Jocélia Chavier Borges (photo) is a radiology technician from the Brazilian city of Jequié, in the state of Bahia. She lives in Angra dos Reis, where she is a dedicated volunteer worker at the Amor e Caridade (Love and Charity) Spiritist Group. She takes part in their mediumship and study groups. She is also one of the organisers of their events and is in charge of their catering, as she explains in the following interview. 

How did you become a Spiritist?

It was through the pain I’ve suffered in my life.

How is your involvement with the activities of your Spiritist Centre? 

I am very active. I take part in the mediumship meetings and sessions, the study groups and all help organise all your events. 

What aspects of Spiritism strike you the most?

The love, charity and the unity that everyone shows in Spiritism. 

What have you learned from your experience in charge of the kitchen and the catering operations at the Spiritist Group?

I feel an amazing sense of achievement! I feel useful and valuable by working for the Spiritist cause and for Jesus. These have been five very gratifying years, in which I have prepared fundraising functions, like lunches, that have helped us get the money required to build the Spiritist Centre building. 

You are now retired. How has your experience of 33 years working as a medical radiology technician and your knowledge of Spiritism helped you in your contact with patients?

After becoming a Spiritist, I began feeling more empathy for other human beings. I became a more caring person and I started to see patients as brothers and sisters, making a concerted effort to help them as much as I could. 

As a good listener, what has been the most important lesson that you have learned from all these years volunteering at a Spiritist Centre? 

All that I have learned in Spiritism is very important to me. We learn a new lesson every single day. When I studied the works of Ivonne Pereira, the novels dictated by Emmanuel, the Spirit, to the medium, Chico Xavier, and in particular the book Paul and Stephen, I was really touched. And all that has completely changed the way I see my life and the way I now live my life. 

What did the experiences with your patients teach you?

I noticed in many patients a high degree of impatience, anger, lack of empathy, the demand for immediate results and, most of all, a complete lack of faith. In many of them there was simply no hope. You rarely heard anyone mentioning God or Jesus. They were ill not only physically but also spiritually.  

What is the strongest memory you have from all your experience either in your profession or as a Spiritist?

The best memory I have, as a Spiritist, was the moment when I saw that our Spiritist Centre building was ready. In my profession, it was the possibility of training so many technicians in medical radiology. They were both hugely gratifying experiences. 

Please leave us with your final thoughts.

I intend to carry on working hard to help in the dissemination of Spiritism and also to persevere with my learning journey, trying to gather more and more knowledge and wisdom. I will always bear in mind that we must do unto others as we would have them do unto yus. And I will carry on with my daily battles guided by the word of Jesus. That’s what I like to do, to help others, as it brings me so much joy.