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Maria de Fátima
Barbosa da
Silva:
“Jesus has been
waiting for us
for millennia
and we can no
longer reject
his invitation”
Our fellow
Spiritist from
Brazil’s
north-eastern
state of Alagoas
talks about her
experience in
the organisation
of a week-long
Spiritist event
held annually in
one of the main
squares of the
city of
Arapiraca
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Maria de Fátima
Barbosa da Silva
(photo),
a Spiritist
since 1987, is
one of the
organisers of
the Spiritist
Week of
Arapiraca (known
by the
Portuguese
acronym SEMEAR,
which also means
TO SOW). She was
born in the
city, in
Brazil’s Alagoas
state, where she
is a member of
the Fifth
Regional
Spiritist
Council of Alagoas. Maria
de
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Fatima, a
retired
economist, talks
in this
interview about
the organisation
of the event.
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Tell us about
the idea of
holding the
Spiritist Week
of Arapiraca.
How did it come
about and what
has been the
impact of the
event?
In November
2012, the Fifth
Regional Council
gathered for the
first time the
five biggest
Spiritist Groups
in the city. The
meeting was very
successful and
Luiz Geraldo,
president of one
of the Spiritist
Centres at the
time, launched
the idea, the
challenge, of
organising the
first Spiritist
Week of
Arapiraca.
Everyone
approved the
idea and we all
began working on
it. The first
Spiritist Week
of Arapiraca (SEMEAR)
was held from
April 18th
to 20th,
2013. Its main
theme was “From
Jesus to Kardec,
building a new
epoch”. The
event has since
had a big impact
in disseminating
Spiritism to a
wider public,
breaking
barriers and
defeating
prejudice.
You have held
two editions of
SEMEAR. Are you
planning a third
one?
Absolutely. But
we still need to
choose a date
for the event in
2015. As it is
held in an open
space, in a city
square, we will
pick a week in
the months of
March or April,
when it usually
does not rain in
this region.
What was your
strategy to get
all the
Spiritist
Centres on
board, to engage
them in the
project?
We had monthly
meetings to
discuss the
proposal behind
the event. Each
month the
meeting was
hosted by one of
the Spiritist
Centres
involved, so
that everyone
felt they were
an active part
of the Spiritist
Week. Those
monthly meetings
also helped us
strengthen the
ties of
affection
between us and
to understand
that we are all
serving a higher
purpose. After
all, we are all
ONE Spiritist
Group.
How many people
are involved in
the
organisation?
We have a very
united group of
volunteers, who
are fully aware
that they are
working on
behalf of Jesus.
They are at
moment 50 people
from seven local
Spiritist
Groups.
What has been
the impact of
holding the
event in one of
the city’s
squares?
We were not
aware that
holding the
Spiritist Week
in an open
square would
have such a big
impact. After
all, it is the
only such
Spiritist event
in Alagoas
state. But our
example is being
followed by
other cities and
towns. We
understand that
the time has
come to “put the
light on its
stand”, or, in
other words, to
share with
everyone the
benefits we get
from the
Spiritist
Teachings. We
need to break
away from the
closed circle of
our homes and
make sure that
everyone has
access to the
beauty and
greatness of
Spiritism.
What would you
like to
highlight from
the organisation
of the event?
The support we
got from the
local
authorities, who
ceded the space
without making
any demands or
imposing
restrictions.
Also, many
Spiritists make
big donations to
cover the costs
of the event.
But I would like
to highlight the
joy and
responsibility
of all of those
involved in the
Spiritist Week.
Everyone sticks
to their agreed
tasks, in an
atmosphere of
true fraternity.
During the
event, we do not
think in terms
of what each
individual
Spiritist Group
is doing. All we
are able to see
is the
collective work
of the
Spiritists of
the city of
Arapiraca. They
are really
putting into
practice the
recommendation
of Jesus: “By
this everyone
will know that
you are my
disciples, if
you love one
another”.
Your final
thoughts,
please.
The first
Spiritist Week
was a landmark
in the history
of Spiritism in
the state of
Alagoas. The
second SEMEAR
consolidated the
experience. I am
certain that the
event will grow
in relevance
every year. And,
attending the
invitation from
the Spiritual
World, we will
carry on sowing
again, and again
and again. To
sow (SEMEAR, in
Portuguese)
endlessly, that
is our
commitment, for
Jesus has been
waiting for us
for millennia
and we can no
longer reject
his loving
invitation.
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