Music therapist encourages churches
to work with disabled

Music therapist Lúcia da Silva Figueiredo working with a pupil at Ambientasom. Photo: BS Brazil/Eduardo César (BRA03DJ-3.JPG)

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Integrating the disabled into mainstream society, giving them a sense of their own value and bringing them into contact with the Word of God are the key factors that have motivated music therapist Lúcia da Silva Figueiredo in the 12 years since she founded an organisation for disabled people. In the last few years, she has placed particular emphasis on involving churches in this ministry.

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Ms Figueiredo began what was to become her life’s work by giving lessons to visually impaired people. Recognising that, with support, her pupils and others like them could both learn and contribute much more and achieve much greater social inclusion, she set up Ambientasom, which operates under the slogan, “Praise the Lord through the contribution of each.” The organisation offers classes in literacy, sign language, music, religion and the arts, which have made a significant difference to the lives of many children with various types of disability.

17-year-old Tiago Leitão, for example, has hearing difficulties. Through attending Ambientasom, he has moved much closer towards the “environmental integration” which Ms Figueiredo feels is so important for the disabled. He is particularly interested in geography, and now hopes to study tourism at college. Other elements of his education at Ambientasom have included studying the Bible, with which he admits he was not familiar at all before he began attending classes there.

Josefa Diogo dos Santos, who is 33 and deaf, was persuaded to attend Ambientasom by Florentina Rego Santos Reis, who is also deaf and works in an informal outreach capacity for the organisation. In the year since she started attending, Ms Santos has begun learning sign language and has become much more independent.

For 18-year-old Ivan Hespanhol Ribeiro Rodrigues, who has Down’s Syndrome, coming to Ambientasom has provided an opportunity to develop his musical abilities. He now both learns to play the drums and gives lessons to others. For his mother, Rosa, this is nothing less than “a dream come true”.

Ivan Hespanhol Ribeiro Rodrigues, who has Down’s Syndrome, gives a music lesson. Photo: BS Brazil/Eduardo César (BRA03DJ-4.JPG)

Bible resources

Over the years, Ms Figueiredo has become increasingly determined to secure the involvement of the churches in the social integration and spiritual education of the disabled. She devotes much time to visiting churches, often taking pupils with her, to make them aware that such a ministry can be undertaken with relatively modest resources. She now offers churches training, and encourages them to think creatively about using their existing facilities and expertise.

One of the resources used by Ambientasom’s teachers for religious education classes is the Bible Society of Brazil’s Bible Adventures collection of illustrated Bible stories. As with a range of other materials, the illustrations have been specially adapted so that people with visual disabilities can ‘see’ them by touch.

All these elements come together to create an atmosphere in which the disabled can finally exercise their rights of citizenship. As Ms Figueiredo points out, “the difficulties and the disabilities are ours, not theirs.”