Day trip to Niteroi

When I wrote my last blog on May 6th I had no idea that I would have the opportunity to meet some of the survivors of the disaster in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro. A few weeks ago I was invited to attend a training course called, 'Developing Tools for work in the Community' and during the week we spent a day in Niteroi. My group visited an old barracks where 415 people from Bumba (the favela that experienced the mud slides and gas explosion in April) are currently living until they are re-housed in more permanent accommodation which the government has promised to provide.
While I was there I had the opportunity to talk with a lady, J, who was sitting on the steps of one of the accommodation blocks. E and P were with me and P helped me with translation. I learnt that just providing shelter, food and toiletries is not sufficient although it is a good place to start. Each family living there is given R$ 400 a month from the government. They do not need to pay rent and all their meals are provided. This may sound like a good deal to western ears but living in community brings with it many issues. They have to eat meals together at set times and one of my colleagues spoke to a man whose work (taxi driver) meant that he often missed meals and without a kitchen of his own he was not able to cook his own meal.
J was worried about safety for her 11 year old adopted daughter and she said that she felt more secure living in her house on the favela than she does living in this community. She has considered returning to her home because only half of it was destroyed - the other half is still standing. She still feels very sad and often cries. She thinks about the children who died whilst waiting for their parents to collect them from the school - the children who were collected early are still alive. On that day J was at the bar with her husband when someone came and told her that somethng had happened to her house. Before the disaster happened she had told her friend that she thought something bad was going to happen and after the mudslide her friend remembered this. She said that she believed in God so we prayed with her before we left. After the prayer she thanked us for listening to her story and she asked if someone could come back to see her. This is possible because the officers and soldiers of Niteroi Corps were heavily involved in the emergency operation and have a long term goal to work with this community. On the same day we had the privilege of attending a public ceremony with the Fire Department where the DC of the Rio de Janeiro Division received a medal on behalf of The Salvation Army for the work of supporting the emergency services at the disaster area.
Please pray that God will open doors into this community for Niteroi Corps and please pray for J and the 415 people living in temporary accommodation.