My Little Playmate

If I could have captured the moment when my mother and sister slowly walked to the gate of Cadec and questioned whether Stefani and Vivia were really walking in the street to go home alone, I could have dumped out every photo in my mother's iphone. Nothing was more expressive than the cultural shock they experienced in that moment when they quietly watched, not saying it was wrong or right.... only visibly touched.

My sister didnt know a word of portuguese and the kids knew nothing of english but somehow the connection was stronger than any other first time connection my sister has built back home. They followed her, and hugged her and loved her(especially this my little Andres from the photo)and Amanda adored it. So did mommy and I. I was proud of how warm my little monkeys were to my family.

My family, so clearly out of place in the rural slums of Terra Vermelha, fell right into the warmth that is Cadec. They loved them. If my sister was there a week longer, shed have herself a Brazillian boyfriend too! Parting was difficult on all sides, but there is something universal that my sister learned here-love and friendship. There is no pretense here, these children wear their heart on their sleeves and I'm sure my sister appreciated a break from the cold. Who wouldn't. I had her sit with the kids in the heat for a while and do the activities they had to do to see what the life is like. She was a little uncomfortable at first but she was sorrounded by smiling faces. You learn soon that these smiling faces could coax you into anything.

Do you remember the childhood handgame, my little playmate? It was ringing in my head the whole time I watched Amanda and Andres play...words can not describe how far their worlds were apart but nothing would stand in the way of this fun. You don't need a rainbow or a dolly....not if this love thing lasts...

"My little playmate, come out and play with me
and bring your dolly three
climb up my apple tree
slide down my rainbow
into my cellar door
and we'll be jolly friends
forever more, forever more.


I'm sorry playmate
I can not play with you
My dolly has a flu
Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
I have no rainbow
I have no cellar door
but we'll be jolly friends
forever more, forever more..."