Who founded
“Nosso Lar” in
Barretos and
when?
My father-in-law, Wlademir
Fernandes de Oliveira, known
as Pita, a charity champion,
founded the organisation
with a group of friends on
January 8th1983.
It has its own
headquarters.
What is its main target?
To promote moral education
and spiritual development
through the study and
practice of Spiritism on its
three main aspects:
religious, philosophical and
scientific, as explained in
the codification of Allan
Kardec. Also to provide
assistance and social
development of our brothers
and sisters through groups
focused on strengthening
family and community links.
To take part and encourage
training and education
courses, preparing people to
join the work market. And to
provide assistance to people
in the community in arts,
education, sports, leisure
and health, according to
their needs.
How many families do you
help on average every
month?
We help currently some 150
families in the community
living around our
organisation. We offer
assistance that will help
improve human beings in many
ways. One of the projects we
have is called Additional
Income. The seamstresses
make tea towels and the
income from the sale goes to
them.
How do you integrate that
social work with teaching
Spiritism?
The basic principles of
Spiritism are at the core of
all the activities we have
here. We always convey
messages of peace, respect,
fraternity, forgiveness etc.
And we also have our regular
study groups of Spiritism,
with weekly talks, courses
and counseling (or fraternal
assistance).
Is there any particular
story from all these years
that you would like to share
with us?
I could mention many facts
and stories, because where
we put Spiritism into
practice and understand it
we generate facts that make
us always strong and
contribute towards our moral
transformation and help us
control our bad tendencies.
What aspect do you highlight
from the all the activities
you carry out at Nosso Lar?
Without a doubt, the
dissemination of Spiritism.
Is there anything else you
would like to add?
As Spiritists, we must be
thankful to God, Jesus,
Kardec and others who
provided us with the basis
to get us out of our comfort
zone in order to make sure
the Gospel of Jesus can be
well understood and lived by
humankind. I would like to
leave you with these words
from Chapter XX of The
Gospel According to
Spiritism:
“Oh, true adepts of
Spiritism . . . you are
God's chosen ones! Go forth
and preach the Divine Word.
The time has come when you
should sacrifice your
habits, your work, and your
futile occupations to its
dissemination. Go forth and
preach! The elevated Spirits
are with you.”
