(Sam) Christmas in the sun :o)

Boa Viagem beach in Recife, where we were
for Christmas day!

Immediately after the Christmas party we had to frantically tidy up, organise the project stuff and pack our bags... because we were heading to Recife for Christmas! We got the bus to the airport in the middle of the night, and then just before checking in at the airport we discovered that we didn’t have Claire’s passport - we each thought the other had it!! There wasn't time to travel all the way back to Medina to get it, and we were devastated at the prospect of losing our flights, accommodation and time away that we'd been so looking forward to after the stress and exhaustion of the last few weeks. However (!), fortunately in Brazil they love their forms, and so advised by the man in the airport we just had time to get to the police station, print out an 'official' form certifying Claire’s name and details and get on the plane! I love it – they had no idea if we were lying or not, but it ticked all their boxes and we managed to get to Recife!!!

Outside Sergio's workshop - with him as he got
ready for the Recife Art Exhibition  

The first week we just crashed by the beach and were able to (more or less) switch off and recuperate. It was quite surreal being a tourist in the thin beach strip just in front of where we had spent so long chatting to girls on the street two years ago. Then the second week was quite a hectic timetable of seeing many friends, and catching up with all those who we had imagined we’d be working with. It was great to see some of them now really making progress in their areas of social work and two already setting up projects this year specifically for girls caught in prostitution. Most of our time was spent with Sergio and Adriana – the most wonderfully normal, funny and inspirational couple and a great breath of fresh air. We’re gutted not to be living closer to them. He also makes the most amazing wooden furniture and we wanted to bring it all back with us!

Me in Recife on one of Sergio's
funky wooden chairs!

It was also the sad (not really that sad) farewell to Gus, our old and battered Beetle. He had now completely ceased to function, but by some miracle a friend of a friend decided to buy it for nearly £1000. Amazing!

Claire having a moment with Gus
back in 2010!

We arrived back on Friday night after travelling since two in the morning, and now on Sunday have just travelled again for seven hours (!) to meet Lauren, the dance teacher from England, which was great fun – I can tell we’re going to have a lot of laughs together over the next few months. This week is the last week before our opening on Monday 14th, so it’s going to be full steam ahead!!

(Sam) Pink House Christmas Party

I know it’s already January! but we just wanted to give a quick recap on the Christmas party :o)

After months of preparing the pink house and getting to know the girls individually, the Christmas party on the 21st December was the first time that all of them would be in the Pink House together. The team had been finalized just the week before, which was really exciting since this also meant that they and the girls would all get to meet.

The house was fully decorated with pink, purple and silver tinsel, and a huge pink cake in the living room. As the girls started arriving, there was a lot of excitement, especially as they were now able to go round the house themselves and talk about it with each other. Each time one of us walked into the dance room, we’d find them all giggling and dancing in the mirror.

Rita welcoming the girls at the beginning of the party!

Rita started things off with the real meaning of Christmas, presenting the team and letting the girls know that we were serious about things changing in their lives and about us as a new family seeing their dreams become reality. As the girls then ran loose around the house, there was a wonderful atmosphere of chaotic fun! We had apple bobbing, musical chairs and a chocolate-eating game all happening at once, and as different girls started gradually interacting with each other there was a lot of laughter and some of the tension began to break down.

Santa Sam!

Just a few days before, Leticia had also arrived back in town, which was such a wonderful sight for us, and amazingly she came along to the Christmas party too. Joining together 40 girls of varying backgrounds and emotional wounds however, was bound to cause some tension, but even though there were a lot of looks, comments and a rather ugly fight, Rita was able to set the boundaries that in this house we will work towards becoming one family that grows together.

The girls absolutely loved the food, and the cake, and then right at the end I made a very convincing debut as Santa Claus with a special present and message for each girl! We don’t know what the reality will be in each of their homes this Christmas Day, but we are excited to be starting a New Year in which each girl has the chance to begin a new and very different chapter in her life.