Children's Camps International (CCI) will benefit from an authentic Brazilian barbecue fundraiser held Saturday at Altona Centennial Park as part of an event held to recognize Brazil's Independence Day which is September 7th. Organized by a group of local

Jordan Siemens and Marco Marinho volunteers with connections to the country, the event included cultural demonstrations and traditional music.

More than 3,100 children have attended CAMP Brazil since CCI began working in that country in 2015.

Marco Marinho and his wife, Claudia, are program leaders at the ministry.

"We have seen (an) impact on the moral lives and spiritual lives; they change a lot in their way to see God. They got to know more about the power of God because they study Genesis, the Creation," he said.

Marinho said the mentorship aspect of the camp program has greatly influenced the lives of children.

"It makes a very huge difference in the kids' lives because they have someone to be with them, to have a relationship with them, and not only to teach them about the Bible but to be friends and to be close to them in their real needs," he said.

CCI currently has evangelical camps in Brazil, Mexico, Kenya, India and Cambodia.