“The truest help that can be done to the world, regardless of the situation in which one finds oneself, is to facilitate the attunement in humanity with elevated planes, with the core of consciousness” (José Trigueirinho, in Esoteric Lexicon, entry: Law of Attunement).
With the aim of encouraging reading habits in children, the Network-of-Light groups of Guaruja and Santos, both in São Paulo, Brazil, have inaugurated new services in the place where they are active, in Morrinhos 4, a needy community of Guaruja, shore of Sao Paulo. The Magic Bag (Bolsa Mágica) Project began last July, when it was enabled at a communitarian library.
The Magic Bag Project functions thus: after a bag (a backpack) has been bought, each week a surprise book is put inside the bag. At each meeting, a child is chosen by chance and takes a specially chosen book. It will read the book with the family and register its impressions of all about the work. The child that was chosen on Sunday, takes the bag home, and makes the commitment of reading the book, must not tell anyone the story, but may ask for help from its parents to read the book with it.
On the following meeting, the child returns and is invited to narrate the story, telling what it has read, if it liked it or not. It will report what it thought of the book, what was its understanding of its message. Then, the reading is done of another book with all the children, so that the group talks and explores the topic of the reading. Then, a playful activity is conducted, with drawing, games, etc. Also a souvenir is offered to each child (a pencil, eraser, notebook, a piece of chalk, a drawing to color, etc.) as a way to encourage study.
The Network-of-Light groups of Guaruja and Santos chose the work of encouragement to reading also as a way to work values, critical sense, seeking to awaken a new look to the world, showing how it is possible, with little actions, to imporove the life and quality of interpersonal relations.
Involving others
The initiative has expanded so much that other people, who are not part of the Network-of-Light have donated children books and comics, collaborating with the task. The activity takes place on Sundays, at the “Sacred Room of Christic Charity”, where are also given educational support classes on Saturday.
“I have been participating in this activity, and I see how the children feel attracted by stories and tales. Their perception and their purity find a great resonation in children tales”, expressed Rosi Freitas, of the Network-of-Light of Guaruja. “In one of these meetings, the summary of the book “The Sower” (O Semeador) was made, and we began to talk about good seeds. Each child gave an example of a good seed: not to hit anyone, not to swear, to obey, to respect, etc. We had enchanting answers. I became impressed with their perceptions of “good sowing”, although they are inserted in a social-economic context of great difficulty”, admitted Rosi.
Enriching exchange
“I am a teacher and have always been involved in service activities, whether with children or animals. Since when I worked in the Kingdoms Sector, at the Community-of-Light of Figueira, I have brought this task with me up to now. Firstly, what I learned, during this event, is that every task, however small it seems, has a value. When we serve, we are the greatest benefitted. There is a learning in each situation. Each being that passes by us leaves a little of them with us and takes a lot from us. This exchange is fantastic. This teaches us to love and polishes us into not being so quick when judging”, declared Andrea Ferreira Melo, of the Network-of-Light of Santos.
She stated that “the little task we are developing in Guaruja really arose from our need to serve. Little time is left in the face of the daily tasks and chores, but we learn that, in service to our fellow being, we cease to live only for our needs and we begin to be more grateful for so many blessings”, she concluded.
To learn more, get in touch with
redeluzsaopaulo@fraterinternacional.org
