Judy here again, There is just soo......much we have experienced here I can hardly sort it out much less write about it all. I know I will need some time when I return to process the experience before I can do it justice on paper. Tonight I would like to share two experience that have impacted me deeply. Yesterday morning we went to the office of the Secretary of Health where we had close to a 2 hour meeting with the Secretary, who came in specially to meet with us from his vacation and an oncologist. Both men were gracious and very engaged in discussing their health care systems and answering our questions. We all felt very honored. There are some lessons in the provision of community health that we in the USA could learn from the Brazilians. The other awesome outcome of this meeting is that we gave the Brazilian women access to the secretary to discuss their issues that they otherwise would not have had. Later in the daya we visited a daycare/family community center. So far it has been the high point of the trio for me. I will walk you through the building....follow me We walk up to a sunny lime green buiilding with the sounds of children's voices coming from the big open windows. Around the side of the building is a garden with fruit trees planted in alphabetical order. On the roof is a huge blue container to collect and recycle water that is warmed by the sun to use to shower the children. There is also a display describing how to reuse soda bottles. Come back to the front of the building and enter the building itself...On the floor is a box of empty food and drink containers that they center recycles for 2 reais each. The first door on the left is a kitchen where mother can come in to learn to cook. they can also rent the space to cook for parties or bake goods to sell to make money for their families. On the right are bright sunny classrooms of children from babies to about age 4. The sound of saws and hammers is coming from the last room on the rights. Inside two men are working on a piece of furniture made from recycled packing crates. We are told later that these two men were once in prison for drugs but now are working on this to make money for their families. They make a bedroom set out of this wood and then cover it with bright material. A set includes a bed made of palates, mattress, bedding, a chest and a wardrobe all of the same wood and brightly colored fabrics. The set sells for 49 reais ($25) half of which the men keep and half goes to the center. Continuing along on the right is a room where the moms learn to sew tote bags out of recycled bags that come from the military(who in turn have bought about 1,000 bags back from the center. From here we enter the , Lunch room where some children are munching on cookies and being kids. Heading outdoors we see a garden and play yard. On the wall is painted in bright colors PAINT THE STARS AND YOU WILL HAVE THE SKY IN YOUR HANDS(not sure that is a direct quote but close). There are vegetables growing, lettuce growing in hanging recycled soda bottles and an adorable playhouse that the fathers(yes there are some gender issues here) can make to sell as well. Hope you are still with me....the last building houses more craft areas and a teen rooms where the kids are playing checkers. They all greet us with HELLO!when we learned we were Americans. We made our way back to the entrance said a fond fair well. As we walked out the gate people were helping themselves to two boxes of fragrant oranges that someone had dropped off. The woman who runs this organization and is the creative genius has 8 children as well! I hope you enjoyed this magical journey and wish you all could have been with us, I am sorry I cannot attach photos but my IPAD won't cooperate(more likely it's the IPad Operator) Kindest regards from Brazil