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Emanoel aslan
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Father Airton Freire. “Do on Earth the will of our Heavenly Father. For I saw eyes that asked, even though hey never said a thing." Father Airton Freire, founder of the Earth Foundation, in the community …More
Father Airton Freire.

“Do on Earth the will of our Heavenly Father. For I saw eyes that asked, even though hey never said a thing."

Father Airton Freire, founder of the Earth Foundation, in the community known as Trash Street in Arcoverde, state of Pernambuco, Brazil.

The social work carried out by Father Airton started two years after his ordination, when he met the community of Trash Street and was profoundly touched by what was happening in that community at the time, where extreme poverty reigned everywhere. People were left to fend for themselves, feeding on leftover food found in trashcans or from alms given by passerbys; "living" in cardboard, tin or mud shanties; no sanitation of any kind, no electric lights, no pavement on the streets, no school, no medical assistance... People kept apart from the values and progress of Christian society. He felt the need to go live in that community, with those who lived without hope of a better future.

On a certain day, during Mass, at the time of Holy Communion, he heard the crying of children that hungrily asked "I want a cookie", and that moment never left his heart. His unrest and his wish to do something for these people made Father Airton join forces with the mothers who begged for alms to feed their children. He then started to identify the works needed to be done by people of Trash Street, dividing the functions according the possibilities of each person. "Find your talents and do the will of God". Simple as that, serving using the things one knows how to do.

In this simplicity Father Airton lives still, urging every person to put himself or herself to service, like he says himself: "There is no mistery, it is plain and simple, just like Jesus showed us in the house ofEmaus, in the simplicity of parting bread, everything is extraordinarily simple." A profound lover of God's Mercy, Father Airton invites us to live this sharing of talents to help one another. Give of yourself is to love truly. Today the foundation gives assistance to over 680 children, giving everything from cultural upbringing to medical assistance to the children and their families. Technical centers were created, where children and yougsters learn computing, painting, dance, and sports.

Just watching the serenity and meekness of Father Airton makes us ponder on our own values. Simply dressed and using simple slippers on his feet, he declares he has everything he needs and lacks nothing. What about us, do we share the gifts we received from God with others, or do we create obstacles to anything we can do to join the construction of God's Work? Saint Augustine used to say that Love has hands to help others, has feet to rush towards the poor and needy, Love has eyes to see misery and deprivation, has ears to listen to he moans and laments of Man. So is love. May we live that in a concrete way, putting ourselves at the disposal to serve, seeing the great and merciful love of God one in the other.

To know more about Father Airton and the Earth Foundation, access the sites:

www.fundacaoterra.org.br
www.padreairton.blogspot.com
www.funterra.blogspot.com

Fundacao Terra
CNPJ 658 530 0001/00
Banco do Brasil
Ag 0068-x
c/c 33 590-8
SWIFT code: BRASBRRJSDR
Public domain