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The
Ark of Love
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Brief history |
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Four
basic observations prompted the idea for the Ark of Love:
1. Need of
a Vision |
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| 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." |
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2. Creating
a Partnership |
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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. |
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Teaching Love First! |
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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! |
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| 4.
Being Playful |
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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. |
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| 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), Curitiba (Brazil), Lima (Peru), Bogotá (Colombia), Medellin (Colombia), La Paz (Bolivia)... | ||||||
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