Barb

and Gus de Souza

Sept. 3, 2015
700 Leroy Lane #29


cell: 336-880-3196
River Falls, WI 54022

barbgus@hotmail.com

Dear Partners in Mission,
As you can see by the address above, we've moved. Yes, we are back to where we spent those wonderful years, while I
was in seminary and had the privilege of being Campus Minister before Gus and I returned to Brasil to answer the "call"
to continue our ministry of health education which we had begun in the early 70s.
But, you know all of that from past newsletters. We are in constant contact with the life of the shanty town (favela),
Canal do Anil, and the health educators working in our clinic as well as the physical therapy and children's program
participants. The favela continues to grow as do the needs of the dwellers. However, with modern media and the
greater possibility of higher education, the demands of the people are expressed in a far more organized fashion. The
political problems of the country have worsened since the last election, and protests are constant, as you may have read
in the newspapers.

We know that a more educated population is harder to "keep down" or silence, and thus the struggle for better living
conditions goes on. All of the women who were trained in our Community Health Educators Course by myself and other
of our teachers, are an example; all of the women have now finished high school and more than half of them have gone
on to special courses such as lab technicians, nurses and nurse assistants, social workers, and teachers, all examples of
the empowerment that comes from education beginning with our simple Health Education Course. This increased desire
for more education is one of the things our Association of Community Health Educators (AECS) promotes, and we use
your donations to help students pursue further studies. This is women's empowerment and rings true in the title of my
book that is ready to be published before long: "When sleeping women awake, mountains will move", an ancient
Chinese proverb which has proven to be true.

If you remember when we were in Brasil for Isabel's (Bel) graduation with honors from the University last September, I
was present at the election of the new Board of Directors, composed of all former students who have been with our
Association's work in the clinic and our other projects all these years. It was a most emotional meeting as I watched their
enthusiasm for taking over what they have worked so hard in developing. The former Board members were mostly
outsiders: accountants, social workers and retired business people. Now the Board will consist of the students
themselves, trained by the former board. It is their Association now, and I swelled with pride. You can see their happy
faces as we celebrated the election. However, the new Board had to wait till May, as our By-Laws state that members of
the Board must be re-elected every 4 years as well as by laws brought up to date. Thus the new Board, after all the
bureaucracy, so typical of Brasil, took over only in July! They are to be congratulated. I will continue to be an advisor as
will some of the other more experienced former board members.

Gus and I are enchanted with the beauty of River Falls and are happy in our new home. Even our Brasilians dogs have
adapted! It is also so wonderful to be back where so many of our friends still live and be a part of the life of the
community, and, of course, close to our mission partner, Sue Christopher, as well as the two churches which have been
so much a part of our ministry, the First Congregational and the United Methodist. This is the only "home town" that
Gus knows in the States, and I consider it mine also.

We continue to be your hands in mission,

Barb and Gus

THE TRANSLATION OF THE REPORTS FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATORS (AECS)
Associacao das Educadoras Comunitarias de Saude

The story of the life of Yan Barbosa da Silva written by Yan:
My name is Yan; I am 12 years old and am a participant of the childrens project, Desenho e Arte, of the Association of
Community Health Educators (AECS) and I am active in all of its activities/ workshops.

In this project, we learn how to use the computer and all of the necessary techniques, that is, we become computer
literate. We are helped to increase our reading skills and we learn good nutrition and horticulture as we plant our own
garden and give away the fruits of our work to the community. We have a sports activity, and now we have theater
classes. All of these activities are so important as we do not have any opportunity for any of them in our public schools
short hours.

I like the sports activities the best because I love soccer as well as board soccer. I also practice Karate and have won a
few medals in championship contests. It is not easy to participate in these championship contests because they are
often in other states and unhappily my family does not have the financial ability to afford these expenses, so I can only
compete in those near where I live. However, my dream is to be able to
find scholarships, even if partial, so that I can compete in more of these
more competitive contests in other states.

As far as the AECSs childrens program, I love this program and I thank
all of you who make this possible because this program is so important
for all the children and adolescents in the community. By participating
in it, we learn to respect others and we can believe in a better, more
hopeful future. I thank Grandmother Barbara, who began it all and even
though now far away, continues to believe in the capacity of the
dwellers of impoverished communities like Canal do Anil, to improve
their lives and have hope in a better future.

Once again, thank you all.
Yan Barbosa

The story of the twins, Yasmin and Yan Cardoso, 9 years old and Kaua, 11 years old written by Isabel Maria, Coordinator
of the projects of AECS (Association of Community Health Educators)

These three children entered the project, Desenho e Arte, this year, 2015. They are part of a very large family. They are
but three of the 10 children of Monica, a dweller of Canal do Anil. As soon as they began to participate in the activities, I
realized how important it was for them to be a part of this project for various reasons, the most important being,
besides acquiring new friends, is that our workshops develop activities which take into account the level of knowledge of
each one and the process of individual capabilities for learning, or, they learn to participate, each one within their own
time frame and individual capabilities and interests.

We offer a light meal and

snacks during the time the children are with us which for some are the only healthy food of the day. Our recreational

activities include trips to museums or other like communities, as well as movies or theater, trips with other organizations
interested in our program. One of these is the private university, Signorelli, where I received my teaching degree.
Whenever there are participatory recreational programs at the University, our children are invited to participate.

I believe that we could do more for these three children as well as for others, especially adolescents who participate in
our workshops. We can have a real influence in their future giving them tools and hope for a better life.

I would like to thank you all and hope we can continue to be partners in the childrens project of the Association of
Community Health Educators, so that we can expand more the amount of children who can participate in the program
thus offering a better opportunity for many more and MOST important, take more children off the streets where they
are exposed to all sorts of risks (drugs, violence, thievery, gang oppression and prostitution). We are grateful for all that
you have made possible for these children. Obrigado!!! (Thank you!!! )

HEALTH COURSE FOR THE FORMATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATORS

The story of Rogerio Ramos, a graduate of the Community Health Educators Course, written by Rogerio:

My name is Rogerio and I am 46 years old. I always dreamed of working in the health field to help those who needed it,
but I was never given the opportunity to take a course in this field. Then happily the chance arrived with the Course for
the training of Community Health Agents offered in the community of Canal do Anil. The teacher was Nadir, a graduate
of the course but for personal problems, she had to leave. I was very disappointed for I had thought that finally, my
dream would be realized. Then the coordinator of course, Isabel, took over as teacher, and I was able to graduate, my
first step in achieving my goal. I was so happy when I received my diploma. It had not been easy to finish the Course.
Many times I came home from a full days work almost at the class hour, too tired to think of going to class, but I did not
give up and went.

Now I want to take a Nurses Assistant Course and will work to realize my
dream. I do not know if I will succeed very soon because I am the head of a
family I need to support, and the cost of this city course, unlike the Community
Health Educators Course, which was free, is not cheap but I hope to count on
the support of my family and financial aid so I can achieve my dream. Health
workers are so needed in Brasil. I am grateful for the support of the
community, my family and also Dona Barbara who always believed in this work
as you also do. I want to succeed in transforming the lives of many people in
other communities in Rio de Janeiro. I am grateful for my teachers, Nadir and
Isabel, for believing in me.
Thank you,
Rogerio

Physical Therapy 8-15

With your support, we continue to serve the population of Canal do Anil. Our patients are persons who would be unable
to have his physical therapy treatment if it were not for us. We continue to attend 90 to 100 patients per month, some
remaining with us for many months depending on the seriousness of their problems, others with 6 to 12 weeks of
treatment. No one is discharged unless we are sure they have benefited enough to return to a normal life, that is, as
before. We also visit them after they are discharged to see how they are progressing after treatment.

Here is an example of one of our patients: Maria Aparecida da Silva
She was diagnosed with cancer in her left breast with metastasis to the spine, including the cervical bone, causing the
compression of the medulla, thus needing physical therapy. She arrived at our clinic with a walker, using two types of
cervical collars, (Philadelphia and Ruth), used for support to the lombar and with extreme muscular weakness. Physical
therapy treatment consisted of strengthening the muscles in her arms, legs and trunk.
She then felt more confident for other life activities thus functionally independent. She no longer needed to use the

walker and was able to discard one of the cervical collars used for support to her spine.

She also had surgery for the removal of her ovaries for the production of hormones could increase the evolution of her
cancer and the possibility of cancer of the uterus.

Thank you,
Maria Lea Coordinator
Vanessa and Renata Physical Therapists