Support a Brazilian Family Rebuild After Devastating Flood

Last night was an incredibly frightening experience for my parents, Rosangela de Almeida and Milton Vieira, as a massive flood swept through the entire state of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil, submerging their hometown of Sao Leopoldo.

Their home, like many others in the town, along with businesses, buildings, and even traffic lights, was engulfed by the rising waters without warning, leaving no time for evacuation. My parents and their neighbors found themselves stranded on the ceilings of their homes, desperately awaiting rescue.

The streets turned into rushing rivers, and with boats being the only means of transportation in and out of town, which were scarce, many people remained stranded, awaiting assistance. Unfortunately, many people died. After enduring a night of relentless rain and chilling temperatures, they were finally rescued by volunteers who bravely navigated the floodwaters with their own boat - Here's a link to a video of the rescuers navigating through the town: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJv_uowwWTA

While their home was still underwater (to the ceiling), they went to a friend's house, where they received warm meals, clothing, and shelter, for which we are immensely grateful.

Apart from the emotional effect, the flood caused them to lose everything inside their home, from appliances and furnishings to clothing and personal belongings. It was a devastating loss for them. Adding to the hardship, their car was completely submerged underwater and remains so. This car wasn't just a mode of transportation but also a vital source of income for their family, essential for their employment and livelihood. The cover photo shows their home and their car completely under water (only the car's roof top can be seen in the picture).

As we pray for those still missing and struggling to cope in the aftermath of this tragedy, I am reaching out to you for support. While my family and I have done everything we can to assist them, we still fall short in helping them rebuild what took a lifetime to create. I've created this GoFundMe campaign to aid my parents, Rosangela and Milton, in purchasing new appliances for their home, along with clothing, and a car.

Any contribution, no matter how small, would be immensely appreciated and met with profound gratitude.