For over 20 years, a few of us have been taking recycled clothes and items to the very poor of Brazil. Although small, these deliveries have been much appreciated as reliable and valuable contributions that have benefited many needy individuals across various regions of this country.

In addition to these deliveries, in the spring of 1995, a couple of Brazilian Americans teamed with a group of American doctors and nurses and went to Brazil on a charitable medical mission to perform corrective plastic surgery for the very poor. Unlike similar medical missions conducted by famous groups with their own planes, we worked quietly, with no fanfare or corporate sponsorship. With the help and assistance of hospitals and good-hearted professionals like you, we were able to raise the necessary funds for this endeavor.

Thousands of adults and children - people with birth defects, victims of accidents, diseases, domestic violence and severe burning - traveled days by bus to have their "miracle" surgery in the city of Recife, located in Brazil’s northeast region. Many came from adjacent states and had no place to stay, sleeping on the sidewalks outside the hospital.

Volunteering local doctors screened and narrowed the thousands of hopeful patients down to 250 who were told to return for a final screening with the "American Doctors". That is when we arrived and selected 75 to be operated on. It was sad and difficult to have to turn down so many in need of care.

Many folks like you helped us accomplish the medical mission in 1995. While the mission was a success, the number of patients we were not able to help has been a constant thought in our hearts and minds.

One little patient, "Baby #33", had a serious heart condition in addition to his treated birth defect that will not allow him to live past his teen years without additional surgery. We did not have enough time or the facilities to perform the operation that could give him a chance to normal life during this mission - we were confident we would be back the following year in plenty of time to save Baby#33.

Although we have continued with our deliveries of clothes, shoes, and school supplies to the very poor, we have not yet been able to repeat 1995’s amazing medical mission.

We don’t know how Baby #33 has lived all these years. We hope he is a happy teen going to school and enjoying things a teenaged boy enjoys. However, a dozen years later, we are fast approaching the time the beating of his heart will start to slow down, eventually to a complete stop.

Will he finish school? Will he be part of his class graduation ceremonies? Will he have a girlfriend and sad friends to mourn his short life? Will we be back in time to help Baby #33?

Many other similar stories are the thoughts that drove us to build this organization. We alone are not enough, and we cannot save the whole world, but being able to officially exist as an organization enables us to reach out to more wonderful people like you, and with your generosity, we will be back to Brazil to help Baby #33 and others who have heard of our services while waiting for their miracles. Do you know why? Because hope is all they have, and to let it go would leave them with nothing.