A Charism of Hope

“I was addicted for many years of my life, and I never thought that I would overcome it,” says Mario Ramos. A skilled cook, he wasn’t able to work anymore once drugs and alcohol took over. He was in and out of prison three times, and every release seemed like just a temporary break before he returned behind bars. A couple he knew heard about the Farm of Hope that had just opened at the end of 2023 in Corpus Christi, and he wanted to give it a try: “I was planning to stay only a little while, but the Lord touched my heart… There was a little voice inside that said, ‘Stay here, this is what you need.’” He followed that voice, and one year later, his outlook on life had undergone a complete transformation. He can now envision a life without drugs. As his bubbly personality shines through, he cannot praise the Farm of Hope enough: “This program is so great. It not only helps you overcome the dark obstacles in your life, but also helps you get closer to the Lord, and learn how to do things according to His will.” Now he wants to help others who are in a similar situation as a missionary.

The Farm of Hope was founded in Guaratingueta, Brazil, in the 1980s. Fr. Hans Stapel, OFM, a Franciscan originally from Germany, encouraged the youth in his parish to serve Jesus in all those they encountered during the day. Nelson Giovanelli met a group of young men on his way home, and they shared their struggles with drug addiction. He was touched and felt called to help them, discussing it with Fr. Hans. From these efforts to aid people in need within the parish, an idea emerged: what would happen if volunteers and individuals affected by addiction lived and worked together in community, putting the Gospel into practice? It had a profound effect, and in this way, the Farms of Hope were born, providing lasting support in overcoming addiction. Little by little, this experiment expanded, more farms were established, and a charism of Hope took shape. 

Mario Ramos with Cassiano Silva 
who returned to BrazilThere are now 160 Farms of Hope worldwide across 27 countries. The facilities in South America are in high demand, as are those in various African nations. By providing an encounter with the living God, people find new meaning in life and the courage to confront the roots of their addiction. However, the program is designed to create a lasting impact within one year, so it requires a significant amount of time.

Ayres Rocha, a volunteer for the Farm of Hope from Brazil, frequently shares his life story because it illustrates how challenging it is to overcome addiction without support from others: “I was born in São Paulo, and I had a very nice childhood,” he remembers. “At school, I was quite good. I didn’t need to study a lot. When I was 19, I was already working in an automotive company while finishing college.”

While facing minor issues like everyone else, his approach to dealing with them was risky: “I started drinking on the weekends with my friends and my girlfriend, just to have fun.”
He graduated with a degree in production engineering, received a promotion, and secured his dream job, which involved traveling to Europe and the U.S. while managing numerous responsibilities. To cope with work-related stress, he partied on weekends, drinking to unwind and using drugs for fun. However, at some point, he began drinking during the week, which negatively impacted his professional life.

From the outside, he appeared to have everything – a successful career, a fiancé, and many friends. But inside, “I felt that something was wrong–something was missing.” He filled that void with more partying and trying more potent drugs. Once he began using cocaine, which is common in South America, his life quickly spiraled downward. After two years, he was fired.
Selling everything and moving back in with his parents was the only option. But despite all his efforts, Ayres still couldn't manage to stay sober. Until one day, his father made it clear that if he continued using drugs, he couldn’t stay at his place anymore. “I went to Paraguay, I found a job, I was in a new environment. But I was still the same – I was still using drugs,” Ayres confided. “Then, I started to consider committing suicide. I thought, this is it – this is the end.”
When taking a bus back to São Paulo, he prayed to God for help. Upon arriving there, he met someone at the Central Bus Station who had told him years ago about the Farms of Hope. A coincidence? Not for Ayres: “It was a sign of God - He was showing me, ‘I want to save you, but you need to go to this place.’”

With the help of other missionaries who had similar experiences, he felt he was in a place that was healthy, safe, and allowed him to connect with God: “They didn't preach to me, they showed me.” However, the decision to stop using drugs was his—he compares it to a diet: “If I read something about a diet, that's one thing. To do the diet, it's another thing.”
He also realized that he would need more than one or two months—the average duration of rehab—to change his lifestyle after using drugs for many years. “I learned that there is hope. And God also showed me that this hope is something concrete, it’s not just a word. It’s not just a feeling.” Looking back now, after a few years, he can say that the effects of his time as a guest at the Farm of Hope are enduring; he continues to live without drugs or other addictions: “My life changed, really changed. And this is why I am so happy today.”

Working with animals is part of the healing processThe Farm of Hope is not limited to those who directly need assistance recovering from addiction; there is also a broader circle - the Family of Hope. These are groups that meet weekly or monthly, offering recovery support for family members and are always connected to a parish. The concept is similar to the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). These groups are led by people who have successfully recovered or volunteered at a Farm of Hope. In South Texas, there are groups in San Antonio and Atlanta founded by individuals who went through the program in Mexico and Brazil. In Corpus Christi, a recently formed group meets at Holy Family Parish. 

The Farm in Corpus Christi won’t be the only one. Bishop Louis Kihneman of the Diocese of Biloxi visited the Farm of Hope in Brazil and is currently in the process of opening a second facility in the United States. The President of the Farms of Hope worldwide, Fr. Luiz Menezes, already visited the diocese in March.
 
For more information about the Farm of Hope, contact Diego Lobeu at (361) 910-5462 or send an email to [email protected].