ONE: Rachel Corina Alvarez

Rachel Corina Alvarez

A challenge I overcame:Living as a Mexican in the U.S.A.

A dream for my future: Continue to love God by loving people

A hope for the global community: To end human slavery around the world!!

Rachel Alvarez, wow what a wonderful person, full of love and talent and warmth, a great person to wander the streets with as she has a beautiful way with people and will chatter away easily to anyone. 

Mexican-American, Rachel is a knowledgeable and sensitive social worker with a lot of experience in human trafficking, both in the US and Cambodia, and is also a really brilliant photographer.  Rachel came to Medinadança to work alongside Rita in the social work aspect of the project, spending time within the house and also with families and with local authorities, getting to know the Brazilian systems and sharing her knowledge with Rita. 

One video that Rachel shared with me early on that impressed me with its clear presentation of how girls living in poverty can alter the future for themselves, their communities and future generations, The Girl Effect:

 

 

Having been in Brazil for a few months, both traveling with friends along the north-eastern coast and then volunteering in Belo Horizonte, Rachel arrived into Medina at the end of my first week at the Pink House, still aching from the Dengue she had caught in Belo, and by chance with the same 6 week period of volunteering planned as me.  And how massively glad I was to meet her and have a companion at our home the White House!

From that first weekend when we went a-wandering getting to know the streets of Medina and met the beautiful giggling Nani, I felt Rachel would be a good friend, and 6 weeks on, parting to go our separate ways I believe I’ve made a friend for life that I’m sure to cross paths with again in the future in some corner of the world. 

 

 

We shared so much that when I think of Rachel my mind fills with happy memories and the faces of the friends we made together: stilt-walking with Wellington, hill-sliding giddy with wine and rain with “Jack”, Jefferson and Chirley then later dancing in the bus station, acai with Lauana and Nani, capoeira, the gym, running up that one crazy-steep hill, avocado salads at the White House, pizza, ice-creams, so much cake Rachel couldn’t have any more sugar for a day or two.... and chat, ideas, ideas and more chat!

Plus there was all the creative work we shared, from our first brainstorming sessions that first weekend after meeting the sculptor Juan Carlos and the wee lads in the street, through our face-painting and photography collaboration with Luana and Nani, to all the work on and around the mural.  Rachel produced two amazing videos to show at the “O Seu Olhar” presentation on the 8^th. (Hopefully I can get a hold of copies to add here to the blog??)

Rachel was also a great person to share the difficult moments with and talk through any concerns and worries.  A Christian not affiliated with any one specific church, I learned a lot from Rachel about personal relationship to God and enjoyed singing along to uplifting worship songs when things were feeling tough.

 

 

 

Rachel, thank you so so much for all that we shared.  You’re a wonderful person, a beautiful human being and a really brilliant friend.  I’m so grateful that our paths crossed in Medina and hope that they will cross again in the not-too-distant future!  Wishing you peace and happiness in all your upcoming adventures.

With huge love,

:-)