Martha Rios Guimarães (photo), known as Marthinha in the Spiritist Movement, is our interviewee this week. She works in the Spiritist education of children and teenagers at the Spiritist Centre Gabriel Ferreira – or Gabi – in São Paulo, and is also a member of the public relations and media team of the specialist publication, O Dirigente Espírita. She talks to us about her remarkable work in those two areas:  How did you become a Spiritist?  I was brought up as a Catholic, and when was a teenager my mother converted to Presbyterianism. I was looking for answers to many questions, as a teenager,  and  began  to do research on

other religions. Thanks to my mother, I couldn’t live without God in my heart. After many attempts, here and there, I was invited by a friend to attend a meeting at a Spiritist Centre. I turned it down, initially, as I mixed up Spiritism with Spiritualism, like many people, but ended up giving in and went to the meeting, where I felt really well, better than ever. I was determined to go back the following week, when one of the volunteer workers asked me to follow her. There was a message from the Spiritual World, a spirit telling me that I had a commitment with Spiritism and a beautiful job to do. He told me my duties were to be carried out elsewhere, not in that particular group. They gave the contacts for five Spiritist Centres and in the last one I felt I was at home and said: “this is where I’m going to be”. That was in the late 80’s, and I’m still working with them as a volunteer.

Tell us a bit your work with young people at the Spiritist Centre Gabriel Ferreira. 

Gabriel Ferreira is the Spiritual Benefactor whom the group is named after. He has often reminded us of the importance of setting up a group to deal specifically with young people. And that is one of our activities there. I believe children and teenagers should be provided with all the information from the doctrine of Allan Kardec, not only the moral and religious aspects of it. We need to provide them with the tools for their challenges in this existence. And we must bear in mind the fact that children and young people are capable of learning much more than many believe. They are fully capable of learning all the aspects of the Doctrine at a young age. We start at the age of four. Allan Kardec was a great educator and his works reflect that. We study at the Spiritist Centre and also encourage them to study at home, do their homework and read. And we set up a Junior Board of the Spiritist Centre, with young people aged from 11 to 17. Amazing ideas come up from there. 

In the light of your experience, how do you think Spiritist Centres should approach the issue of education of young people? 

They must first of all understand the difference between entertainment and Spiritist education for young people. To educate young people into the Doctrine, there must be careful planning by dedicated educators. The department in charge of education of young people must be integrated into the structure of the Spiritist Centre. It can’t be left isolated, as a separate initiative. Everyone must understand the strategic importance also of teaching the Doctrine to young people: we will all benefit in the long run. The main goal must be to make the Spiritist message, in all its aspects – science, religion and moral – available to young people. The pupil must come to the Spiritist Group and feel good there, knowing they will meet people who will respect and understand them. Other attractions, such as snacks and presents, are not forbidden, but must come after the teachings. Material things, which are also important, we know, may be acquired elsewhere. But where else will they learn the Spiritist message? 

What are the main challenges and difficulties concerning the Spiritist education of children and teenagers? 

There are many. The main one is the fact that the educators are not properly appreciated, which lead to many of them giving up. Also, many educators are not well trained and feel insecure. They must be well prepared for the task. With that, they will do a high quality job, with the teachings tailored for each specific group. Another challenge is to get the parents involved, is to get them to do their part in the education of their children. 

Marthinha, you are about to publish your first book. Tell us a bit more about that. 

The book is like a record of all my activities in the education of children and teenagers. I talk about all the main issues, such as planning, how to prepare lessons etc. It’s a very simple and direct guide, which I believe will be very useful to all those working in the same field. 

How much support do you believe you had from the Spiritual World? 

Throughout my experience in the education of young people I have felt the Spiritual Benefactors near me, supporting and directing me. It’s been a rich, moving period of my life, sublime even.

Tell us about your work with the media. Do you think the Spiritist Movement does a good job in that area? 

With a few exceptions, the Spiritist Movement doesn’t do a good job in that area. One of the reasons is we don’t have many journalists working in Spiritist Centres. And many groups don’t even have an allocated sector for PR, or media activities. We need to choose, first of all, the best way of conveying our message. It’s not practical for all institutions to publish their own newsletter. One of the most effective ways of communicating within Spiritist Centres is through public speeches, so we must focus on that and make the best use of those events. As for spreading the Spiritist message outside our groups, we must remember the lesson from the Codifier, who advised us not to impose our faith on anyone. We must, however, introduce it so that those who are interested have the opportunity to learn.  There are two important, separate aspects. First, is the institutional message of Spiritism. We must choose the people to speak on behalf of the Doctrine and prepare them for the job. And second, is how to attract people to Spiritism. We must destroy the stereotypes about Spiritism and show people what we are really about. In the Spiritist Centre Gabriel Ferreira, we have a project called “Spiritism in the Streets”: we “forget” Spiritist books in public places, such as the underground, buses, shopping centres, so people find them and read them. 

Your final thoughts…. 

I must thank you for the opportunity to hear my views. And I must use this opportunity to thank all of those who opened their arms and embraced me in the Spiritist Movement. I can’t imagine a better or more fraternal world unless we share our experiences, adding what we have learned to what other people who’ve passed through our lives have learned.