Upon arriving in Brazil, along with two other companions (Father Gil and Father Matias, in 1925), Father Eustáquio was assigned to work in the village of Água Suja (present-day Romaria-MG) in the Triângulo Mineiro region. The people lived off mining and practiced little faith, except for the Feast of Our Lady of the Abbey of Água Suja (August 15th), when thousands of pilgrims traveled there (many in oxcarts) and camped in the town to celebrate the patron saint's day. Gradually, the Dutch priest took charge of the village and changed the lives of those people, to the point that they removed the cattle grids from the roads (in 1935) when they learned that Father Eustáquio would be transferred to another city.