Our Story
The Channel is an Incorporated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating under the name Channel To Brazil for Christ, (CBC). Our objective is to bring hope and opportunity by sharing the gospel with children and young people living in poverty. Motivated by our faith in Christ, we look to Christ for hope and healing for the lost and hurting with whom we work.
We partner with individuals, businesses, churches, and other groups from the US, and are actively seeking to increase our sources of funding and support. We also facilitate short-term International experiences for groups of volunteers at our project in Fortaleza, Brazil.
OUR fOUNDER
The Founding Director of CBC is Marcondes (Marc) Marques. Marc was born in Fortaleza, Brazil, and grew up with the reality of rich and poor right on his doorstep. Although he came from a middle-class family, Marc’s best friends were from the favelas (slums).
As he grew up, Marc noticed the distinct differences in opportunity available to him compared with his friends. His frustration grew seeing the poverty and discrimination they faced. Not knowing what else to do, Marc used to sneak out of his house with groceries for his friends. At Christmas his heart broke as he tried to understand why Father Christmas, gave him presents, but not his friends.
As a young adult, Marc moved to the United States where he studied Social Science and became director of a men’s home for Youth Challenge in Virginia. His real passion was still with the children in Brazil, so after generating support for a trip back to Brazil to document the conditions and lifestyle of street children, Channel to Brazil for Christ (CBC) was established in 1983. Along with Marc, the four founding members were Rev. Troy Collier, Dr. Roger and Nadya Denis, and Pastor James Cheshire.
Marc took on the challenge of fundraising and establishing a program in Fortaleza, Brazil, to care for the city’s needy children. To date, CBC has assisted thousands of children with their education and professional development. With faith in Jesus Christ as his foundation, Marc has dedicated his life to finding effective and sustainable ways to bring opportunity to the poor, releasing their untapped potential through quality education and training.
Hope for the Future
CBC believes all children deserve to do more than just survive. They deserve to dream, explore, flourish and reach their highest potential.
We aim to give students the hope they need to build a better future, for themselves and the entire community. Our programs are designed to support families and build stronger communities.
Today CBC is a thriving educational project offering a pathway out of poverty to children in Brazil. Graduates of the project have earned degrees, and many now own their own businesses. Some have returned to the project as teachers.
We continue to develop disciples of Jesus and future Christian leaders in the slums of Brazil. Read our Latest News.