Our hearts break for the disaster victims and their families

Normally I do not include news stories or so-called “bad” stuff in my blog. Qualidade de Vida is meant to be a celebration of Brazil in all its manifestations, along with some story telling about Luiz and my life here.

But the horror of the floods and mudslides in the mountain communities not too far from our home makes me feel negligent in not acknowledging this tragedy.  Continuing with the happy dance that is my blog during this time seems to place me in a parallel universe.  It doesn’t feel right.

So I do want to mention that Luiz and I, along with our family and friends have been deeply moved by this tragedy (which continues as the rain still falls).  Some of our friends have family living in the affected areas who have been impacted, some horribly so.

You can visit this photo essay to get a greater understanding of how tragic this situation is.

This article offers a host of ways you can help with material aid or by making a bank deposit to an assistance organization.