Torch, Summer 1992

Christians before he established the minjstry. International Reach is a registered non-profit U.S. orgaruzation, based in Deerfield, Illinois. The board members are U.S . citizens . The ministry ' s first project, "Home for the Little Cillldren," provided homes for Brazilian Christian couples who were willjng to adopt a number of street children. Through the second project, "Rescue One Life ," hundreds of Brazilian Christian couples have been encouraged to adopt just one child. Some have adopted more. Since 1991 , International Reach has placed an average of one child each week . Vini's day is filled with three activities: inforrillng people about the need for adoptions , enrolling prospective parents , and following up on the adoptions . He says , "Informing plus enrolling plus follow-up equals adoption ." Vini works through pastors to recruit Christian farilllies. "If the pastor is convinced of the need , then the people will help ." He says that irutially most couples are open to adoption either because of infertility or because they want a ministry . Regardless of their specific motivation, the families come to love the children . Vini keeps in constant contact with government officials and social workers to learn about children needing homes. Many street children do not want to be adopted. Some of these have developed a lifestyle that precludes assimilation into a family . Most children who are adopted have somehow escaped the worst of life on the street or have recently become homeless because their parents died . Vini compares the process of matching willing couples with needy children to the time when Christ fed the 5,000. "Christ asked ills disciples to do their best to find all available resources. After that He provided the miracle." Often, when Vini learns of a needy child, he does not know immediately of anyone who will adopt the child. But his faith has been strengthened because he has seen God provide in miraculous ways . "Recently, we learned of three cillldren who needed a home, and I did not know where to send them. But within 24 hours a loving couple had adopted all three children ." Seven-year-old Tatiane frequently asked her new parents, "How long do we get to stay with you?" She took their reply , "Forever" , as a joke. Only after a full week had passed could she accept the fact that she now had parents who sincerely loved her. Not long ago, Vini had an opportunity to talk to Carlos , a successful veterinarian , about how Christian farilllies could adopt needy children. Carlos and his wife , Marinelsa, had three children of their own , the youngest 16. The Christian couple was looking forward to enjoying the next stage of their life when their children would have farilllies of their own. However, just two weeks after Vini talked with him , Carlos received a call from ills pastor. The pastor said he had become aware of a 12-year-old girl , Priscila, who needed a home. He asked Carlos, "What can you do?" Carlos' reply was that he could give Priscila a home . Since then Carlos and Marinelsa have adopted another girl. They are answering the need of these children by being willing to do what they can . When you ask him about compassion , Vini cites those farilllies. "I work with a lot of compassionate people. Brazilian couples are not like American couples who want to adopt. In the U.S., couples approach adoption with a Jot of maturity. They expect to have to deal with multiple problems the child may bring into the farillly . On the other hand , Americans live in an information society. They want to know the sex , age , color, height, weight, health, and everything about the cillld . I told a Brazilian couple that I had a child who needed a home, and they said 'What age?' I told them, and they said, 'We're ready.' I asked , 'Don't you want to know what sex, what color the cillld is? ' They said, 'Yes, I guess that would be good to know. ' They were only interested in loving the child." cillldren." Current Brazilian law makes it extremely difficult for Brazilian children to be adopted by families in the United States. On the other hand, if a Brazilian couple wants to adopt a Brazilian child, the legal process can often be completed within a few hours. Because quick decisions are possible, Vini believes, "Compassion has to be balanced with discernment and scrutiny , even cold judgment at times. My personality and the parents' personality, my gifts and their gifts, work together to help the Through "Rescue One Life," Vini says adoption provides permanent solutions for the many physical and emotional needs of destitute children and gives opportunities to evangelize and disciple them. "All the time children come up to me and ask for a little money or food. If they only knew what I could give them: a family, a home, love ..." The purpose of International Reach is to rescue abandoned Brazilian children by facilitating their adoption into Brazilian Christian families. Vini Jaquery and his wife Alexandra live in Brazil, but you can contact them at International Reach, P.O. Box 809, Lake Forest, IL 60045, 708-234-6389.