This week a group of Black Diamonds are setting out on their own wonderful journey of heatbreaking wide open experiences at the MORE Project in Brazil.  The MORE Project hosts at least 4 Service Expeditions every year that everyone is invited to participate on.  It is just once a year that we host the Black Diamonds on a breakneck speed, whirlwind tour of the projects and impact regions that MonaVie touches in the north of Brazil. And then we roll up our sleeves in Rio where the MORE Project is centered.

This is brief report of one our wonderful volunteers on the VIP expedition last year…

Stefany Allongo

9/4/09 – Day 5: Rio de Janeiro

All the experiences up until this point – swimming with the pink dolphins, fishing for piranhas, shucking acai berries – are nothing compared to what I experienced today. It was life changing.

We began today by landing in Rio de Janeiro and heading to Village MonaŸVie, the property where the distributors stay when they visit. It’s also the site of a glorious future for the children of the community. Still in the construction and planning stages, when completed the Village will house up to 500 children who would otherwise be lost to the system. It will also be equipped with a pool, playground, soccer field and other amenities that cater to the children’s needs. The vision for this place is extraordinary. I can’t wait to see it completed!

The MORE Project is comprised of a handful of programs that cater to the local community.

• The Believer’s Project is a version of day care for children 2 – 12, where the can come when they are not in school. This is a safe environment where they can learn, play and grow.
• The Taking Off Program is the next step for children 12 – 18, where they can learn practical skills.
• The Professional School offers 18 different classes for adults to learn a trade. From computers to English, from jewelry making to hairdressing, these classes help these people find employment to better support their families.
• The Nehemiah Project is how we affect the living conditions in Vila Ipiranga. One by one, money is raised to fix the homes of deserving individuals. On this trip alone we were able to raise the money for 4 homes!
• The Mother’s House and Father’s House are where those children with no family come to find a home. It’s a beautiful place with amazing spirit!

There are other programs and more in the making, but these few are the ones we were able to experience first hand.

At The MORE Project, I spent the afternoon playing with many kids but there was one very special boy with the most beautiful smile named Joe. We were kindred spirits from the start. Though bound to his crutches due the fact that his legs don’t work properly, he is still extremely outgoing. Having been bound to wheelchairs and crutches for significant parts of my life, I empathized with Joe and his desire to push his body, not letting the paralysis define him.

Our afternoon consisted of a few rousing games of foosball. I’m definitely not as good as he or the other kids were, but that was ok because they didn’t gloat during their victory. Instead they tried to teach me techniques on how to flick my wrist so that I had more power when I hit the ball. Try understanding that in Portuguese!

As Joe got tired from standing at the foosball table, we moved to a nearby bench. There was broken conversation full of laughter as we tried to make one another understand. Then Joe decided to teach me a Brazilian hand clapping game – similar to “Miss Mary Mack” – called “Ela Morena.” However, unlike the games I had played as a kid where speed was the objective, in this game there were rules. You begin by joining hands and swinging them back and forth. Then clap 2 times and with a show of fingers pick a number between 0 and 5. If you and your partner choose the same number, then you hit each other’s hands twice. If you pick different numbers, then you hit your chest twice.

Sounds easy right? Not so much when the concept of same and different numbers is lost in translation. But Joe was persistent and after about 15 min, I finally understood. It’s a slightly addictive game and we played up until the moment I had to leave for Vila Ipiranga. Our last game took place on the steps of The MORE Project entrance. My heart yearned to stay with him, but I know I’ll be back to play another round.

At Vila Ipiranga, we saw how these kids live. Some of their homes are falling apart. Some live 8 or 9 to a room. As I looked at all these homes, my heart was filled with bliss because though they have nothing they were so happy. They played in the streets where dirt and broken piping mix, not knowing anything different. Their joy is infectious. You couldn’t be sad when they were so happy, all you could do was figure out how you can help even just one child or one family.  Some times I think they help us more than we help them.

That’s when I made a promise to myself (and now you all know), to work this business so that I can come back to Brazil and give one of these families something MORE to be joyous about. Whether it’s by sponsoring a new home or helping put one of them through school. These kids need to know that there are people out there that are willing to help them reach their dreams and I want to be one of those people. I want to be of significance. It was a wonderful revelation! Knowing this, a note to all my friends: please help keep me on track to reach my goal.

Posted on Monday, March 15th, 2010 at 6:06 pm under Recent Posts.
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