Students learn about the lives of children in Brazil

by Linsey Heiser news editor

After watching the Brazilian film, "Central Station," students in Anne lskrant's Visions of Other Cultures in Film class, beard about real life problems in Brazil from guest speaker, Susan Rhoads, who spoke to them on March 30. •

The film, "Central Station" focuses on a young boy whose mother is killed in front of Rio de Janeiro's Central Station. He is befriended by a woman who commits to returning him to his father in Brazil's remote Northeast. In conjunction with the film, Rhoads' talk centered on how she has helped the children in Brazil.

Rhoads previously worked in marketing and sales for Varig Airlines and has made approximately 45 trips to Brazil.

Rhoads was moved by the some 25 million street children in the cities of Brazil. _"My first trip down was an eye-opener,"

Rhoads said.

Rhoads wanted to make a difference in many of the children's lives so she convinced adoption agencies to fund an orphanage, called Casa Limiar. The children had food and rules to follow in the orphanage, which they were not used to. Many of the children, who were toddlers, had been abused and had special needs. They would live in the orphanage for six months and then be transported to the U.S. After living in the U.S. for awhile,