Four basic observations prompted the idea for the Ark of Love:
1. Need of a Vision.
Poor and abandoned children need to develop a spiritual vision of themselves. Merely providing food, clothing, a roof over their head, medical services, and a basic education allows them to survive; but these humanitarian measures rarely enable the children to permanently and profoundly change their life, and these growing children often carry their helplessness and frustration into their later years. To change children's destiny, we must guide them to broaden their mind to their unlimited possibilities as a soul, and help them realize their mission here on earth.
As César, an ex-homeless child from our group in São Paulo put it, "many of my friends died even after receiving [humanitarian] assistance, because those [traditional] institutions did not pay attention to the dreams that each one of us poor kids had."
2. Creating a Partnership.
As long as we treat poor children as helpless, bad, or dependent creatures, we are enslaving them in their condition. A healthier attitude is to treat each child as a co-creator, a partner in the education process, and a potential teacher. Our role as adults is simply to be loving guides in the background, not omniscient directors of all their activities. Through our love, patience, creativity, and unconditional support, gradually the children will develop their own self-corrective course. And they will pass it on to other children.
3. Teaching Love First!
There will never be peace in our heart, in our communities, and in the world until we teach children to appreciate and love all religions.
Most religious institutions which are supposed to impart this spiritual education only provide a seriously one-sided, if not outright fanatical, vision of religion which has inevitably led to the spread of intolerance, abuse, and unending conflicts. As Jonathan Swift once said, "We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another." Let us now try to teach all-encompassing love, for a change!
4. Being Playful.
Spirituality or life values can never be taught effectively to children through lectures or moral lessons. It needs to be fun, exciting, and creative. No one remembers sermons, but a story, a game, a song, or a vision says with us for ever.
This is why it is important to use wisdom tales, sacred chants, religious festivals, sacred dances, religious plays, teaching games, sacred arts, metaphors, meditation, etc. as the main vehicle for moral and spiritual lessons.
Based on these principles, teams of volunteers started their joyful work in São Paulo in 2001. Then as I continued my travels around the world, the idea of this ARK OF LOVE slowly spread to Brasilia (Brazil), Lima (Peru), Bogotá (Colombia), Medellín (Colombia), La Paz (Bolivia)..
Values
To help develop confidence and self-reliance in people living in risks, we share the following twelve core values in a creative variety of ways:
Love and respect - for life, for diversity, for the Divine in all creatures and manifestations.
Honesty and sincerity - to ensure that are thoughts, words and actions are congruent and transparent.
Tolerance, respect and appreciation - for the rich diversity of authentic and constructive religions, visions, and beliefs, in order to promote the welfare and harmony of the world.
Responsibility - to learn the personal, local, and global consequences of our thoughts, words, and actions.
Endurance and perseverance - to always do the best we can, fearlessly and lovingly, and to calmly face all difficulties of life.
Compassionate detachment and service - to be highly aware of the suffering of others and trying the most we can to alleviate their pain, but without making it our problem to solve it.
Trust and faith - to know that people always do the best they can according to their present circumstances and inner resources.
Humility and service - to serve all without seeking to attract attentions to ourselves, focusing more on fulfilling our responsibilities and duties than in demanding our rights.
Commitment and discipline - to develop our will-power in order to fulfill our highest dreams and aspirations.
Purity - of mind, speech, body, and environment. To respect our body, mind, and planet.
Interdependence and unity - to foster solidarity and cooperation in order to replace the prevalent destructive model of individualism and competition. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “If we do not learn to live together like brothers, we will die together like fools.”
Communication and conflict resolution - to learn tools and strategies to resolve all conflicts without violence and promote peace.
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