Norwegian church sees ministry to Angolan children grow
6/20/2001 News media contact: Linda Bloom · (646) 369-3759 · New York
OSLO, Norway (UMNS) - A program for slum and street children in Angola, financed largely by the United Methodist Church in Norway, has been a success, according to the program's chief executive.
Marilina de Carvalho, who met June 18 with church members in Norway, said the United Methodist schooling program known as POSOCA has grown significantly from its simple goal of teaching kids up to 10 years of age to read and write.
De Carvalho and her husband, recently retired Bishop Emilio de Carvalho of Angola, were official guests at the United Methodist Norway Annual Conference, meeting June 20-24 in Oslo.
With the help of funding from the Norwegian government and ecumenical aid organizations, the United Methodist Church in Norway has raised $2.5 million for the Angolan program during the past decade.
Mrs. de Carvalho said the Angolan church has not passively witnessed thousands of children in misery in the slum districts and on the streets. "Luanda City both was and is probably the only place in Angola that is kept from war and conflicts," she explained. "Today, four million people live in Luanda while the whole country has 11 million inhabitants."
Because of the talent of the children participating, POSOCA was expanded from its simple beginnings. "What started out as a simple alphabetization program has grown into eight primary and secondary schools, seven of them in Luanda and one in Benguela, 40 miles from the capital," she reported.
About 1,800 children and teen-agers are studying in the schools, including 60 street children with no family or adult support. Most of the schools also offer training in gymnastics, carpentry, shoemaking and tailoring. A Norwegian missionary, Randi Jansen, initiated a rotating library service.
Mrs. de Carvalho stressed that church attendance is not mandatory, although many choose to go "as the Christian message touches their hearts through the Bible teaching classes in school." A boy who used to live on the streets is preparing for seminary, while others have become Sunday school teachers or are engaged in the Angolan church's youth organization.
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Oystein Brinch of Norway provided information for this story.
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