Cuiabá (Brazil). From September 21st to 23rd 2018 Mato Grosso, Cuiabá hosted the formative meeting of five religious congregations, among which the FMA Institute, to give birth in this city to the network A cry for life. This network was born in Brazil eleven years ago and involved 27 units, present in 23 states and in the Federal District.
Two women religious took part who are members of the National Coordination based in Manaus, Sr. Valmi Bohn, DP and Sr. Roselei Bertoldo, ICM, along with the religious of five congregations, lay people, and professionals interested in the proposal.
The meeting took place on the afternoon of 21 September in the house of the Sisters of Divine Providence and on 22 and 23 September in the Provincial House of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in the Province of Our Lady of Peace (BCB). Sister Antonia Brioschi, the Provincial, encouraged the participants, underlining the importance of this very current project, as indeed, is confirmed by the data recorded by the Government in Mato Grosso on cases of human trafficking.
During the meeting there was the presentation of the situation of the country and the world, group work, discussion, proposals, presentation of training material including the book ‘The Disappearance of Carolina’ and the film ‘Angels Alone’ on the subject of child trafficking.
The goal of the network A cry for life is to deal with the trafficking of human beings, denouncing the trafficking of children, young people, men, and women for sexual exploitation and other forms including forced labor, illegal adoption, domestic servitude, child labor, theft, organ trafficking, and drugs.
The regional and national coordination of the Network is to promote awareness and information, the organization of reflection and study groups on human trafficking, participation, and social and political mobilization. It is a concrete solidarity action of the Conference of Religious of Brazil (CRB), formed by religious and lay volunteers.
The activities in Brazil are integrated with the “Talitha Kum” continental network, a world organization existing in 70 countries, formed by the Superiors General of Catholic religious Congregations.
On 23 September, on the occasion of the celebration of the World Day for the Fight against Human Trafficking, the Local Center in Cuiabá was born, at the Sisters of Divine Providence of the Little Sisters of the Immaculate, the Missionary Sisters of the Good Jesus, and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in collaboration with the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Castres, and professionals committed to the cause of life in the field of communication, education, and base ecclesial communities (CEB).
