Sintra & Oriental Branches, Portugal / January 2012 - Contributor: Jose Antonio Silva Araujo, Sintra Branch Master

The toys and books we collected

Once again, solidarity and a strong sense of social responsibility and willing to help, spoke higher than the actual social and economical crisis. Despite the harsh times with which Portugal struggles such as unemployment, bankrupt families without money to pay essential needs like food, kids' education and health, Sintra and Oriental Branches', in a joint action along with Real Sport Clube (host of Sintra Branch Doin) collected clothes, school supplies and toys, for underprivileged children and adults. Like in previous years, these donations were delivered at Obra da Imaculada Conceicao, a catholic congregation runned by nuns which supports and welcomes orphan and/or family miss abused children.

My wife Filomena, Fauto Carrico sensei and nuns from Imaculada Conceicao

This small gesture certainly managed to bring some sort of happiness to the most unprotected and the ones that least contribute for crisis to occur, the children.

As such, we all aimed to put to practice one of the fundamental teachings of Kaiso So Doshin: "Live half for your own happiness and half for the happiness of others". As long as this teaching remains true, and in what concerns Sintra and Oriental Branches', along with Real Sport Clube, we will keep practicing this "parallel" and paramount part of Shorinji Kempo.

Fausto Carrico and Jose Araujo with the nuns.

 

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