Read:Psalms 142:5-7 I cry to you, Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

As Hope Unlimited begins work to develop new juvenile justice programs in Brazil, read Board member Dr. Burt McDowell’s account of his visit to the prison in Cariacica.

I tried to prepare myself for the sights, smells, and sounds of the place, but I was still shocked. The physical and spiritual darkness was oppressive. A barren, crumbling cement building housed the children in windowless cells with no running water, bathing facilities, heat, or fresh air. Toilets were holes in the cement floor. It was hard to believe the dark forms that approached the steel bars were human. Yet as we talked and prayed with the kids, most seemed desperate to be given another chance. I did not sleep well that night; I was haunted by images of caged children.