September 12, 2009
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Independence Day Brasil
September 7. my first time to Disfila…march in the parade.
Monday i got up and did something i have never done before. washed the front porch/garage area–Brasilian style. put soap on the tile, scrub it down with water, and move the water around until it is drained off and then wipe it down with a rag. i had fun siding across the bubbles.
11:00am i went to the church to start doing hair for the girls at Living Stones. I had Annaś old half broken (seriously, the hande is half off–you have to hold it by the top) straightener and a curling iron. Patricia had a girl sit in front of me who had the biggest mass of hair i have ever seen. thick, thick masses of waist long hair inherited from Indians, Europeans, and Africans until it was not sure what it it was anymore and became its own identity. An hour later she had semi-straight masses of hair and i had burns all over my hands. then she decided she wanted her hair braided after all.
now there is a long line of girls. i told them i would try cirls. they had never seen a cirling iron, and looked at it warily. The next girl had so much grease in her hair, that it kept slipping out of the the iron. i did what i could…until Dayane. very short, kinky hair. and she wanted it straight. i parted her hair. i almost lost my comb. i whispered to Patricia…are you sure a straightener works on her hair?…she said it did. i would comb it out and grab the hair quickly to get it into the straightener. but i didn get the comb out of the way fast enough, and left a blue streak of melted plastic in her hair. she was really nice about it. i felt horrible. by 2:30pm my hands were red and it was time to walk to town. we marched through until around 5pm. we were the lucky ones. some schools were still there at 9pm. they take this stuff very seriously.
Leo
Marconi. the kids always call him mudo (deaf). i tell them his name is Marconi, not mudo. so then they yell for him ¨Marconi!¨ when the point is…he is deaf. yelling does not work. he was so proud to carry the trophy.
Patricia and Cacau have worked for weeks–seriously–weeks–to make sure all these kids could EACH have something in their hands to carry/show off for the parade. Cezar was happy.
This one must be photographed. i want one of these.
Uniforms! it has been four years since they have gotten new ones. the conditions to getting them were that we show them off. look at that–i got one too:). and dont i feel special. this is me and Glabison. he shared his umbrella with me.
Leandra. she walks with me in the mornings. we have talks. about stuff like being the oldest. i am the oldest of three. she is the oldest of 7…almost 8.
Our little Indians–Iasmine and Guilherme
Maria. shewas a great help…did the make-up for all the little girls.
Marching through town. for 2 hours. in the sun. i carried a water bottle and poured water into the kids mouths. and a perfume spray bottle…because the girls wanted to smell pretty.
Whereś Rachel? i am hidden in this picture somewhere
PETI…Program to Erradicte Trabalho (work) of Infants (children)
the whole town watches
Leandraś mom asked we get a family picture. because she doesnt have one. two were missing here..and one more is on the way. beautiful family.
The teachers. wonderful people. please pray for them.
me and my sister, Aninha
me and my brother, Junior
They are serious about celebrating. dang. it like a mini-carnival.
i went to bed early.
