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The descriptions below were written by Mark Swift and David Leslie of First Presbyterian Church in Washington, PA and the Rev. Bruce Haapalainen of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Munster, IN. Mark Swift and Tom Vreeland of First Church in Washington, PA contributed the excellent photographs. Tom created a digital slide show of all of his pictures that is truly excellent and he sent copies to many in the network. If you have trouble finding a copy, send your webmaster an e-mail and he will send you a copy. Click below to navigate to the two parts. Mark
Swift's Description
Mark Swift's Description of Mutirão III By all accounts, Mutirão 3 was a resounding success. Although (or perhaps because) the size of the group was smaller than in Mutirão 1 or 2, we were able to accomplish a great deal both in terms of physical labor, and in building relationships with our Brazilian friends.
Fourteen adults and three children participated in Mutirão 3, representing First Presbyterian Church of Washington, PA, Westminster Church of Munster, IN, First Presbyterian Church of St. Cloud, MN, and Kwanzaa Community Presbyterian Church - Minneapolis, MN. Only five participants had been to Brazil before, and the group (unfortunately) had to do without the aid of June and Bill Rogers, who were unable to participate in this project.
Our friends at ITEBA obviously learned much from their experiences hosting Americans in 2000 and 2002. They housed us in a beautiful facility downtown, just meters from the beach, called the Casa das Irmas Mercedarias (House of the Sisters of Mercy). This hotel was comfortable, safe, extremely accommodating to our particular needs, and conveniently close to ITEBA. Also, our ITEBA friends decided it was important to give the Americans daily downtime. We typically worked or took tourist trips in the morning, rested in the afternoon, and spent the evenings at programs at ITEBA. Rather than listening to the same lectures at ITEBA as in past years, our hosts brought in special guests (many of whom were running for public office) to speak to us and ITEBA’s students. These speakers generated lots of excitement, especially for our Brazilian friends, for whom the topics were extremely topical.
Perhaps most exciting of all was
our work project in Pirajá, at Quilombo Zeferina.
The challenge over the next period of time (one to two years) will be to allow our relationship with ITEBA to evolve and grow in new and productive ways. Clearly, the needs of the seminary and Quilombo Zeferina have changed. But they still undoubtedly have a great need for more. Rather than resting on our laurels and saying to ourselves “mission accomplished,” we should look towards developing even deeper relationships both with the faculty and students at ITEBA, and with the residents of Pirajá. There is SO MUCH for us to learn from their experiences and their spiritual journeys. Our Mutual Mission with ITEBA has huge amounts of fertile ground still to be cultivated.
David Leslie's Description of Mutirão III NEWS FROM BRAZIL My second trip to Brazil this year has been an exciting, busy and moving experience. Eleven new participants from the lIEBA Network worked and studied for two weeks in Salvador, Bahia. Alice Burroughs and Denise Lattner (W & J student and Matthew Brown Scholar) from FPC and Rev. Laurie Armstrong, pastor of a Presbyterian church in St. Clairsville, Ohio accompanied Tom Vreeland, Mark Swift and myself from this area. The best news is that the first phase for a community for Quilombo Zeferina is close to completion. For those of us who have labored there and for ITEBA this is a completion of a dream. Eight years of rented space in diffe3rent locations in the Pirija favella has rewarded the people in many ways. Now the needed continuity in their own space is close to reality. The seminary continues to provide college level education for working adults in Salvador, Brazil amongst one of the poorest areas of Brazil. Aside from providing ordinary seminary preparation they emphasize the importance of affirming their students' Afro-Brazilian history and culture. In addition to their on-going dream to see their country become a place ofjustice and economic equality ITEBA enables women in their struggle with patriarchal suppression and socio-economic marginalization. The process to buy a building for the seminary is in progress. This is the last step in their on-going certification process as a legitimate institution of hither learning in Brazil. This purchase is fmanced by the grant from the Presbyterian Women of our denomination made possible by the Birthday Offering. This is fortuitous in that ITEBA has been asked to leave tnelr present location in the near future. The panel discussions in the evenings during the trip were excellent, relating the seminary's activities and the social and economic realities presently in Brazil. The former mayor (a woman) of Salvador spoke passionately about the realities to provide social services for the poor in face of the ignorance of the well-to-do as to the needs. A recent international publication notes that 45% of Brazil's GNP is controlled by a small number of families. A Deputy (congressman) to the federal government was quite articulate in his review of the economy in light of Brazil's huge debt (owed mostly to U.S banks). He spoke freely of Brazil's need to free itself from the control of global economies, especially the USA. He noted the challenges faced by any Brazilian leaders to effect change, particularly President Lulu who was elected with such high expectations. He also did not deny that corruption and control by a relatively few landowners is central to this lack of change. He concluded with a smile and after he saw the project at Quilombo Zeferina, "There is indeed opportunity and hope." A delightful presentation came from two indigenous women from the Patascha Na Na Nias tribe This People, with the support of ITEBA and others is struggling to maintain possession of about 13,000 hectares which include sacred land. Members of this tribe were burned alive by the sons of a few elite in Brasilia 7-8 years ago for their activism for land reform. These two women were effusive in their praise of ITEBA's (particularly Marlene) support of solidarity with them. Some of the tribe's women attend the seminary's summer course for women and other seminary programs.
Rev. Bruce Haapalainen's Description of Mutirão III Bruce's By Line by Co-Pastor Bruce Haapalainen Well, it was quite a summer! My posh
vacation in June included tearing my pool filter and pump apart, painting
the outside of the house, hanging old kitchen cabinets in the garage and
remodeling the Laundry Room. After that spent 2 weeks in Brazil on a mission/study/work
trip and part of a week at camp with the Middle School kids and part of
a week with the Senior High kids. Since returning, I have received some
very interesting questions, especially about Brazil. The most interesting
include: Getting back to the questions, Brazil was far from a vacation. It was construction work in the morning, historical and cultural trips in the afternoon, and panel discussions in the evening. It was exhilarating, challenging, humbling, exhausting, and upsetting. It was an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. We stood in solidarity with people who saw us as the "rich" of the world. And by every way of defining it in comparison with them - we are. The young woman who addressed us in the first week of our time there said, "I used to be angry at the rich Americane Nortes coming down here to 'help' us. Now I know that you are giving up your comfortable and rich lives to be in solidarity with us. I know that now. Thank you." I know how I had to scrimp and save to take any spending money with me. I thought of how I would not have been able to go had it not been for the leadership of the Mission Committee and the generous support of WPC members and friends who wanted me to be able to go on your behalf to see what we do and to represent us 6,000 miles from home. I look forward to sharing more with
you. Look for announcements in future bulletins and Chimes'or take me
to lunch! It was a great summer, but I am very glad to be back.
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This
work project was, in fact, our only work project, given the small number
of participants and the success of Valerio Silva in completing their building
projects on their own (congratulations to Valerio Silva!) At the beginning
of the 2 week period, we saw a blank plot of dirt, and by the end of the
2 weeks we had a building. We are still far from realizing the finished
product, but the facility CAN be functional very shortly if we raise $7,000
to pay for the last finishing touches of plumbing, electricity, and security.
Our group worked alongside eight skilled laborers to accomplish this amazing
feat in only 16 days time. Just as exciting as the accomplishment of building
a building, we also
were able to renew our friendships with adults and children in the Pirajá
neighborhood. There can be no doubt that our presence in this neighborhood
has had a profound and lasing affect on the residents there. While our
presence was initially viewed as a spectacle or anomaly – an attempt
at “feelgood mission work” – it has evolved over the 3
Mutirões into a genuine trust between the residents of Pirajá
and members of the American network supporting ITEBA. They know us and
now expect us to be part of their lives for the long term. 
