Ari - House 1
Ari is a younger brother with two older twins plus another younger sister that came to us from out of the bush. The mother has had 8 children. Since the birth of the last one, the father has died from blood clots in his leg going to his head or heart. Since then the mother has shacked up with another younger man. They are both alcoholics, unemployed, violent and extremely negligent. The social workers on the case stated that the mother is psychologically unbalanced. She has threatened all authorities involved in her case and is aggressive. With her children this aggressiveness is both physical and emotional. The children find it normal to be beaten by the both of them.
The shack where all of them slept in the same room is located on the edge of the river that cuts through the outskirts of our town. It is extremely unhygienic and unlivable according to the authorities. It is also a squatter situation. There are rats running around the stove top among the pots that contain old food. If we were to only focus on the poorness of the situation, this could be helped. In this case the mother refuses treatment and help. Any financial aid is wasted on booze and cigarettes. The adults are in a drunken stupor most of the time. The live in boy friend often knocks food out of the children’s hands. Many times his violence is so forceful that the children run away screaming for help. They have witnessed sexual copulation between the adults many times, as well as aggressive behavior between them as they attack each other with large knives and machetes. The mother has threatened to burn down the shack many times. This did happen a few weeks ago and now they are under a canvas in the bush with no bath facilities of any kind.
When Ari came we learned that he hardly went to school. He and his brothers would beg at streetlights and practiced small time theft. Ari came to us extremely dirty. Ari likes being with us. At first he cried the blues but when he saw that the house had two bathrooms and a family car, he felt at home. He helped the house father on his first day at Chain of Love wash the car. The next day he participated in his younger COL sister’s birthday.
Ari is very active but an obedient boy. He has a very thick build and we are having a hard time finding pants that will fit. His birthday is May 25, 1998. His house parents are Cezar and Marli.
2008 Update: Ari is nine years old and in grade one at school. He is just beginning to learn how to read but has difficulty understanding. His work at home is to take out the garbage and take his clothes to the laundry room. In his spare time he likes to draw, ride his bicycle and play soccer. He is active in Sunday School and Boys’ Club at church. He is growing well in his spiritual life and listens well when he is told a Bible story. He heard that a person who accepts Jesus is in the light and that a person who doesn’t accept Jesus is in the dark. He was always afraid of the dark, and so his house mother explained to him that if he has the Lord Jesus in his heart, he won’t be in the dark any more. So, he accepted the Lord. This has helped to allay his fear of the dark.
Please pray that Ari will overcome his mental difficulties and learn to read.
2009 Update: Ari has made good progress in his reading readiness course and is almost reading. School is a challenge for him as he has learning difficulties. Please pray that he would continue to work hard at school and make good progress.
Birthday: May 25, 1998
Photo: Jul 2010
Sister: Adriana
Brothers: Adriano, Juliano Da Silva