Casa de Nazaré
Sr Izabel co-ordinates Casa de Nazaré social centre. Casa de Nazaré is very important for the families who live in the neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Nossa Senhora de Fátima Parish, where the Marist Sisters’ community is located in the city of Ji-Paraná.
Casa de Nazaré was born out of the need of the poor and the mission of Sister Antonia Onali. When the community in Ouro Preto D’Oeste, in Rondônia, closed, Sister Antonia came to live in Ji-Paraná. It was a short time after the Ji-Paraná community had left the square of the São José Church, in the centre of the city’s second district, and moved to the outskirts. Sr Antonia visited the families and listened to their pain. In response, together with the Marist community, she created the Casa de Nazaré.
Sister Herosina coordinated the House of Nazareth for several years and Sister Izabel took over after Herosina and continues in this mission to this day. Volunteers ensure the cleanliness of the centre and food for the children. Social workers offer support at school, play with the children in the playground, do group activities, conversation circles, capoeira (Afro-Brazilian Martial Arts) computer science and other work with the children and adolescents.
