Finding Community

By Sr. Lucy Lee, O.L.M.
May/June 2010

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Sewing, dancing, painting, games, and bead work are some of the many activities at GDFAM (Grupo de Desemvolvemento Familiar/Association for Family Support), the community centre in our area. On one afternoon I went to visit the centre and found Beverly Trach, our Scarboro companion, and Cícera, the director of the centre, playing a word game with the boys and girls who attend class there.

L-R: An afternoon game of Scrabble at the Grupo de Desemvolvemento Familiar, (Association for Family Support) with (L-R) Tatiele, Sr. Lucy Lee, Cícera, and Bernardo.

The children were enjoying the challenge of making words out of the letters that fell to them. They even helped one another to form words. They reminded me of the well known story of a group of differently-abled children who, when running a race, stopped to help one of their companions who had fallen. Once he was back on his feet, all the children crossed the finish line together. The teachers at GDFAM are kind and committed to inculcating such values in the students.

Upstairs over the library, a sewing class for a group of 10, men and women, was in session. The students and teachers were happily sharing their everyday life with one another even as they maintained the atmosphere of a class. The noise of the machines almost drowned out the joyful squeals of the children below.

Every Thursday, I teach a class of jewelry-making at the centre and provide the materials. The students craft their jewelry and sell it. Half of what they make is returned to me in order to buy more material. The other half is kept by them. It may be only a very small amount, but every little contribution to the family income can make a difference in the quality and amount of food that reaches the family table. And perhaps it gives them a bit of the sweet pleasure of having one’s own spending money.

GDFAM is a great place for companionship, learning, sharing, and being challenged.

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