The morning began with breakfast and devotion led by Lee. We did the same daily devotion as her co-workers were doing just about the same time in South Carolina. Then we gathered all our things, including our technological gear for Teca and Rosangela to do simultaneous translations. Susie Johnson joined us and the fourteen of us travelled by our comfortable van to Sao Bernardo do Campo, one of the four large industrial cities (including Sao Paulo) that make this the most important economic area in Latin America.
Our first stop was Centro de Referencia e Apoio a Mulher (Reference Center to Support Women). There we were greeted by the staff, by Neusa (local Methodist women organization President) and by Dulce Xavier, Municipal Secretary for Women’s Public Policy. After cafezinho (Brazilian “little” coffee) and snacks we formed a circle for better sharing and put on our translation gear. Teca translated Portuguese to English and Rosangela English to Portuguese as the staff shared the types of services they provide to women who have been abused. Their social workers and psychologists provide individual counseling and group sessions and try to help break the cycle of violence. They also have two shelters. Each houses 20 people at a time and they can stay up to six months. Staff work with the women to help train them for jobs once they leave and also offer legal support. They hope to be able to provide more economic support to women who are separating from the abusive partner in the future.
Susie Johnson brought greetings from the 800,000 members of United Methodist Women and shared that in the U.S. the UMW has a special initiative on human trafficking and violence. “We believe we can empower women to become agents of transformation.”
Dulce gave us a thoughtful presentation on the history of this aspect of women’s rights in Brazil. Government statistics indicate that from 1998 to 2008, 49,000 women in Brazil were killed as a result of domestic violence. The last five years have seen improvement away from violence but there is still much work to be done and this center is at the forefront of both personal change for the women and policy change in the community, state and country. The reason things are improving is in great part due to the passage of the Lei Maria da Penha (the Maria da Penha Law) in 2006 which gives more rights to women victims of domestic violence. Maria da Penha is a woman from Fortaleza who became a paraplegic after her husband shot her. She fought for justice and finally appeared before the international court which found the country liable. There is still much work to do but many positive changes have happened in the past few years. We concluded with a tour of their new facility inaugurated in March of this year.
We walked to Habib’s for lunch. On the way Neusa pointed out the church and park where former Brazilian President Lula used to hold his labor demonstrations against the policies of the military government and where he claimed sanctuary. Our lunch provided an intriguing and varied taste of Brazilian/Arab fast food. After lunch we travelled several blocks away to Projeto Rua, the successful Street Children project UMW has supported for many years. There we met Marcos, the general coordinator who was a child in the program and many other staff members and some of the teens who are part of the program now. Marcos said that most of the children say they go to the street because of violence at home. The project tries to provide health care, a safe place to be, and other alternatives for the children, including helping their families and encouraging the children to stay in school. They have two other sites as well as this one. Then we broke into three groups and participated in workshops like the children do. One group made a seed picture representing life, faith and the Methodist Church, another made appliqued t-shirts of either the symbol of black women in Brazil or a beaded flower and the third group learned an African/Brazilian dance. Once we completed our “projects” we shared with the group amid many smiles and much applause.
We gathered in a huge circle with many of us sharing thoughts on our time together: the smiles on all the faces, the laughs, the love and caring we shared, how comfortable we all felt learning together. The most eloquent of all was the mother who thanked the project for the difference they have made in the lives of her children. “To be in the middle of you is such an honor,” she said. Marco placed a quilt in the middle of the floor. It was a gift of the Women’s Division in memory of a child who died in the Oklahoma City bombing: Ashley Eckle, 6 years old. The quilts were given to projects around the world: a symbol of hope for the children of the future. This is indeed a project that provides hope for many children, both in this community and beyond. We ended with a song and warm hugs all around. If we were to count up those hugs: it might fill a room to overflowing. We gathered for a “huge” group photo anticipating the memories that will bring back; it brings smiles even as this is written.
More on our Wednesday adventures to come!
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