2 July 2009
The sound of postcards dropping through the letterboxes of the powerful is being heard time and time again in northern Brazil.
It’s part of a major campaign organised by a Tearfund partner to help residents living in the Amazon city of Maraba.
The problem is a lack of sanitation and its impact on the poorest sectors of the 200,000-strong community, notably those of Grota Criminosa who live on the city’s river edge.
As well as suffering constant flooding, the area’s inhabitants are often hit by illness related to a lack of sanitation and clean drinking water.
Tearfund partner Fale, which means `speak out’ in Portuguese, decided to act as its name suggests.
Staff got local churches, particularly young Christians, across the country to fill in postcards entitled `Pray and Send’.
The cards have campaign information, a detachable letter and prayer points.
The letters were sent to a big steel company based in Maraba, whose activities were seen as contributing to the flooding.
The firm was encouraged to assess the ecological situation and invest in the development of the area, notably sanitation and environmental education projects.
Fale also organised meetings with political and religious leaders and encouraged dialogue with the state and federal governments.
One meeting secured the support of a senator in the Brazilian National Congress, who signed the Pray and Send card and is now acting as a mediator between the campaigners and the company.
The campaign is still going on and also aims to raise awareness among Christians about wider social issues and encourage them to mobilise elsewhere as well.
• Please pray for a successful outcome to Fale’s campaign, one which improves the lives of Maraba’s poorest residents.
• Praise God for touching the heart of the senator to use his influence to act on behalf of the campaigners.
• Pray for the further commitment of policymakers to widening access to water and sanitation.
• Pray for greater participation by the Brazilian church in advocating for the social rights of the population.
• Pray for the Fale network to spread in other parts of Brazil.