"OK, So I’m A Rich American And My Life Is Cushy Compared To A Lot Of Other People. But My Checking Account’s Still Zero At The End Of Every Month.
What Can I Do?"
Certainly I’m not telling you all this just to make you feel guilty. But I know that once we’re all informed, we can begin to solve some problems. So now that I’ve told you all about poor people living in favellas etc. etc., what should you or I do about it?
Well that’s a big question, and all I can say is "anything is better than nothing." In Sao Paulo we met a 4 year old girl who’s alive simply because a man from the US offered to pay her medical bills when she was born with serious complications. I don’t know that it was a huge expense for him but he wouldn’t have known about it if he hadn’t gone there in the first place.
And by the way, it doesn’t have to be Brazil. There are always things in your own back yard. You don’t have to look very far. Our church has something called an ‘urban plunge’ where sheltered yuppies like ourselves go to the inner city to help with some project or another. It’s not always comfortable but it’s better than not knowing or being involved!
Does anybody have band instruments? Mr. Carneiro is keeping kids off the streets by getting them involved in his orchestra. All he needs is horns, clarinets, oboes, strings, percussion, etc. Do you know a band director, or someone who works at a music store? Every single instrument you send will help.
Then there’s Paulo. He’s been in the US several times, willing, to talk to any group that will listen to him. He’ll tell the stories of how he and his organization are rescuing kids from life on the streets, show pictures, and let people know how they can help. You want to see results for the money you give? This guy will prove to you that he can take a dollar and get something done with it!
Paulo wants to fund an education program and a foster care program. These days a dollar goes a long way in Brazil.Do you want to financially contribute to Paulo’s ministry? Or would you like to get Paulo’s and Ireni’s E-mail newsletter or mailing list? Paulo’s website is www.themotas.org
Anything is better than nothing!
That about wraps it up. Hope you found this at least entertaining. We arrived safely back in Chicago this morning. I noticed a few special things. Even our own suburb, Berwyn, where all the houses are 5′ from each other, looks downright spacious compared to the jumbled maze of graffiti and concrete we grew accustomed to in Brazil. The air here is comparatively fresh, even during rush hour (I especially appreciate the fact that trucks’ exhaust pipes here exit ABOVE the truck, rather than out the side into your passenger car window) and I have a new appreciation for such fine individuals as our own Mayor Daley and President Clinton ;^)
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Love,
Perry, Laura, Tiffany (Jimenez) and Tannah