Love That Transforms Life

Love That Transforms Life

In Pires do Rio, Brazil, as Franciscan Sisters of the Poor we support over 150 children and adolescents through two programs: Girassol, a nursery school for children up to 5 years of age, which encourages a holistic development, combining early childhood education, well-being, and health in synergy with the social welfare network; and Semear, which offers afterschool activities for children and adolescents, including music, craft, dance, and cooking lessons.

In both programs, we are committed to supporting vulnerable families by helping them in the human, spiritual, educational, and cultural development of their young people.
Over the years, we have been able to observe the generativity of these projects and their positive impact on the people that benefit from them. We have collaborators who used these services as little girls and today they strive to help other children. There are people who come to thank us for the good they received. There are volunteers and benefactors who decide to contribute, because they feel that this work makes a difference in people’s lives.
We asked Heloisa, the director of the two programs, to tell us about some of her real-life experiences.
“Last year we welcomed a young boy who exhibited very difficult behavior, which was the reason he had already changed schools and daycare centers so many times. He was hitting classmates and crying. He was very aggressive and distant. He could not complete the activities being proposed to him.
As time passed, we began to understand that this child was not receiving any displays of affection or tenderness. Because of this, we decided as a team to adopt hugs and praise as pedagogical tools. In a short time, we noted a transformation: the boy began to listen to us and to respect his classmates.
He did not know how to hug and felt embarrassed if he received a hug. But with time he began to use signs of affection toward us, and his behavior improved considerably. He became happier. We remained profoundly moved by the words of his mother, who thanked us many times, confirming for us that the care and love he received changed his life, by improving his behavior and nurturing his growth, and helped her in her role as his mother.
We know that, for various reasons, families cannot always offer primary support, a loving and safe environment for their own children. This is what pushes us more and more to work hard in our mission to care for wounds, doing our part to build a society founded on love. It is always beautiful to see with one’s own eyes how a simple gesture of affection can cure frustrations and transform the lives of our little ones.”

Heloisa Maria Agapito de Oliveira

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