The Team

Throughout my blog you will find that I litter the pages with references to people, places and organisations that you may not be familiar with. Here is some information that you might find helpful. Contacts are listed alphabetically.


ABBA

ABBA stands for Associação Brasileira Beneficente Aslan. They are a local missionary agency based in Sao Paulo. Their mission is to work with children living in the streets of Sao Paulo, to reunite them with their families or to find them new families through fostering. There are three "rescue houses" currently run by ABBA where the children can find shelter from the streets, recover from substance addictions and work towards a new life under the care of ABBA staff. ABBA is a non-profit organisation. Their workers are not given a salary but instead they raise their own financial support to enable them to carry out the work that God has entrusted them with. Casa Semear operates under ABBA and is the only community centre working more specifically towards prevention rather than recovery. You can find out more about the work of ABBA here

Dora



Dora with Marianne (Robert & Silvana's youngest)



Dora is one of the full time Casa Semear staff. She was living in the house when ABBA bought it over. She looks after the house and keeps everyting in order when the kids club is not on. Dora is Brasilian and has committed herself to working at Casa Semear for as long as her financial support will allow. Currently Dora is supported by her local church but there is no guarentee as to how long this will continue. She is a wonderful cook and kept the team well fed during our 2010 stay!

Dot and Caio

Dorothee and Caio

Dot and Caio are involved in the work of ABBA  since 2009. Dot is very involved in the  programmes run at Casa Semear, particularly with the teenage girls. Caio helps at Semear and also in the ABBA rescue house for boys. They have been a valuable help and support to me as I organise my summer trip by putting together a work schedule for me and making sure that I have somewhere to stay. Find out more about them here.

Kirkintilloch Baptist Church

KBC is my home church. For many years they have been supporting Robert and Silvana Meikle - the couple who started up Casa Semear. It's through KBC that was given the opportunity to go out to Brazil last year. My church has not only supported me financially on my journey but since starting my studies at ICC (Internatonal Christian College) and my decision to work with children full time they have supported me with prayer and wisdom abounding. The church are my family and their support a vital part of my work. Through KBC I have a small network of people who are committed to praying for me and supporting me as I work out my future plans.


Luke  

Luke is part of the ABBA team. He works with the kids living on the street by helping to reconnect them with their families or by bringing them to one of the ABBA houses. Read his Sao Paulo Diary to find out what life is really like on the streets.



Robert and Silvana
 



Robert & Silvana with their three beautiful children



Robert and Silvana started up the Casa Semear project. They live in Sao Paulo with their three children. Robert is Scottish but grew up in Brazil and Silvana is Brasilian. They are dedicated to the running of Casa Semear full time. Like all the other ABBA staff they work without a salary, relying on the support of friends and family. They have real passion for helping the favela families and their faith is unwaivering even the most difficult of circumstances.