Ministry Update: Ruama (Brazil)

Ruama is Oakseed’s newest ministry partner. It has served its community in Favela do Murão (São Paulo, Brazil) for over 40 years. Here are some activities it has offered in the past several months.

Children participated in several workshops and activities. In the reading development workshop, kids borrowed a book for the week, read it with their families, and then prepared a short presentation about the book to share with the group at the next meeting. The directors were especially encouraged that, even when some of the kids lost their presentation sheets, they still did the work on a sheet of notebook paper so they could bring it to the next meeting to share.

Other activities included cooking classes, art workshops, computer skills training, and indoor and outdoor recreation times (definitely a favorite!). Bible lessons presented various Bible stories while focusing on themes of friendship and family.

In addition to many of these workshops, teens also participated in conversation circles, discussing important issues such as emotional health, the culture and how it affects them, and planning for their futures. All the kids participated in a national day to combat sexual abuse and exploitation of children and young people.

Women also participated in conversation circles, where they discussed the effects of chemical dependence on employment and relationships, how to escape cycles of violence, and the physical toll it takes on their bodies, including illnesses, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, heart problems, obesity, and others. They examined what the Scriptures say about positive social interactions and their impact on individuals and the community.