for 28 years. They were created to help the boys and girls living on
the streets and there is still work to be done. It seems country-wide
that about 90% of these children are working, bringing in small
amounts of money to support themselves and/or their families. The
majority do not go to school but if they do they are not able to do
their school work because of being tired or unable to make the time. A
small percentage are stealing. Many citizens and groups have worked
and are still working to curb violence against children in Brazi: in
2011 seven children a day were killed. Much has been accomplished but
there is still work to be done. This center has played a key role in
some of these changes both for individual children and for society as
a whole. We left inspired, humbled and committed to spreading the word
about the great work being done here.
Our final stop of the day was the Methodist University here in Sao
Bernardo. It is the second largest denominational university in Brazil
with 30,000 students. Within the university is the theological
seminary and the most popular majors are business administration and
communications. The Methodists were the first protestant church in
Brazil, the first missionaries coming in 1836. It wasn?t until after
the Civil War in the US that the church was really established in
Brazil, however. The Board sent primarily ministers but the Women?s
Missionary Society sent teachers, the first in 1871. The schools the
women established are still important today. Paolo Garcia, Dean of the
School of Theology, welcomed us in the conference room which has
special significance for Methodist women. The room was formerly part
of Chaca la Flora, the house purchased by Methodist women in the US
for Methodist women in Brazil. Women studied there to be deaconesses
until 1971 when women could be ordained as Methodist ministers. When
the house was sold, the women asked if the church could keep elements
of the building at the University to preserve the heritage. The room
was disassembled and brought to the campus. They kept the windows and
fireplace, though they moved doors and a few other things. The women
come now and feel at home, it is their space. The University has grown
so much in recent years, due primarily to student demand for programs.
We took a group picture in front of the mantel, feeling the history of
the space.
In the reception area upstairs we were warmly welcomed by students and
faculty. Some of the members of their choir entertained us with music
and song: several hymns by Charles Wesley set to Brazilian music, the
samba and more, the music for one of them written by their own
pianist. The director, Jonas, said, ?If Charles Wesley was born in
Brazil his music would sound like this.? We agreed! Then they shared
some famous Brazilian music of composers such as Gilberto Gil.
Interspersed with the music we all (our group and the students and
faculty) took turns introducing ourselves. We then adjourned to the
adjoining room to enjoy a glorious appetizer feast, including little
filled pastries and buns and a dessert of fruit cream.
Magarida and Sureli shared with us some of the dedicated and exciting
ways they are working with Methodist women ?and by extension all women
- throughout the country through the Otilio Chaves Center, an
extension program of the theology faculty here. They help develop
workshops and liturgies on such topics as women in society and women
in the path of mission. They also prepared the women leadership for
the International Day of Prayer and held a community dialogue for the
1200 theology students on gender and human rights. Demetrio presented
us with a surprise gift packet from the school including a t-shirt,
pen and notebook. We ended with a brief visit to the new Historical
Center of the Methodist Church in Brazil. It will eventually house all
the archives of the church as well as the items we viewed: small
things from Chaca la Flora, historical office equipment used over the
years, and an amazing collection of historical Bibles including an
original Bible translated by Martin Luther in 1582, the first Braille
Bible published in Portuguese, and John Wesley?s originally published
book of notes on the New Testament. When we arrived back at Sede
Nacional, tired and fulfilled, Rosa led us in devotions and we shared
our own special instances of joy and celebration from this marvelous
day.
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