"Sankofa"- The Memorial of PRECE

I have the great fortune of working with what I believe to be the most beautiful and inspiring educational movement in the world, PRECE, and right now I have the privilege of working with a team to develop the “Memorial of PRECE”. I also have the great fortune of being raised by two very organized A-type personalities which have morphed me in to some strange strand of overly organized, at times OCD, A-type personality. Unfortunately, sometimes my overly organized self seems to work in stark contrast to the fluidity and relaxed nature of PRECE. This past week was full of meetings that I can only describe with one word- "AHHHHHHHHHHH"! But, on Saturday morning my OCD dissolved as I watched the beauty of 200 Precistas joining together to begin work on the “Memorial of PRECE”.

The morning began with photos and video clips of PRECE over the past 16 years. The Precistas laughed, cried and reflected in amazement at how far they had come. Some of the skinny young teenagers in the pictures were hardly recognizable compared to the adults they have now become. And, then the “Original 7” took to the stage and began to talk about their experience in 1994 when the idea of PRECE was just beginning to take shape. They reflected on the encouragement and motivation Prof. Manoel Andrade provided for them, the love and warmth with which Dona Francisca welcome them, and the struggles of studying without money, food, resources or school supplies. They had nothing but an old farm house, the dream within them, the support from one another and the encouragement from visionaries. Their trials were great, but they quickly discovered that they had all that they needed within themselves and within the loving support of others who believed in them. And, their determination to overcome obstacles set the stage for so many to follow.

The “Original 7” has now grown in to a movement of thousands. More than 400 PRECE students have entered the university, hundreds of young children are participating in the cooperative schools PRECE operates on the weekends, countless families have been impacted, communities and small economic projects are being developed, and now the PRECE methodology is being systematized so that it can be distributed to other communities around the state of Ceará. What would have happened if those “Original 7” had given up, had decided that the challenge was too great, had not had the vision to improve their futures and the future of their region?

During the afternoon the Precistas each had the opportunity to share their own life stories and to learn the stories of others. As they shared stories they recognized that their story and their struggle were not unique, but rather they could see themselves in the stories of others. They all lived a shared reality of trials, determination, faith and a dream for a brighter tomorrow. And, together they are overcoming the trials and making the dream come true.

When I studied theology at Emory I was blessed to take two classes on “African Women’s Liberation Theology” with Mercy Amba Oduyoye and Elizabeth Amoa. It was in these classes that I was introduced to the Adrinka Symbol SANKOFA (from the Akan language of Ghana). Translated, Sankofa means to “return and get it”. If we don’t know our history and our past we will never be able to develop our future. The “Memorial of PRECE” is doing exactly this. We are creating this memorial so that everyone will be able to reflect on PRECE's past- the beginning, the journey, the accomplishments- in order to create a brighter future.