March 19, 2008
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Projects
Ivana asked the kids to tell what the first word was they thought of when they heard “Easter.” the hands went up, and kid after kid said “Chocolate.” finally, one tried to do alittle better…Eduarda raised her hand and said “Chocolate…but mixed with Jesus!”
good try darlin’.
you put enough Barbecue sauce on anything and it tastes good. trust me. i know.
At Living stones they had a special Easter program this morning. The ladies bought two huge crates of grapes and set them up with tables all nice and fancy. They called the children in, with all the grapes, and had a service and singing. Then they told the Easter story and Passover and the New Covenant, and gave the kids bread and grape juice. Then they told them they could eat the grapes.
let a couple of things stand out about this: some of these kids had never eaten grapes before. Grapes are common here, but more expensive than other fruit. not much, but enough to make a difference in these families. and get this–not one kid touched one grape the whole time, until they were told they could eat.
some workers from other programs were there, one man (who is not a Christian) said “the hand of God must be upon these children.” Some of the others commented on their good behavior too, actually outright surprised that the children could change and have good manners. I asked Patricia why those people would even work with children if they didn’t believe they could change…she said it was because it was a job. and in Brasil it is hard to get a job. so if you can get a job, any job, get it…whether or not you actually like kids, or believe they can change or learn something.
i wonder if the kids at your church–well behaved ones at that–would have enough self-control to wait to eat grapes sitting in front of them. fruit they had never tasted before. Let alone kids who probably did not have breakfast before they came, and were taught no manners at home. Patricia started to tell me “well, this is such a small step to what they need…” and i stopped her with a “No. That is no step at all. that is something to celebrate!”
So i asked about specific projects. and we got excited dreaming away.
* a garden. for the children to plant and take care of. and eat from. the land is there, but the neighbors let their goats and chickens run free over it. we would need to fence off either a small area for it ($700US) or all of it ($1700US) and then get seeds and stuff. but how perfect would that be? that is even teaching vocational skills!
* a library. They showed me their current library…a stack of books and magazines a foot high. These were the combined children’s books of the three women that worked there. Books are expensive in Brasil. a good childrens book is $10-20US. They don’t have any CDs, because they don’t have a CD player. They have a borrowed TV and DVD, and so occasionally rent videos for a special activity with the kids. As far as help from the US, books, CDs, and DVDs in English won’t be much help. The DVDs are a different region and don’t play, and the kids are not ready to learn English, when they can’t read in Portuguese yet. But books without words would be good–or fun things like “where’s Waldo?” that doesn’t need words…
* Family/Mother’s ministry. For May, which has Mother’s day, they are focusing on family relationships with the children. They would also like to do a special “tea” or something, and invite all the children’s mothers. how beautiful! Think of the ministry–well over a hundred families can be reached! How nice would it be to be able to give these mother’s something special (i would love it if someone felt lead to give perfume or lotion to these women…because i know some have never had it…although it is much more practical to remember how quickly tummies need food, and how a food basket would help out more) DANG IT! you start dreaming about things and then you realize JUST HOW BIG the needs are. but i still like the lotion idea. even if it is impractical.
* Games. Lotsa games. i would love to get dutch blitz. i played it once and it was so fun but cannot seem to find it sold anywhere. Chess. Checkers. Connect 4. Uno–THEY ARE IN LOVE WITH UNO (but i only have one set so i bring it with me when i can…and Lindsay brought a mini-version they use all the time). Candyland. Any game that does not require English skills (or that i can translate for them) Chutes and ladders. Mancala.
* Art supplies. that basically says it for you. they have these available here, but then the mulah to purchase it…
* hygiene items…they said MOST important is toothbrushes and hairbrushes–they’d love to have a toothbrush for each kid that could stay there so the kids could brush their teeth (and learn how) once a day. because at home it ain’t happening. And hairbrushes are EXPENSIVE in Brasil. who knows why, but they are. and lice LOVE hair that never gets brushed. so yeah…150 toothbrushes and hairbrushes please. soap, toothpaste…all that too, but most important would be the brushes. for teeth and hair.
* Educational stuff. The ABCs are the same in Portuguese (basically) and numbers are universal…so books with practicing writing the alphabet (not with phonics or anything, because apple does not start with A in Portuguese…it starts with “M.” ), math flashcards–things like magnetic alphabet…all this is lovely.
*Towels, sheets, and clothing items. yeah. those are nice to have.
* Computer/computer games/playstation/video games…Patricia told me alittle about the story of Marcio Patricio. He is 14, and singled out as the HARDEST CHILD YET to have in the program. he is full of hate. fights all the time. pulls away if you try to touch him. won’t look at you or listen. had outbursts during prayer, yelling “if God is so good, why did He let me suffer like this?” He does not participate. he is there for the food and leaves. but awhile ago, he came early, and Patricia was in the Pastor’s office, working, and let him try out a game on the computer. maybe it was the individual time she gave him, mixed with the privilege of doing something new…but whatever it was…she saw him open up. With only having three workers, it was not possible to do this often, but she managed to spend time with him and the computer three different times. (then the pastor asked the children not come in the office because things were being torn up…so that was the end of that) Marcio is still fighting. still so full of anger it scares the workers sometimes. but they have established a relationship. And he even receives hugs. Patricia said he just sorta leans into it like a dog when you scratch him behind his ear and then start to move away. I want Marcio to get to play on the computer. (and i am not even big on video games…but i know it would be something so special for these kids. i saw their faces when they got to play those car driving games at the mall…Meu Deus no ceu!)
* and they have so many other ideas. what is so neat is that they already have the connections–it is just getting the resources to connect them. For example…the government has a milk program-giving milk to needy families. But there is only one distribution center in the whole city. they can’t get to it. And the government won’t pay anyone to distribute it–it has to be volunteers. Patricia said they have everything they need to become a distribution center, they just need to fill out the right paperwork and be registered and and and…
* playground. How great would it be for these kids to have a playground? ahhhh! pictures can’t really describe it…let me try. The church is across from the cemetery on a hill. There is two buildings: the square church building (about half the size of a basketball court), and then the house-like building with a small porch, pastor’s office, two classroom, two bathrooms, and kitchen. Outside there is some flat land (for the garden) and lots of different fruit trees, and then a steep incline. This is everything–church, counseling area, eating area, worshipping area, activities area, area for children, for youth…oh yeah, and in Brasilian weather, to cool down 150 or so people/kids–we have five fans. five small fans.
oh dear. i think in my zeal i may have sunk into complaining. Please don’t take it that way. this is how things are. i am stating uncolored facts. facts i am still learning about. this does not mean things are horrible. no, i love this church. i love even that my shirt sticks to my back the whole service–i really do. but i want you to know there are needs–needs that can be met by us, their brothers and sisters in the US.
so here are some of them–the dreams and wishes. and tomorrow will come and go just the same whether we have a projector or a playground or a garden. These are opportunities, and i wanted to share them with you. because it would be wrong to keep silent. but don’t think you have to give. and don’t feel guilty if you don’t–that is not how it works. somewhere, i have to believe that for ever need, there is someone who is called to meet that need–someone, who in fact, NEEDS to meet that need to be complete themselves. so don’t take the need of someone else. grin.
how to give? uggg. to tell the truth, the easy way really is to give money. i know…what a cop out. for things like a fence or Portuguese books or educational games…you cannot bring those from the US. The problem with sending books or toothbrushes or anything in the mail is that it costs about $25 per book in postage. trust me, i have done it (actually, my mom and dad did for me…). so giving money, i can buy toothbrushes here for $1US. And in giving money, the best way is send it to World Renewal for me or for Tele, or specifically labeled, if you have a heart for a specific project. please–talk to me about questions and stuff.
although there is another option. There is a ministry team coming in July. You can go on the trip and bring these things yourself. bring clothes that you can leave. towels and sheets and colored pencils and so on. These people will also be bringing a suitcase just for ministry supplies. perhaps (please say yes Steve!) particular items can be sent down in their bags.
oh, and seeds for the garden must be bought here…it is illegal to bring them from the US. opps. tried that one too.
