We had our first encounter in the favela (slums). We were given some painting materials and paint and were given some walls to start painting. The people in the favela seemed very grateful for our efforts. Even though we didn't do much (in comparison to how big the favela is) people were really happy that we were there trying to help. They kept coming out asking us to paint their wall but we just did not have the time or means to be able to paint everyones who asked. After we painted a base paint, we used the graffiti cans & other paints and actually painted things on their walls. It was hard for me to accept that people would WANT their front wall painted covered in trees, clouds, birds, hearts, etc. To me it appeared kind of "day care" or childish to have your house covered in things like hearts, clouds and what not and I kept thinking "what if these people would prefer just the solid color and no added pictures?"(we were told to graffiti on the base paint) But as time went on I realized that it was not "daycare ish" at all but the favela itself has its own "culture" and views on what is beautiful. I cannot think about what I myself would consider beautiful (plain, solid paints, no graffiti) but I had to realize that what they consider beautiful is graffiti & images. I grew up in a place where graffiti was used to tag things and not as an art form as much as it is here. They wanted their homes to be painted bright blue and covered with trees and birds and what not! because that is what THEY like and it doesn't matter what I like or think looks nice. That was an eye opener.
I learned that when I step into someone elses community and home, I must serve them in the way they would like to be served, not how I think would be best to serve them. So there we were, painting random walls with different images like flowers and stuff! and the people all stood outside and watched, and asked their walls be painted as well. I learned that if they had the means available, they would love to be able to fix up their community themselves and be more self reliant..but they just don't have anything..
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| this was probably the nicest street in the favela we saw..at least in my opinion. |
two little girls & a boy who were running around the favela playing together. It was amazing how seeing those kids was just an eye opener for me. I feel like a mom in the US typically watches every single step their child takes, protecting them from anything that could possibly hurt them..but on the other side of the world, kids like this are running around with no shoes on dirt roads covered in bricks, rocks, glass, feces, bottles, etc while sewer water runs throughout everything. The mother's let their kids go and they run around, play and come back even in those horribly unsafe, unsanitary conditions. A lot of time they don't have anyone really watching them because their parents are involved with drugs and other addictive substances. I bet these kids were around 2 or 3 years old and they were just running wild & free.
Look at those beautiful dark eyes & eyelashes!
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| the first wall we started working on before we separated |
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| these kids were painting this house and they were loving it. |
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| the final piece of jordan's group wall. |
In all, I would say my first experience in a brazilian favela was a positive one. I was saddened by a lot of things I saw such as the fact that about 90% of the girls who were walking around had a huge pregnant belly, there were plenty of drunks and lots of blood shot eyes. But I also did see wonderful things like LOVE. I saw people outside surrounding a baby and being so happy to see him smile. I saw a grandfather holding his grandson in his lap lovingly. I saw parents throwing a ball to a stray dog while the kids laughed. I saw kids playing soccer in the road. I even saw my little rascal friend covered head to toe in flour and egg. I guess kids are kids no matter where they live! There is sadness in places like this but you can also find happiness there as well.
From what I could see, people were ok with our presence there. I feel like they appreciated our want to make it look a little nicer in there, I feel like many of them were grateful and happy to have us. I would never have entered that area if we had not been with Carbonel or the other people of the community. It wasn't exactly the safest place in the world for a group like us. But I think overall we felt safe there as we watched tons of small kids playing and running around the street. I heard people passing by shouting "gente boa" which means "good people" & I thought either they are telling us that or telling other people in the community not to bother us because we are trying to help.
But one of our roomates Joe, said that he heard a man murmur as he passed saying "Look at these Americans here to see people going hungry." I'm glad I didn't hear that because it would have broken my heart. I did not travel all the way here to see people go hungry. There is poverty everywhere, including the US. I came here because I love Brazil. I came here because I want to learn about the culture, the history. I want to explore new places. Learn new things. I came here to SERVE the community through my internship.
But I did not come here to see anyone go hungry.
