Saint Augustine's Parish, Jardines
 | Padre Never Araújo |
The evangelising activities of St. Augustine Parish have slowly but surely been strengthening recently.
The activities currently being undertaken are Bible studies, preparation for Baptism classes, Eucharist celebrations and a Sunday school.
Through our Centre for the Attention of Infants and their Families (CAIF), we have contact with around 150 families that live in the local Parish. This programme that we have been running since June 2004 allows us to bring to these families assistance in relation to education, social work and psychology as well as spiritual development. In this way we are developing holistic assistance to those in greatest need.
This programme is undertaken in coordination with and with the help of the national government. We have a team of 3 professional Christians that are in contact throughout the week with mothers and children under 2 years old who are living in poverty and who are identified as needing help to facilitate the development of the children and the families. Our work takes place in coordination with the institutions of the area - both local groups and national bodies. The social workers visit the families and have contact with our organisations in the area and as a consequence the church has a daily presence in the neighbourhood. During the week, from Monday to Friday the mothers and children participate in education workshops, and other activities. During these activities they eat healthy and nutritious food together, and participants are also given help to purchase appropriate food to feed their families at home.
This means that the parish and the entire congregation is involved in the work of accompanying an important group of people as they grow. It is a wonderful opportunity that God has given us to explain his message and in so doing strengthen the community.
The growth of the activities and of the increased number of people participating in the activities is a challenge to the limited space available in the parish. We are at the limits of our capacity. Activities often take place in the parish house as well as the church building to allow activities to take place simultaneously.