I discover that these friendly young teens robbed together. It was hard to believe as well as disturbing to think that they could be dangerous criminals. It contradicted who they were when they were with us. In the park, they just appeared like any teenager who was having a good time with a bunch of older friends.

Karin did not stay long after my arrival. She eventually got married and settled down in Germany. Marinette, unfortunately, died about less than a year later due to allergic reactions to antibiotics. Just after six months in the streets, I became the most senior team member excluding the American couple who stayed until the very end of our time. They took care of the other aspects of the ministry which allowed the rest of us to spend more time in the streets. Mary arrived shortly after and soon we fell in love and got married. Everything happened here in the streets of São Paulo.

Nelson was the only one of the three who we saw most often after my first meeting. He got more and more involved in crime as he grew older. He was stuck in a vicious cycle and could not find a way out. Once he was shot eight times. Miraculously he survived. Then, just like that, he disappeared. In fact, no one even remembered him in the streets after a while. We assumed that he died. Sadly, a large percentage of the three hundred homeless children and teens never made it past the age of 25. It was also during the time of the AIDs pandemic and about 90 percent of the children were HIV positive.

On the second day of this New Year (2023), as we were talking with the children in the streets, a man approached us. He was almost completely bald. He looked like a young man who had aged prematurely. We were too engaged in our conversations to pay attention to him. His face looked friendly and I assumed that he was a curious passerby. He looked at us and said, “I know you!” Then he went on to mention the names of Karin and Marinette. Mary could not remember him and to be frank neither did I. For some reason, almost instinctively, I blurted out, “Nelson!” Then he smiled and said, “You do remember me!!”

He had been in prison for 14 years. It was his personal wilderness. In prison, he was tempted to join the local prison gang which is the largest in Brazil. They wanted him to become part of their brotherhood. This is how they see themselves. In the streets, every addresses them as the “brothers”. Many of his friends did not resist but Nelson decided it was time for a change. He said it was during this time, he felt that the reality of Christ in his life. I am not sure what this really meant for him. Time did not permit us to delve deeper into this. However, it was obvious that it has had a profound impact in his life and a radical change. The amazing thing is that he claims to remember almost every detail of our conversations and things we used to do together. He especially remembered Karin fondly. She was a major influence in his life. This was almost thirty years ago. I hardly recall anything.

Upon his release, he went out to look for jobs and is still seeking employment. He does odd jobs here and there but has not found nothing permanent yet. Since he has been out, he had been robbed twice. He said this in a way that he almost sounded like he was proud of it. He said, “I was an aggressive robber and now I am a victim.” Even though no one wants to be a victim ever, Nelson liked the fact he did not feel the need to be violent when it happened. It was almost as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders. He emphasized that he is a “softy” and he was fine with it. He is now free to be who he really is without having to prove anything to anyone. He is at peace with himself. It took him a long time to get here.

Nelson is 48 years old. When I first started working with the homeless children and teens, I was only 24. I was old enough to be their older brother then. Today, I am as old as some of the grandparents of our children and teens. Nelson asked what we were doing now. It felt good to say we are doing the same thing as we did thirty years ago.

In reality, it is very difficult to answer what we do exactly. We know why we are here but how we go about our ministry often varies. We do a little bit of everything. When the children are hungry or thirsty, we buy food and drinks for them. When they need a place to live, we try to find a safe place for them. When they are sick, we make sure that they are taken care of. However, these things the children can get without us, or rather, we are not the only ones in the streets able to do this for them. There are many who can perhaps do a better job at these things than us. For some of our kids, we are a permanent presence in the street offering something different than the rest. In the streets, drugs are always present and available. There is the overwhelming presence of violence and oppression. There is much hatred and anger. The worst of all is the constant reminder of their rejection and abandonment. We want our children and teens to know that all these things cannot hinder the power of eternal love which is always present in their lives. Many times, it takes them a while to realize this because of their pain and loneliness. However, it is not just a one way traffic. We also need our children and teens to help us understand the eternal love of God.

If someone asked Nelson what we did for him, he would not be able to give a straightforward answer. Most of our children and teens might feel the same. However, they always introduce us to strangers as people who counsel and teach them. Sometimes they exaggerate and claim that we do things which we have never done like cutting their hair etc. We are something that they did not have in their lives. They also give us something which is lacking in our lives. If someone wants to know the specifics, then there is nothing we can say which would be adequate. All we know is that together we discover something good and beautiful based on the foundation of the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. John 1:35-39

This is such a strange story sandwiched between the Baptism of our Lord and Peter’s calling. I must have read this text countless times but never paid any attention to its peculiarity. This time I was drawn to it. Maybe it is because I am busy preparing for our time in Florida. I have been reflecting on what to share with the churches. We have been here ten years. If I had been a parish priest in a regular church, I would mostly likely be thinking about moving on to another parish. It is not because I do not like to stay put in one place. I often have the feeling after spending a long time in one place that I have nothing to offer anymore. However, I do not feel this way about our ministry here. I still feel there is a lot of room to grow. One of the older homeless youth said jokingly to us, “You are one of us now. You found something special in the streets and now you just want to be here all the time.” He is right. Despite all the violence and hostile challenges before us, we do want to be in the streets.

It is curious why the evangelist John mentioned that it was four in the afternoon. He thought it was crucial information but the exact reasons are lost to us. Maybe it is better this way. It gives us the freedom to read this and allow the Holy Spirit speak to us personally. As for me, it talks about the perfect hour to make a decision. It marks the end of the day before a new one begins. The disciples followed John the Baptist because they were seeking for a spiritual place which they could call their home. Jesus invited them to come and see for themselves.

I loved parish ministry. I enjoyed visiting people in the hospitals. I enjoyed visiting people in their homes. All the precious conversations I had with the congregants are part of who I am now. However, I am not a big fan of meetings, I have to admit this. In parish ministry, meetings are indispensable. Then the time came for me to make the decision. I was at a point where I could decide to remain where I was or move on. I was ready to go but I wanted to find a place I could call my permanent home. In the same sense, the gospel story tells us the disciples of John were faced with a crucial decision. They could remain as John’s disciples or follow Jesus. There was no contradiction in being one or the other. Strangely, it was John the Baptist who pointed out Jesus to them. In many ways, it was my years as a parish priest that pointed to me the direction which I should take in my life. It helped me discover who I am and the things which helped me sense that was living my vocation. There was the comfort of remaining where I was. There was nothing wrong with this. However, my soul was seeking its permanent home.

Not all of us feel at home at the same place. John the Baptist had many disciples but two decided it was time to move on. The others felt that they were in the right place and remained with John until much later. Those who remained were by no means inferior to those who left. Each person felt spiritually at home where they were. I asked the Lamb of God to show us where He lived. He asked me to come and see the streets of São Paulo. The hour was coming. We decided it is time to stay where the Lamb of God is most present to us. Maybe one day, the Lamb of God will bring us to another place. It is possible. After all, our Lord said,

‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Matthew 8:20

It is not the place in itself which makes it our home but where we see His presence clearly. It is late now but there is something else I want to say.

There is another reason why I was drawn to the this text.

I was hoping to have a relaxing week before our trip. However, you know, “Best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry.” We had a young man, Wanderson, whom some of you pray for regularly, was admitted to the hospital. He had a serious case of pneumonia. The cold winds in the streets were not helping his condition. We had been after him for weeks to go the doctor and even offered to pay for his cab. However, he was stubborn and behaving like a typical male. For some reason, there is something in our masculine outlook that thinks our illness will go away naturally without any effort on our part. To make matter worse, he is HIV positive. He looked exactly like someone in the final stages of this dreadful disease. Finally, he was in such a bad state that they had to take him in an ambulance. He is not doing well but he is receiving the necessary treatment. It was quite stressful to see him in this condition. Now, we have to find a way to visit him which is not as easy as it sounds here in Brazil.

Then, one of our favorite girls who had left the streets became homeless again because of a breakup. She was desperate and depressed. She really did not want to go back to sleeping in the streets with the others. She felt that she might be tempted to use drugs again and all the other negative activities of the homeless life. Unfortunately, she has no where to go and no family support. She called us because we were the only ones she knew who could help her. She was afraid to sleep in the streets alone and rightly so. There are lots of predators lurking around looking for victims in the streets. She had been sneaking into the subway station after it closed so that she can be a protected area while she sleeps.

In both instances, I thought about Jesus inviting the disciples to see His home. I wondered what I would have done if either one of these young people had asked to come to our home. They didn’t. I am ashamed to say that I was a little relieved. Most likely we would have opened up our home if they had asked but not without a sense of .…I don’t know exactly. We are busy preparing for a trip. This seems like a weak excuse.

Thankfully, Wanderson is in the place where he needs to be. The young girl knows that we will do anything for her to help her avoid sleeping in the streets. She told us that she will let us how we can help her. We did pay for her to stay in a hostel of her choice. We saw her today and she seems to be doing better. She even asked a lot of questions about our trip and asked us to take tons of pictures.

We like having our children and teens over to our home. Felipe has come here before and so did Igor. We even baked a cake and had Aline over for her birthday. We usually love having company. We have an extra bed for guests. However, our relationship with our children and teens has grown over the years and their opinion of us matters greatly to us. I am afraid that they might see our home and feel that we are too different from them to be their friends. Our home is not luxurious by any means. Nevertheless, for those who have spent their whole lives sleeping in the streets and come from homes where seven people sleep on one double bed, our home is like a palace in comparison. Besides, our children and teens never get invited to homes as guests. When they do, they tend to clam up as soon as they enter an environment which is foreign and intimidating to them. It never happened to the ones who came here recently but we saw this when we first started working in this ministry in the mid nineties. Ever since then, we realized that the children needed to be prepared. It seemed to me in the gospel story, John the Baptist prepared his disciples and when they right time came, they knew exactly what to do when they stayed with Jesus. Perhaps, we have come to a stage in our ministry where our home becomes an extension of the things we do in the streets. There will come a time when someone like this young girl might need a place to feel safe and secure and if she asks, “where are you staying?” we want to say, “Come and see where we live.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:15-18

São Paulo Mercy Ministry turns ten this year. I can hardly believe it. In 2013, we started with nothing except with the conviction that God was calling us to minister to the homeless children and teens of São Paulo. I wasn’t entirely sure if it would take off. I imagined that the idea sounded a little crazy for some. After all, Florida was thousands of miles away from Brazil and one has nothing to do with the other. Thankfully, our Bishop saw it differently and officially recognized us as a mission of the diocese with the permission of the local Brazilian diocese naturally. It is a miracle of love that we lasted so long. Like I mentioned before there is no pragmatic reason for people and churches of Florida to be involved in this ministry except for sheer purpose of sharing God’s love. Our initial support came from small churches. It was amazing that despite their limited resources they said “Yes” together with us to be a presence among the homeless children and teens in the largest city in South America. We started with nothing and now we have received much more than we ever imagined.

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:29

There is no denying that we have received a hundredfold since we started this ministry. Many people, some whom I never met and some maybe in mere passing, have constantly encouraged us with their words and affection. We also have people who correspond with us who are from other parts of the world and in some instances of different faiths. These people have become part of our lives as much as the children albeit in different and unique ways. Many have adopted these children in their hearts. They often write to us asking about a specific child or teen. This ministry over the years has developed into something which I always hoped that it would become. It created a bridge between the church and our homeless children. Even though this church in particular is thousands of miles away, Love is able to overcome the divide.

We could not have remained here all these years here without receiving love from the children and teens. I have to admit it has not always been easy. These are young people whose very first experience in life is one of rejection. They were cast away by the very ones who were supposed to love them. Most of their parents also suffered the same fate and are just repeating this cycle of rejection and abandonment, understandably. It took a while for our children and teens to accept us. Being friendly is not the same as being accepted. Even their initial friendliness is due to the novelty of meeting someone new, especially someone from away. This phase is brief. After a while, when they realized that we are not going away like the other foreigners who are here short term, they did not know what do with us. They had to figure out whether we are worth carving out a space in their lives. This process took some time. In some cases, there was a lot of resistance and even hostility before anything concrete happened.

Erica was one of the very first girls we met in 2013. We visited her in the juvenile detention. She was detained for stealing but she claimed to be innocent. It was later proven that she was telling the truth. She was a little standoffish and made it seemed like she did not appreciate our visit. We decided not to impose ourselves upon her and stopped our visits. After a while, we saw her in the streets again upon her release. She basically confronted me and enquired why we stopped our visits. I was honest with her. I told her that I thought she did not get anything from it. She did not say anything. The following years she would just ignore us, I am not sure if it was deliberate. For some of the kids, we are just invisible. Most likely, they do not know where to place us in their lives. We were not offended. In the streets, there are always some who ignore us while others respond positively to us. It balances out in the end. We are never left alone. Besides, everyone has their season.

Frankly speaking, I do not remember when it happened but one day Erica started interacting with us. By this time it has already been more seven years since our first meeting. She started acknowledging our presence more and more. Sometimes, she would even sit and talk with us for long periods of time. Little by little we discovered about her past. Her mother is a crack addict and abandoned her in an orphanage. She grew up with very little contact with her. In fact, there was a time she hardly remembered what her mother looked like. The only thing she has to remind her of her mother is a weak lung. Her mother used a lot of drugs when she was pregnant with her and now Erica is asthmatic as a result. Erica grew up in the midst of homelessness and crime. This is the norm for her but she hated both these things and felt stuck in this world. She felt like she needed to use drugs and engage in crime in order to belong with the other teenage girls. However, she did not want to become like her mother. From very young age, she realized that if she wanted anything in life, she had to fight for it. Once she even commented to us, “I am a woman, black and poor. No one is going to give me anything freely. I have to fight for everything in order to survive.” I told her that she was right and she was surprised. Maybe she thought that I was going to contradict her.

Erica’s survival skills were developed based on the idea that no one loved her enough to care for her. To be frank, she was not the easiest person to love. She can be very manipulative. She attempted to get money from us on several occasions especially during the quarantine when food was scare in the streets. We helped her but she wanted to get as much as possible out of us. Then the other teens stepped in and stopped her. They made it clear to her that we are not the kind of people to be manipulated. Then she changed. Manipulation is a survival skill for her and we knew that it would take time for her to realize that it was not necessary to use this ‘skill’ with us. Eventually, she learned that whenever she needed something, all she needed to do is ask and we are more than willing to help her. It is hard for her to comprehend that we are willing to help her because we like her. She and Kawanna decided that they needed to leave behind the streets and drugs and crime. However, they have both been homeless all their lives and they have no family to help them. They reached out to us in this process. They desire to be independent but we had to explain to them that the road to independence is a process. Everyone needs someone who loves them to help them achieve it.

There are a lot challenges facing Erica. She never went to school and consequently she is illiterate. Recently, she went to the local library and was amazed at the number of books. She asked us if we could help her get a card. She has been teaching herself to read and has been able to read simple things. We gave her “Alice in Wonderland” once and she grabbed it and placed it close to her heart. Just before Christmas, she and Kawanna wanted to know if we could one day go for a walk in a park nearby together. They want to just spend time with us.

Our journey with Erica started with hostility and indifference and now she is one of our favorite people in the streets. She still has a lot of rough edges like the rest of us. The most important thing is that she is learning that there are people in the world who genuinely care for her. One day, I asked her what she hoped to do in the future. She told me that she wanted to make sure her mother has a place to stay when she gets out of prison. She wants to help her mother have a better life.

These ten years we have not done great and marvelous things but we have created strong bonds with children and teens like Erica. There are many more like her and every day new “Ericas” are making the streets their home. They might be hostile or even distant for now. We know that eventually they have the potential to become our favorites.

I want to end with the above gospel reading. When I read this, I thought to myself that this text best describes our ministry. God summons us to come to this place to see His Son in the streets of São Paulo. We have met Jesus alive and well in midst of these children and teens who were castaway so freely by the world and yet have so much to offer to those who are willing to allow the Holy Spirit to open their eyes and hearts.

Have a Blessed New Year.