A final blog from Brazil

My final full week began with a common Brazilian theme - football. I went to the Pernambuco Arena with the some of the boys and staff from Hope House to see one of the local team's final game of the season. Sport (the name of the team) were playing São Paulo (from the Capital) who finished second in Brazil's top league. Anyone interested in world football might be aware that Kaka, one of the best players in the world a few years ago, has been playing for São Paulo this year. Unfortunately, he was not playing but I enjoyed the game, although one of the staff, Flavio, and one of the boys enjoyed seeing Sport win more as they support the team. It was a good goal to win the game (see link below)

Sport Recife 1 - 0 São Paulo

http://youtu.be/eZcvzT8_Z5I

This week seems to have been a week of parties - we have been to three!

Party number 1: This was arranged by a church community in Recife. They put chairs and tables out in front of a church in central Recife and encouraged street families to join them. During the evening, they danced for them, sang to the people, and gave out food including a little bit of cake. 

Party number 2: It was the final week of the English class for girls and to celebrate the end of term, we had cakes, ice cream, drinks and more cakes. We also watched 'Despicable Me' in Portuguese. Luckily for me, we had English subtitles. It was amusing this way as when the minions spoke, the subtitles simply said 'talking gibberish'. At the end of the party, gifts were presented to the teachers of the group and we were surprised to be included too! We have a lovely card from many of the girls although I need a little help reading it as it is naturally in Portuguese.

Party number 3: On Saturday morning, we had the biggest of all the parties. Almost all of the boys who attend the football project, came to the base for the Show de Bola party. It started rather early with the boys arriving from 8am - yes, 8 in the morning! Lots of activities were available including painted tattoos, trampolines, candy floss, playing in the swimming pool and even a couple of football tournaments - well, you can't have 100 boys who love football at a party without football!

In the morning, one of the staff, Frank from Senegal in Africa, who lives here with his family, organised two tournaments. I played in the African Cup of Nations tournament with my team. It was great fun but tiring and hot in the Brazilian sun. My team played really well and we won the tournament. It seems that playing with Brazilians has helped my football skills!

The boys all seemed to having a great time and really enjoyed playing in the pool. However, they then decided that they wanted to throw all the staff into the pool...including me! It was all done in good spirits and just for fun, although I am glad that they considered my lack of swimming ability and so they put me in the shallower end of the pool.

After lunch, the boys sat down for a presentation. During this time, they gave out gifts for commitment/attendance, and all of the boys received a gift too. The staff, including me, were also given a present.

It was a fantastic party and I will miss working with the boys. It has been really good to have had this opportunity and when I have seen the boys in and around the local community, they seem to have been pleased to see me too. 

In action!

The party in the pool 

The gifts ready to be given out

The presentations for Show de Bola

This coming week, I will be landing at Gatwick Airport, and I'm sure that I will see lots of signs of Christmas on my journey home including lots of Christmas lights and trees - things that are familiar to me regarding Christmas in the UK. Some of these customs also exist in Brazil, but Christmas here does have some differences:

Father Christmas, or as he is known in Brazil - Papai Noel wears red silk because it is too hot for him to wear the same clothes as he does in the UK. In Brazil, Santa Claus is called Papai Noel & Bom Velhinho (Good Old Man). 

There is a very common tradition among friends and families, called amigo secreto (secret friend). At the beginning of December, participants in the game write their name on a piece of paper. Each participant takes a paper (but does not reveal the name of the person on it). During the month there are exchanges of correspondence among the participants who use apelidos (fake names). At Christmas, family and friends gather to reveal their secret friends and offer them a special gift.

Favourite Christmas foods in Brazil include chicken, turkey, ham, rice, salad, pork and fresh and dried fruits.

Also, many people start the Christmas celebrations on Christmas Eve with fireworks and a big churrasco (barbecue).

Finally, there are many, many things that I will miss about Brazil but there are many things that I am also looking forward to about returning to the UK. Here a just a few of them:

I will miss being able to wear shorts day and night. 

I am looking forward to the weather being more like that associated with Christmas. Hot sunny days do not feel too much like Christmas.

I will miss the children we have met in both the projects and the on the streets.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone at West Leigh again and meeting 6W properly.

I will miss being able to get Guarana almost anywhere - I don't think I would survive here without it!

I am looking forward to getting fresh milk. In this area of Brazil, fresh milk is less common; it would go off very quickly in this climate.

I will miss the friends we have made here including one incredibly friendly Brazilian who is originally from the Amazon.

I am looking forward to seeing my family, especially as it will be nearing Christmas.

And so we say goodbye. In a couple of days, we will be back home. Whether we return again, or keep in touch another way, it has been a very special time, and I am glad that I have been able to share it with you also.

Tchau!

A busy week...

The time here in Brazil has had ups and downs, and sometimes I have felt challenged by whether I could really help or not. Let me explain about one such time...

On Monday, I was helping in Hope House. One of the boys had some homework to do and was reluctant to do it. Eventually, he sat down to try it but it seemed difficult. I sat down with him and had a look at it. It was maths so it should have been well within my understanding but, even to me, it seemed to make little or no sense. At this point, I felt a bit helpless as I couldn't easily communicate with him due to my limited Portuguese and I didn't really know how to help him. At this stage, we could have both given up but we persevered. I got him to show me what he understood by the questions and even then I was still unsure. Using all of my mathematical understanding, I began to try what he showed me with numbers of my own and realised what was required. We proceeded to work on the questions together and got through them.

Something lovely happened the next day: I was approached by the same boy who wanted to show me something. He handed me his test that he had taken in school. Using what we had learned together, he had performed really well in his maths test and subsequently he felt proud about himself. The fact that he wanted to share this with me was touching. Don't underestimate the power of helping people. It was a challenge but, in the end, he felt good about himself and that is fantastic!

On Thursday, the English class for girls was a little different. Instead of the usual format, we spent the majority of the time playing games. This was one of the last sessions with the group before a break for Christmas. We played many fun games, some of which I may use in the future - they were great ideas. One idea that was not so great for me was a competition to build the best statue. My team wanted me to be their model and I said' yes'! The pictures below explain better than I could.

Deciding what to do!

Making a start.

On Friday, we once again visited homes in Recife. This is quite likely to have been our final home visit during our time in Brazil. During our time visiting, there were two things of great interest:

1) The mother was busy making jewellery using a range of materials including recycling aluminium cans. It was highly intricate work and she was creating beautiful products. She does this so that she can sell them to help support her family. Despite this, she wanted to share her work with us and gave us all a free gift of a bracelet which, considering her life and how much money she has, was an incredibly generous gesture.

2) There was a little girl (probably about 3 years old), who was sitting quietly. I approached her and offered to help her as she was trying to put a simple toy together. At first, she did not really want my help most likely because she did not know me well, but soon she accepted it. Soon, we were playing a game together using a few counters and a little plastic football net. During this time, her imagination came to life! She was pretending to be Brasil, then Germany, and in the end, even England. She was having great fun and so was I. Once we finished playing, she wanted to show me something. I eventually realised that she wanted me to cover my eyes as she wanted to surprise me. When I opened my eyes, she showed me a doll's basket and a pram. She obviously felt proud of these toys, and although the pram was broken, she really liked them. We continued to play and, despite the fact that her home would seem unbearable for us to live in considering our expectations, joy can still exist in that place if it is given the chance. I just hope that she has the opportunities that all of you have as she grows up.

And so, as we draw closer to Christmas, I want to challenge you yet again. This week, we also saw many families in a new location on the streets. They were on a busy corner near a bus station, with buses coming around the corner incredibly quickly and often dangerously. Here is where many families have set up for Christmas, where children are playing, where they will sleep and eat. They know that at Christmas, more things will be given to them by Churches and charities and that is why they have chosen this spot. As you approach Christmas, consider others, and try to avoid too many 'I wants'; many of you will know what I mean. Instead, try to spend time with others and enjoy their company - play a game, talk to relatives, listen to your grandparents' stories, offer to help your parents. Perhaps you can think of other good ideas too.

This week, I also had another great opportunity - to attend a football final for the project's under 13s football team. The final was held in a small local stadium and even though they lost 1-0, I was impressed with several things: how well they played, how respectful they were in defeat, the encouragement given to them by their coaches after the final, and their determination to never give up. It was how football should be and I saw many of the values in sport that I know we value at West Leigh also.

Preparing for the game

Where the boys usually train

Finally, in this epic blog entry, I want to share something fun with you. In Portuguese, the sounds of the vowels are different to those used in English. Therefore, reading words and saying them correctly needs  practice. One way of doing this, aimed at young children, is to use a song from an animated programme 'Galinha Pintadinha'. Why not try it for yourself. If you'd prefer, why not try the English version. Good luck - it's not easy! You'll see why!

Learning Portuguese sounds

http://youtu.be/0JkSpPZJDkE

English version

http://youtu.be/xdFCi4pRkDs

Until you read again (and my final blog entry from Brazil), tchau.

Taking things for granted!

In the UK, we have so many things that we enjoy and sometimes we want more. The hideous behaviour of some people on 'Black Friday' only goes to prove this! However, it is some of the basic things in life that are so important that we can take for granted and not fully appreciate. One of these is water.

On Sunday morning, we work up to find that there was no water in the base where we are staying. This caused problems including being unable to clean dishes, flush the toilet, wash our hands, have a cup of tea, or have a shower. During this time, it was inconvenient and a bit frustrating and even though it only lasted for a few hours, it was bad enough during that time. I'd like to challenge you for half a day to consider the effects on your day not having water would have. Each time you use water, think about what you would have to do if it was not available. For many of the families that we have visited, this is an ongoing issue as they do not have clean running water in their homes!

As our time nears an end in Brazil, we have also been lucky enough to be able to afford taking a few days away from the base and our work. Currently, I am writing this from a beautiful location in a resort called Porto de Galinhas, which translated means 'Port of the chickens'. It is a beautiful place and is considered to have one of the best beaches in Brazil! 

So why is is called 'Port of the chickens'? 

Until 1850, the town was called Porto Rico (Puerto Rico) when it became a place where people bought and sold slaves to work in the plantations of sugar cane. As this was illegal, passwords were created by the traffickers (people trading in slaves). When a ship arrived in town, as it was prohibited to mention slavery, the word spread as "there are new chickens in the port"; and so the place gained its name of Porto de Galinhas.

That's all for this week - a shorter blog, but I'm off to enjoy the rest of my stay here!

Tchau!

Building relationships

During the past week, we have continued working in the various projects that I have described in the previous entries, but on Friday, we had a special time in one of the favelas when visiting several families. The particular area that we went to is home to many of the families who go to one of the locations we visit in the evenings. When we go there and on home visits, we wear special t-shirts; mine is bright orange! Because of the t-shirts, and because of the positive relationships that grow between the families and the group, including ourselves, the children quickly recognise them when they see them. They become really excited to see us and that is why I was taken by surprise by a young child who ran up behind me and gave me a great big hug before I even realised that she was there. It was lovely to see her again. In fact, it was the same little girl who had painted my wife's nails in a previous week. 

We soon reached the family we were intending to visit first and by now there were several children around us. At this point, a friend of mine made an appearance out of our bag - Tutter (or Tutter de Mouse to give him his full name). If you are not aware of Tutter, perhaps ask a member of staff who has been at West Leigh for several years or one of my past pupils. Anyway, he had great fun with the children and they seemed to enjoy playing with him. It turns out that he can speak a little Portuguese; I never knew that! 

Tutter visiting a family in their home

Something interesting was evident during this time with Tutter though - some of the younger children had never seen a puppet and didn't seem to know how to use one. The older children did, but it made me realise that some of the toddlers don't get the wonderful array of experiences early in their life that those in the UK do!

Finally, for this week, I want to explain something that has hit me this week - the power of the projects! Although we have only been here for two months, we have got to know so many children through our involvement in football, teaching girls English, visiting the streets and working with those at Hope House. I am surprised how quickly this can happen and that is exciting. These projects really do have a positive impact on the lives of people. The people who work on them really care about the children and families they meet and it has been great to work alongside them. Of course our time is not yet at an end so we can still enjoy these opportunities for a few more weeks.

Unfortunately, not everything here is quite so great! On Monday, we were walking through the jungle taking the shortcut to Hope House when we noticed a huge spider in the middle of a massive web. That was interesting but what we saw next wasn't - at least 8 huge spiders all with webs of their own only a few steps further on! 

Hopefully they stay in their webs and I'll stay our of their way.

Tchau again!

Playing games

This week in the blog, I want to tell you about a project that is run in the local community that I have attended each week - brinquedoteca. This is the Portuguese word for toy and the club is open to children from the local area to come and play games. 

Over the past few weeks, I have enjoyed being a part of this. The best way of visualising the club is to think of 'No Breakfast Club' at West Leigh. However, there are quite a few differences:

For the children attending this project, it enables them to learn how to play board games - an opportunity which is less common at their homes than it would be in the UK. They particularly enjoy traditional games like dominos, making a jigsaw, but love the opportunity to draw and create artwork. They also have the chance to play new games which, even for me, has been great fun. For these children, having the chance to play different games allows them the opportunity to learn new skills such as taking turns fairly, counting, and developing thinking skills in some of the more complex games. Without this club, the possibility of developing these vital skills would be much less. 

At the end of the session, the children have the option of borrowing a game from the club but they must be responsible with them. The pieces are checked and recorded when they take the game and when they return it. If they demonstrate that they can be trusted to look after it, they will be able to borrow another game if they wish. Such a simple idea is so good to see in action as it allows children who don't have as much the chance to play more.

I've even been influenced by the games at the club and am looking forward to getting some of the games when I return to the UK. 

Ligretto: one of the games that I have enjoyed.

Of course, not everyone knows how to play every game...especially if they are very young! This amused me on a visit to the streets on Wednesday evening.  A little boy wanted to play a game and we chose a travel version of Connect 4 to play. When we began playing, I realised that he didn't play by the 'normal' rules but instead it seemed to be a race to put all the counters into the frame. I lost as he used a tactic of holding and blocking my hand when I tried to put my counters in. We may not have been using the traditional rules but he was enjoying the game and that was the most important thing.

Children playing and drawing during a street visit

This week, we also visited three homes in the poorer areas of Recife again and these visits were really encouraging. Whilst there, we played with balloons, a little boy decided to throw the toy money he was given out the window into the river below (I hope he doesn't do that with real money), and we learned about how one mother works making and selling chips on the street to help support her family. Each of the families that we visited were given some food items (including oil, rice, crackers, pasta) and each famiily was really grateful to receive these.

I hope that you have been enjoying reading this blog and I have been encouraged to know that many people have seen it. In actual fact, I have been rather surprised. The internet makes communicating with a vast audience so easy and therefore, I have been very careful to chose my words thoughtfully especially when I know that my blog has been read in the UK, Brazil, USA, France, Spain, Ireland, Australia, Venezuela, Philippines, Ukraine, Germany, Italy and China!

A few less common things have also happened this week:

My wife had her nails painted by one of the children on the streets 

I had one nail painted when the girls were learning about makeup at their English class. They wanted to paint them all but I didn't feel that I suited the bright pink colour they had chosen! I hope the photo that was taken never appears on the internet!

I told a story in English to a class of girls (aged 10-14) who don't speak English! I had a translator but I think they enjoyed my overacting in the English version.

Until next time, tchau!

A small, small dot in Brazil

Imagine a tourist from Brazil visiting England and spending all their time in Leigh-on-Sea. They might have a lovely time and visit the shops on the Broadway, have a nice meal, eat seafood in Old Leigh, but would they be able to experience everything about life in the United Kingdom? No! They would know nothing of what it is like to live in the countryside in Yorkshire or a busy industrial city like Glasgow or about the lives of poorer people living on the streets in London. 

You might be wondering why I have started my blog this way but it is simple: If you look on a map of Brazil, you will see the vast nature of the country and that Recife in merely a dot. That dot is a huge city and to get from one part of it to another can sometimes take two hours or more on public transport. The things that I have explained to you exist here and many of these aspects exist elsewhere in Brazil but so do many other very different things too. For example, in some parts of Brazil, it is considered that people are more friendly or more hardworking. So really I am trying to say, do not judge all of Brazil on what you read in this blog; there is so much more to learn.

I have recently learned about another region in the north-east of Brazil called the Sertao. It is an area of Brazil which is very hot and often very dry, and in parts is a desert. You only need to compare the two following photos to see the comparisons between two regions which are both in the north-east of Brazil.

The desert in the Sertao

View from the base in Camaragibe

Another difference which I have learned of relates to foreigners visiting Brazil. Normally, tourists go to certain places when in Brazil - Rio de Janeiro, the Amazon Rainforest, Manaus but rarely Camaragibe on the outskirts of Recife, where we are. For this reason, we stand out as we look different to the vast majority of people here. 

I haven't mentioned wildlife too much recently so perhaps it is time to explain why caterpillars are dangerous. There is a fury caterpillar that exists here and if you were unlucky enough to touch it, it would cause the skin that it came into contact with it suffer a burning pain! A friend of ours explained this to us and that the pain lasted for hours. I have been more wary of caterpillars since then.

On Saturday, we spent the day in Boa Viagem (the area by the beach in Recife). It is beautiful there and there are lots of hotels for tourists but the sign in the photo below clearly put me off going for a swim in the sea!

Finally, with Christmas approaching, I'm sure you have seen more and more displays of Christmas trees and decorations in shops. We have seen that too but it seems strange especially when we consider the weather. We associate Christmas with the idea of snow but at Christmas here, it is the middle of the Summer! Also, even in their winter the average minimum temperature (at night) is 21 degrees celsius so anyone living in this part of Brazil who has not travelled far, will never have seen snow; it is merely something they have heard about. And this is why it is a dream for one of the boys at Hope House to see snow in his lifetime.

What is poverty?

Recently the blog has included many brighter stories and events but this week I want to discuss something that my brain has been struggling to fully understand.

I read a quote this week which made me think quite a lot. I don't know who said it but it carries a great deal of truth. The following is a paraphrase (my own words) of that quote:

 

'We think sometimes that poverty is being homeless, hungry and in need of clothes. But the poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is a much greater poverty.'

Since I have been in Brazil, I have viewed much of the first type of poverty and this is challenging enough to see. However, we mustn't forget that it exists in the UK as we learn that more and more families rely on Food Bank donations to help feed their families each week. We also know that there are homeless shelters in Southend and all over England which are needed greatly. 

I then began to consider how it must feel to be unloved, unwanted and uncared for! For the children living on the streets here in Recife, the initial cause leading them to this life will be at least one of these! For me, thinking about this can be uncomfortable especially as I have begun to get to know some of the children for whom this is a reality or is a part of their past. Even the boys currently at Hope House will have a story that began with this type of poverty.

I'm not going to go into details about any one child as that would be unfair to them and I know that I wouldn't expect a friend of mine to share my problems with the world on the internet. This is also why I have decided to not share a photo this week of any street children. I'm sure you understand this choice.

However, this type of poverty is not without hope! There are so many good people in the world and charities that do so much. Many of these help with food, clothes and homes. Others carry out the important job of showing care to someone and showing them that they are wanted and loved. I'd like to challenge you to do something in the coming weeks and months. Around you there are people who feel lonely, perhaps unwanted or unloved. This could be a pupil on the playground who has no one to play with or a grandparent who has very few visitors. Find time to show them that someone cares about them and that they are wanted. It might not change the world but it will change theirs!

Brazil isn't just football but it is a lot!

Last time I wrote this blog, I mentioned that I was going to do something exciting and I did! I went with two Brazilian friends to a football match held at the Pernambuco Arena which was one of the World Cup stadiums. We went to see Santa Cruz, a team from Recife, play Vasco da Gama, a team from Rio de Janeiro. The stadium was beautiful and the atmosphere was electric at points. I have been to many games in the UK but the noise and intensity when Santa Cruz scored was more than I had ever experienced!  Have a look for yourself using the link below.

http://youtu.be/bJON2oiLP2c

An interesting story related to this match was that one of the players who was in the Santa Cruz squad had grown up with his football training at Show de Bola - the project run by at the base where we are staying. Although the player in question did not play on this occasion, it is really exciting to know that the project helped to shape his life and he fulfilled his potential and dream by becoming a professional footballer. 

This week, I also helped with the Show de Bola project although I mostly ended up playing 6-a-side football with them. It was great fun to play with them. The various teams (different age categories) were preparing for matches in a large competition this weekend. All the teams played really well and won (if my Portuguese has understood correctly). If you are wondering how good they are, the following video will show you - a great free kick on a dusty pitch.

http://youtu.be/Pc37lkfytn8

This week hasn't all been about football though! On Monday, I spent the day in Hope House with former street boys. It was a great day and included more loom bands, playing football and I was also able to help two of the boys with maths. We were learning about equivalent fractions so we used fruit in the kitchen and had a penalty shootout outside! In the evening, we went with the boys to a funfair in Camaragibe. Although the rides were quite simple in comparison to some of those you might know about, that didn't make them less scary! As a result of a relaxed view to safety, they were actually much more terrifying!

The boys who are Hope House have had several great opportunities this week. 

Sunday: they were taken to the beach

Monday: they went to the funfair 

Friday: they were part of a fancy dress party

Not every week is like this, but I hope it shows how much the staff who work there try to make their lives the best they can be. The boys also have responsibilities with homework, cleaning and they are expected to do all their washing. However, they also know that if they behave well, they can be rewarded with privileges such as being able to use the washing machine instead of washing by hand.

Finally, I want to share something that touched me on Wednesday evening. During a visit to the streets of Recife in which the main aim is to develop relationships with street families and street children, I was sitting next to a young man who was colouring in a picture using the things we had taken with us. He was in his teens and was really focused on the task and seemed to be enjoying it. It is important to realise that although this may not be normally enjoyed by teenagers in the UK, his life is not like those of teenagers in the UK! When he finished it and had signed it, I was thrilled when he decided to give it to me (see below).

Perhaps that wasn't the final thing...

On the Metro (equivalent to the London Underground)  people are not allowed to sell things but they do...a lot! You can buy:

crisps, chocolates, sweets, nuts, popcorn, CDs, combs, small toys, keyrings, water, headphones, sunglasses, jewellery, credit card holders, story books etc

People pay in cash but apparently in Rio, where there is even more that can be bought, they even accept credit card payments!

Bye again!

This isn't Essex

This week's blog is going to be a little bit different. Over the past few weeks, many serious situations have been discussed relating to the lives of the poor people in this area of Brazil. There are more stories to share about the street families and children but I will save those for another week.

In the past few days, we have continued to learn about wildlife and this week it relates to something I found. On Monday, we were helping in Hope House (the home for former street boys) and during the afternoon, none of the boys was actually there as they were either at school or playing football at Show de Bola (the coaching programme for boys from the local community). So, instead of spending time with the boys, we were cleaning. Whilst sweeping the floor, I found something - a snake skin! I suppose this was better than finding a snake but it did make me think: Where was the snake now?

As if that wasn't enough, on Wednesday whilst my wife was in the church at the base, they were visited by a snake. Many people there decided that it was best to stand on the chairs but my wife decided that it was best to climb out of the open window.

Since these experiences, I have learned how dangerous some of the snakes in this area can be - deadly! There is even one very small snake that is capable of killing a large bull with its venom. I also learned that if you avoid them, they won't bother you. 

This week, I also had the opportunity to play football with many of the Brazilians here on the base. In summary, they were incredibly skilful and can control a ball very well on a dusty hard patch of ground. I didn't find it so easy! Also, playing football in such warm weather and humidity does not make it easy for someone who is used to much colder weather. 

A final story for this week relates to a special day that was held on Wednesday - Teacher's Day. The following link explains a little more about it:

http://www.irenescorner.com/home/braziliancorner/feasts/teachers/teachersday.

m

On Thursday, at the English class for local girls, they planned a surprise for their teachers. Each girl brought something ranging from cakes to traditional sweets including brigadeiros (see photo). It was lovely to see how appreciative the girls were of their teachers and how much effort they made to keep it as a surprise. Once again, if showed the great generosity of the Brazilian people especially knowing that many of the girls come from a poorer community.

As my time here continues, I am beginning to understand a little more about Brazil and its people. I have even seen a little of their traditional culture including a traditional dance.

At some point in the near future, I hope to be able to tell you more about the school here as education in Brazil is very different.

Finally, I don't have too many unusual facts to share but I have learned that:

Brazilians don't knock on a door; they clap

A driving test is expensive and has so many tests that need to be passed. Apart from the actual driving on the CRAZY roads, they need to learn about first aid, about pollution, and mechanics so that they can fix their car when it breaks down on the road. They also need to take a psychological test, a drugs test and  learn how to defend themselves in their car on the road.

It is a day off for us today and I might be doing something quite exciting but I'll let you know about that next time.

Bye!

A few more thoughts!

Ola!

In a previous blog, there was a photo of a favela with homes on wooden stilts over the river. This week, we visited one of these homes. A few things surprised me: 

it was much larger than I had imagined it would be with four separate rooms

one of the teenage children was working on a laptop. I found out that it was supplied by his school.

they had wifi but no running water

their toilet was simply a hole in the floor of one room which was over the river.

I'll let you generate your own opinions as to what it might be like to live there.

Since I have been in Brazil, I have been so impressed by the generosity of the Brazilian people, and I have two amazing examples from this week which can illustrate this point:

1) Whilst helping in the school (with the same 5/6 year olds), I noticed one of the children during breaktime did not appear to have anything to eat. I then saw something beautiful - several children, without being asked, went to her and gave her some of their break. 

2) On Wednesday, we visited a family in the local community of Santa Monica. We were visiting particularly to see a teenage boy who had recently attended the football coaching sessions until he was possibly bitten by a rat. This caused him to become seriously ill and he had to go into hospital. The mother warmly invited us into her home. During the conversation, it was clear that money can sometimes be difficult for the family but she tries hard to provide for her family even if they only have rice and beans for meals. However, she offered us so much fruit whilst we were there - grapes, mangos, apples and melon. For her to do this was so generous especially considering they often cannot afford such food! 

If people who have so little can be so generous, how generous are we? 

This week seems to have had a theme - making things! Firstly, making loom bands has been a great success especially with the boys who live at Hope House (a home for boys who previously lived on the streets). When one of them found out we would be returning with the loom bands again, he was genuinely thrilled. 

We also had fun within a craft lesson in the school with children similar in age to Year 6 pupils. They were having a special themed week (just like we sometimes do): Children's Week. As a part of this, they made toys and we helped them to make a bat and ball set (the one with the ball attached by elastic). Some other children made horrible creepy crawly models which where then dragged around the floor by a thin thread - urghh! 

Over the coming weeks, I have decided to share a little about the wildlife here in Camaragibe. We are surrounded by jungle and so this week, I would like to tell you about the visitors we had at breakfast time. Where we eat is only metres away from the trees and one morning we spotted at least 15 very cute little monkeys. One or two even wandered down to nibble on a banana.

A few more interesting (I hope) facts:

the boys in Hope House (Casa Esperanza) have started using sumdog.com to help improve their maths skills

In RioMar, the posh new shopping centre which caters for the wealthy, the security go around on segways

 

(This photo, including RioMar shows how life can look for the wealthy in Brazil) 

Bye again!

Another week in Brazil

Another week has flown by and once again I have had many valuable experiences.

On Monday afternoon, we visited another favela in central Recife next to the main Metro station. Having previously visited a favela, I thought that I had an expectation of what I would experience, but I was in a for a surprise. The home that we visited was even smaller than those from last week. It had one room probably similar in size to the school office. The family invited us in and offered for us to sit on the mattress and then the father proceeded to show us his home. At this point, I did not understand entirely as he only spoke Portuguese and my Portuguese is very limited (it is a challenging language to learn). In another corner of the room were utensils for cooking and he showed me a small stove which they owned. It was more basic than a cooking stove many people would use for camping. Unfortunately, he also showed me that he had no more fuel for the stove. In the third corner, I could see the toilet! There was no bath or shower - that is done in the narrow alleyway in front of the home. In spite of all of this and the unpleasant living conditions, he still showed me his possessions with great pride most proudly his DVD collection. It is important that you understand that DVDs in Brazil are readily available as cheap illegal copies. In a difficult life these must be so important as it gives the family an escape from the reality of their lives.

All of this was made more real to us by the fact that we had actually met this family before on the streets. In fact, this was the home to the four year old little boy whom I mentioned in my last blog. However, during our time visiting, he was such a joy! He played with my wife and I with a plastic sword and a toy camera - it hurt when he 'hit' us with the sword but he was only playing! Then he climbed onto my wife's lap so he could watch a DVD - Disney's Cars. 

On Wednesday, we went to school and spent a morning with a class of 20 5/6 year olds. This was an interesting experience as no one in the room in which we were helping spoke English including the teacher. Communicating with infant children who are only speaking to you in Portuguese was challenging. During our time there, the children learned about names of shapes and drew pictures (and so did I).

circulo = circle

retangulo = rectangle

quadrado = square

trangulo = triangle

We also played games with them during their breaktime which was fun. School is not so different for them other than they attend for half a day each day. From a West Leigh point of view, it was very clear how lucky we are to have so many resources  (books, ICT, PE equipment - I could go on!) In comparison, they have very little in their school e.g. they learned about shapes only by drawing them on the board. Consider how you first earned about shapes.

(The photo above is of the school we visited)

Meanwhile...

We have no washing machine here just like many of the people living in Brazil so we have had to handwash our clothes. I never realised how physically demanding this was and now love my washing machine a whole lot more! 

Last weekend, we went into the town of Camaragibe and took a new form of transport for me - a Kombi which is a VW camper van. It has three row of seats in the back. How many people do you think it can fit? Wrong! More than that! Standing, sitting, on top of you - basically, if it is possible, another person can be squeezed into it.

Finally, again there have been some interesting findings. I have learned that:

cars don't go 'beep beep' or 'honk honk', they go 'faw faw'

frogs can be massive

Guarana is my favourite drink in Brazil (it's a fizzy drink!)

Bye for now!

Life in Brazil: Our first few days

It may have only been a week, but I have learned so much about Brazil and seen so many things that have been beautiful, sad, joyful and surprising. In this entry to my blog, I won't attempt to tell you everything as I don't have enough time to write it and you wouldn't have enough time to read it! 

The base where we are staying is beautiful. Situated in Santa Monica near Camaragibe (a town at the end of the Metro to Recife), we are at the top of the hill overlooking the countryside. To our left is a community with many poor families, in front of the base is a concrete 5-a-side football pitch and some local shops selling amazing fruits some of which are only available in Brazil. One surprise regarding our view was seeing one of the World Cup stadiums so nearby - the Pernambuco Stadium which hosted several games. Having seen the local area, this stadium looks so out of place being so modern and expensive! It is easy to see why so many Brazilian people were upset and angry about vast amounts of money being spent on stadiums for the World Cup. 

On Tuesday, we travelled into the centre of Recife and I saw the incredible contrasts of life here in Brazil. On the way in on the Metro (similar to the London Underground), we passed housing that in England would never exist made of any materials the people could find. Then, as we travelled further, we entered an area of great wealth (similar to Canary Wharf) which had majestic new shopping malls and impressive new buildings.

This week, we have also spent two evenings on the streets in the centre of Recife visiting children and families. Before I went there, I felt scared as I did not know what to expect and what I would see. There were quite a lot of people in the many places we visited of all ages from young babies to older men and women. I have learned that many of these people come to the streets at nighttime from their homes in the favelas (slums) as they can receive soup from charities who often give it out on the streets. Knowing this has helped me realise how challenging their lives can be. Imagine taking your family including really young children into the town centre late at night just so that you can get food! Imagine little children being out in the town centre at midnight (and later)! 

The children we met on the streets were so excited to see the team as they knew  that we would spend time with them and play games. During those evenings, I played Uno, street football, and even played with a very young child with a broken cardboard box that was lying on the street. The fact that he seemed so happy playing with a piece of rubbish really tells you a lot about his life. Another little boy (4) was playing with my wife and was making up a game with little stones that he could find. These simple experiences have already made me consider how we in England sometimes are not grateful for the things we have and often want more. For the little boy, at that moment in time, he had everything he wanted and was having fun in what otherwise is a challenging life!

There were other children who live on the streets but I'll explain more about them another time as I still learning about that situation. What I do know is that it is much more complicated than I first understood.

I have also had the privilege to visit several families in the slums. My wife and I along with two Portuguese speaking members of staff from the base went to a favela next to a busy Metro station in central Recife. I was allowed to go into two separate homes and the first thing I noticed was, unfortunately, the smell. However, within a few minutes, I was used to it. The next thing I noticed was that it was a home. The people living there had made it look as nice as they could! I learned that they can be very crowded; the first family had six children in a small space with one bedroom! Whilst visiting, I did not understand the conversations but was able to bring a smile to some young children's faces by just being a bit silly whilst playing with a balloon and some bubbles which we had taken with us. 

To finish for now, I thought I should share some of my more unusual findings from this week:

buses are busy. When you think that the bus is full, 30 more people can get on!

five-a-side football can even attract a huge crowd

traffic is crazy

dogs don't go 'woof woof'; they go 'ow, ow' 

caterpillars are dangerous 

There are so many other things I would love to share but until next time, tchau.

What we could be doing?

YWAM in Recife 

Soccer Show Project: Currently 200 children and teenagers between 9 to 18 years old attend with social and educational activities provided through the soccer school.The children need to be up-to-date in their studies at school to be allowed to attend. Besides developing soccer skills, the participants and their families learn about the dangers of drugs, violence, about making good choices of friends and the influences of negative peer pressure.

Show de Bola

Other sports activities include karate and floorball (it seems to be a cross between ice hockey and hockey)

floorball

Karate Kick

Love Project: This project works with families, women, girls and teens to help them discover their potential and personal value. Families are reached by home visits, counseling, workshops, and crafts. This allows them to be capable and productive, and in turn creates a good family structure. Empowering them to be self-supporting and free from addictions is also one of the goals.

I know that my wife is intending to participate in this project as she is taking lots of loom bands with her to share. In fact, my 10 year old niece has been teaching her!

Heritage School: There is also a school on the site where we will be staying which is under construction. At present, it educates children between the ages of 2-6 offering education, food, recreation and personal care. I'm not yet sure how much the school has been developed but I'll update you when I know.

Street team: Many of the volunteers spend time on the streets developing friendships with street children. Through this, they can identify which children are willing to leave the streets and return home to their families. Often members of the street team will play games with the children. We are taking Uno with us as this is a popular game in Brazil. I hope the children understand my attempts at saying numbers and colours in Brazilian Portuguese!

Hope House (at the base); This is a restoration house for former street boys between the ages of 10-14.. After leaving the streets, the boys live full time in the home with qualified staff. The boys go through various phases of the program until they are ready for a full reintegration into society. At Hope House, the boys are part of a program which has areas which includes social, physical, family, spiritual and education.

Hope House

DAILY SCHEDULE

My wife and I are going to be busy! We will be working on the projects for 6 days a week and breakfast is at 6:15am!

It is going to be hard work and perhaps a little scary at times, but we are excited to be able to go there and looking forward to sharing more of it with you.

Vamos ao Brazil

On the 22^nd September 2014, we will be saying goodbye to the UK and jetting off to Brazil (via Lisbon Airport). We are very excited for what God has in store for us and the journey he is taking us on. We will be spending three months with YWAM (Youth with a Mission)  in Recife, north east Brazil, and returning to the UK on the 17^th December,  in time to spend Christmas with our friends and family.

During our time there, we will get involved in various projects that the base run.  For more information please visit: www.jocumrecife.com/en/ Once we are in Brazil, we will more about the work we will be doing but are excited to be able to help children whose lives not as privileged as our own. We look forward to sharing more about these projects and the stories we experience during the coming months on this blog.