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Interview Portuguese Spanish    
Year 4 - N° 187 – December 5, 2010
ORSON PETER CARRARA 
orsonpeter@yahoo.com.br 
Matão, São Paulo (Brasil)
Translation
Leonardo Rocha - l.rocha1989@gmail.com

 
Mara Marques Sucena de Almeida:

“We can’t change the world, but we can change ourselves”

The Spiritist researcher from the Brazilian state of São Paulo says the use of images can play an important role in
classes and lectures.

 

Mara Marques Sucena de Almeida (photo) has been a Spiritist since the age of 16. She was born in the city of Itapevi and lives now in the city of São Paulo. She works at the Spiritist Centre Mãos Unidas, focusing mostly on healing and on teaching the Doctrine to young people aged 13 to 17. In this interview, she talks about her experience with teenagers, about the teaching techniques available in various Spiritist Centres and about the responsibility of parents and educators. 

O Consolador: Tell us about your experience teaching Spiritism to children and young people. When did you begin teaching? 


Even though I began a long time ago, I always feel like there is always something missing. There is an endless search for new teaching technique and methods, as the interest from young people really seems to be dwindling the more material progress the world achieves. We are forced to try new things. I have been teaching the Spiritist Doctrine for 19 years now. I have considered stopping, retiring, but I feel I have a commitment with teaching. 

O Consolador: What criteria do you use in the preparation of classes for children and teenagers? 

Our programme is prepared by a team who is always recycling their knowledge with the aim of meeting the demands of our times. The criteria changes according to age and to the recommendations from the latest researches in Psychology 

O Consolador: You are engaged in the Projeto Imagem (www.projetoimagem.com.br), which has produced a number of images to illustrate the main novels of the Spiritist Doctrine. What have you learned from that experience? 

Projeto Imagem has selected three books for young people to be illustrated, but our experience shows that we can reach children and teenager through some of the illustrations produced for other books, the works of André Luiz, Emmanuel and others. That works mainly for those above the age of 12 and, of course, depending on the issue we are talking about. 

O Consolador: After all these years researching and making notes on the main books of Spiritism, what message do you think the Spiritual World has been trying to convey? 

I have noticed, above all, their concern in making us understand the need to work hard alongside the forces of Good. All the stories, the novels and the experiences from the Spiritual World and described in so much detail, especially those in the books of André Luiz, are full of valuable teaching for those who want to learn. The illustrations produced by Projeto Imagem are also a big help. 

O Consolador: What has been the reaction of the public to the use of sound and images in your lectures? 

Very positive. Those who come for the first time are surprised by how much easier it becomes to visualise, understand and memorise the information from the books. Many leave talking about re-reading those books. And there is plenty of praise for the designers – well deserved praise, I must say, as the images they produce are just beautiful and very moving. 

O Consolador: What is the main advantage of producing images during the presentations? 

People concentrate a lot more, they pay more attention to what we are saying. That is even clearer when there is interaction with the public – in the classes, for example. Having a presentation with images and a script to follow, you are also guaranteed to avoid diversions. 

O Consolador: This has been a good year for Spiritism, with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the great medium and benefactor, Chico Xavier. What should be done to make the most of the momentum in order to encourage the study of the basic works of the Doctrine? 

I believe it is down to each one to do something about it. The will to act must be in the present, not in the future.  Obviously, new resources will help, such as the Internet and the illustrations made available by Projeto Imagem. 

O Consolador: Tell us about the presentation of the works of André Luiz at the Spiritist Centre André Luiz. 

I was invited by this renowned Spiritist Centre to make a presentation there of the new images produced by Projeto Imagem. It was a memorable and beautiful moment. The beauty and the value of the teachings of André Luiz became very clear to me. 

O Consolador: What else would you like to add? 

I would like to highlight the importance of the evangelisation, of teaching the Doctrine to children and teenagers in all Spiritist Centres. Also, the parents must be aware of their responsibility. Their children are like a field on loan from God. They must make sure that the seeds they sow will germinate and bear fruits. 

O Consolador: Your final words… 

Let us understand that, even though we are not able to change the world or anyone else, we can change ourselves and thus provide an example to others, so that they also realise the need to improve. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” said Jesus. Let us work for that!


 

 


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O Consolador
 
Weekly Magazine of Spiritism