This socio-educational project of the Augustinian Recollects in Lábrea, the first of the three existing today, opened its doors 30 years ago to respond to the serious challenge of the presence of minors on the streets. This is how they celebrated their anniversary.
From October 7 to 11, the Hope Center in Lábrea, a socio-educational project of the Augustinian Recollects and the Prelature of Lábrea (Amazonas, Brazil), celebrated its 30 years of existence (1994-2024) with the motto “Sowing Hope”, which alluded to the name of the Center itself, to the motto of the centenary of the Mission in China, “Sowers of Hope”, and to the jubilee year “Pilgrims of Hope 2025”.
Currently, the three Hope Centres serve some 540 beneficiaries of both sexes, aged between twelve and seventeen: 220 in Lábrea, 160 in Tapauá and 160 in Pauiní. The reasons for their opening have not ceased to exist: the lack of infrastructure and public policies focused on adolescents so that, outside of school hours, they have safe spaces for training, leisure and sport.
The Augustinian Recollects and the Minors Pastoral of the Prelature of Lábrea, thirty years ago, conceived these Centres. They are free for their beneficiaries, who to be admitted only have to be enrolled and attend formal school; places are preferential for those who come from families with lower incomes.
At the Hope Centre, these young people find education and food support, semi-professional training in various areas, the possibility of practicing sports and doing cultural activities (music, theatre, dance). This prevents them from spending time on the streets and allows them to gain future opportunities by avoiding contact with the most common problems on the streets: addictions, crime, violence, abuse, exploitation.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the Hope Centre in Lábrea organised an open day to introduce the entire local community to its facilities and training programmes, its ideology and its work philosophy.
The schools in Lábrea were invited to participate in a five-a-side football tournament, in which the Centre’s own team was the second best one. The beneficiaries chose the film Coco for a film session with popcorn, hot dogs, soft drinks and sweets. The current counsellors, together with the beneficiaries, painted a mural on the Rights of Children.
A day was also held for former students, who returned to the Centre and were able to recognise themselves in a projection of photographs from all times. They shared activities with current students. There have been many stories of overcoming and success, so some of those who today have a professional life that began at the Center encouraged the current students not to give up and fight for their dreams.
In the Augustinian Recollect field, many of those who had to do with the Center were present by video-message; two are bishops, Santiago Sánchez (current) and Joaquín Pertíñez (who had been director shortly before being called to episcopal service in Rio Branco, Acre). The Augustinian Recollects Miguel Ángel Peralta, Ivanderlei Ribeiro and Rogelio Morgan also participated, along with Miguel Ángel Monroy, one of the co-founders who today has another life project in Spain.
A mass in the Cathedral was the icing on the cake. In it there was a special and emotional remembrance for all those linked to the Center who have already departed to the House of the Father. Participation was high, given that the community of the Hope Center has become very large in 30 years.
