August 2011
Hello!
After travelling around South America for two weeks, it’s good to be home. As I write this letter I am sitting in the Sao Paulo airport in Brazil waiting for my return flight to the U.S. This is a good opportunity for me to reflect and share with you about my recent travels to Word Made Flesh communities in El Alto, Bolivia and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Aside from a few traveling hiccups (being rerouted through Caracas, Venezuela and having to wait a couple days for my checked luggage to arrive), my first field visit was everything I had hoped for. I got to reconnect with WMF staff members and make more friends. I was also allowed to have a first-hand glimpse at what the ministries in El Alto and Rio are doing.
At 13,000 feet above sea level sits El Alto, Bolivia. The WMF staff in Bolivia strive to restore dignity and express love to women working in the sex industry on the streets and in the brothels. During my brief stay I was able to accompany a group that went to the brothels to talk to the ladies, give them a cup of hot chocolate (it’s winter in the Southern Hemisphere), and share a smile in an otherwise dark and depressing environment. I am not able to speak a whole lot of Spanish, but I was able to carry the large thermos of hot chocolate. It was apparent to me the impact a simple display of love like this can have.
An invitation to a free meal at the home of WMF Bolivia is given to the ladies, and the seeds of relationship are planted. WMF Bolivia is in the early stages of launching a small business called Suti Sana where women who want freedom from prostitution can sew bags and purses and receive therapy and guidance. I have been doing some logistical work with Suti Sana over the past few months, so it was really exciting to meet the ladies and see the beautiful work they do.
After five days in Bolivia, it was time for a visit to Brazil. Rio de Janeiro had a completely different feel than El Alto. Bolivia had a very rural, developing country atmosphere, but Rio had the vibe of a very developed urban center. Like most large cities, Rio has its share of penthouses as well as slums (referred to in Brazil as Favelas). The WMF community in Rio primarily strives to serve women and children who live on the streets.
On my first day I got to visit Project Esther. Project Esther meetings occur twice a week, and they involve a meal, a time of Bible study, and some kind of activity. This week’s activity was to bake Christmas cookies. During the actually Christmas season it is too hot to make cookies because the dough melts, so we had a small Christmas celebration in July because the weather was cooler (about 75 degrees).
On Mondays the Word Made Flesh staff members and volunteers have an intentional time of street ministry. Sandwiches and lemonade are given to people in need. Conversations are struck up with friends who live on the street. Games are played with the kids (this week’s game of choice was Uno). While we were walking the streets I got the feeling that we were looking for friends to talk and have fun with. There was no hidden agenda; no strings attached to the sandwich and lemonade. Simply being present to people that society has seemingly forgotten, and just like in El Alto, showing love in a very small yet very real way.
On my final day in Brazil we were able to go to one of Rio’s world famous beaches. This was a perfect culmination to the trip. The white sand beach and powder blue sky reflected in the clear salt water was a sight I won’t soon forget, but I also won’t soon forget that amidst the beauty there are many, many people that our world has told that they don’t matter. I pray that we can be mindful of our less fortunate sisters and brothers around the world and serve and love them as Christ loves us.
Thank you for your interest in Word Made Flesh. I hope t that through my experience, you have a better understanding of what we mean when we say, “Serving Jesus among some of the most vulnerable of the world’s poor.”
Peace,
Jeff Swart