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GLOBETROTTING
24th ISSUE - SUMMER 2000
SPONSORED BY TYCO INTERNATIONAL, LTD. "THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE DEVOTION TO MOTION WORLD TOUR" DESTINATION - BRAZIL
Welcome friends as we circle the globe in search
of more effective ways to improve the quality of life. During our
journey we will explore various forms of complementary medicines and
share our findings with you. We will also address accessibility issues
and investigate more convenient options to ease the never ending
pressures of traveling. In each issue, Globetrotting will have a
special section created for today’s youth with an emphasis on
educating children and teens on the historical facts of each country.
Finally, each issue will contain two trivia questions and some popular
words and/or phrases from each country. For more updated news, diary
entries, in-depth research results, and pictures from our journey,
please visit our website, www.d2motion.com.
We hope you will enjoy the path we have chosen!!
D2M TRIVIA QUESTION #1
What country produces the world’s greatest amount of oranges?
COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
High on the green plateaus of Goiás state in central Brazil is a small village called Abadiânia where one of South America’s most fascinating healers performs miracles. Everyone from Shirley MacLaine and Janet Leigh to congressmen, priests, nuns, the poor, etc. have sought or are continuing to seek the gifts of Joâo Teixeira da Faria, commonly referred to as Joâo de Deus (John of God) to the locals. He performs physical surgery and psychic healing better known as "psychic surgery" and calls upon spiritual entities to guide him through his work. Though not too much of his work has been documented, many people have said that he operates and heals more people in one day than a large Western hospital achieves in one month. It is said that when traveling and performing his work for three days out of a week, he heals as many as 25,000 people. Volunteers assist him with his work and he does not charge any fees for his services. Pretty impressive! Having studied psychic surgery in both the Philippines and Australia, it is very difficult to express a belief or a disbelief. You see, there have been many psychic surgeons who have been proven to be hoaxes or scams while there are others like Joâo who welcome visitors from all walks of life, especially the medical community, to observe and video his work. Many skeptics say that it is all a placebo effect and that these psychic surgeons are merely magicians who work very well and very quickly with their hands. While watching them perform their surgeries, you find yourself closely examining their every move, looking for some evidence that it is not real and that the patient is simply tapping into his or her own healing ability or in other words, the placebo effect. So what should we do? Does it matter how many people are being healed or do we need evidence as to what is actually transpiring during these psychic surgeries? Let’s learn more about Joâo and his miracles. At the young age of 16, he dedicated his life to healing the sick. Many people close to him say that he was given a gift to help others and that it is not hereditary. He focuses on one’s spirit, the past lives of one’s spirit, free will, karma, the good and bad that exist in our lives, and one’s energy field. This is what many of the complementary healers focus their work on today that is believed to connect with the physical body. The principal entity that Joâo carries is that of Dom Inácio, after he received a vision from him while walking through a small valley near his home. The center where he performs many of his miracles when he is not traveling is known to Brazilians as "Casa de Dom Inácio" (the House of Dom Inácio). He has 33 other entities that he can take on at any time he needs to that range from deceased doctors, surgeons, healers, psychologists, and theologians. It is said that when he first began at the age of 16, he took on the spirit of King Solomon, and is still working with him today. For more information on Joâo Teixeira da Faria and the House of Dom Inácio please write to Robert Pellegrino-Estrich at P.O. Box 965, Double Bay, NSW, 2028, Austrailia. He is also the author The Miracle Man: The Life Story of Joâo de Deus, published by Triad Publishers.
NOTE: If you or anyone in your circle of friends
are connected with any healer or complementary/alternative medical
practitioner around the world who you would like us to research or
visit, please E-mail us: chesney12@comcast.net
D2M TRIVIA QUESTION #2
What country is the largest producer of coffee?
ACCESSIBILITY
Before we actually landed in Brazil, we were warned by many people about the dangers of traveling t Brazil. People said, watch out because people will come and pick Scott out of his wheelchair, and take the wheelchair and just leave him on the ground. This was just one of the few stories we were told, so we took these precautions with a grain of salt. Folks, don’t let this feeling of fear prevent you from enjoying and exploring the world. Brazil is actually just like any other country, just use common sense, trust your intuition, and you’ll be able to leave your hotel without being a victim. Upon arriving at the airport, we asked the airport concierge what taxi we should take in case our ride is not here. He assured us not to worry, and that he will have a gentleman take us to a legitimate taxi company, and negotiate a fair price based on the meter. This was a relief to us, and as we progressed forward with our bags, we saw a well organized taxi counter specifically for tourists to be taken to their hotels.
Remember the songs "Copacabana" and
"The Girl from Ipanema?" Well, you’ll find both in sunny
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We stayed at the Copacabana Plaza Hotel, a 5
minute walk to the Copacabana beach area, and just a short ride to
major tourist attractions, Sugar Loaf Mountains and Statue of Cristo.
If you’re in a wheelchair, you’ll enjoy your stay here in Rio
because as was the case in Amsterdam, bicycles paths are prevalent
throughout the city. The public transportation system (buses) are not
accessible here, but if you stay in a hotel closer to the beach area,
you’ll have no trouble pushing your wheelchair on the designated
bike paths. The beauty of these paths is that they’re smooth,
minimal to no curbs and special traffic lights for those on the path.
We saw a number of people with disabilities who utilized these paths
to maneuver themselves about the town.
Aside from the beaches, there are three main
tourist attractions in this area. With respect to accessibility, you
will find difficulty getting on to the beach because of the obvious
sand, but there are always plenty of people around to help if you’re
willing to ask. A must see cable car ride from the Sugar (Azucar)
Mountains which shows you the splendor of Rio’s most beautiful
landscape, is highly recommended. Although the entrance to the cable
cars has two flights of stairs, there are a number of employees
willing to carry you in your wheelchair up the steps to the entrance
of the cable cars; a little ‘real’ (Brazilian currency) will go a
long way. Once you are carried to the entrance of the cable cars the
rest is accessible to a wheelchair user and we promise, the view is
worth the effort.
While you’re enjoying the view from atop the mountains, you’ll come across a magnificent statue of "Cristo," that’s what the locals call the guardian of the land, Jesus Christ. Although there is construction underway for a cable car to take you up for another majestic view, at this time it is not in function. However, we were able to take a car up to the highest parking space. Scott was able to marvel the posterior view of the statue. If you are able to walk, you can climb up about 70 steps (there’s a rest and refreshment stop after every dozen steps), to see Cristo up close and personal. Finally, we wanted to see a natural waterfall, and just a 20 minute car ride from Copacabana took us there. We were told there are many such waterfall, and depending on where you are, you’ll be able to find one. With respect to accessible hotels, there are numerous hotels for you to choose. The price range is economical, usually around $100.00 per night including breakfast for two, to more expensive hotels. Our hotel, The Plaza Copacabana was one of the most accessible hotels, especially the bathroom. There is a roll-in shower, but there was no chair for use in the shower. We asked concierge to lend us one of their pool chairs, but instead, they brought us an actual roll-in shower wheelchair. Needless to say, we were very impressed. There are numerous hotels in the area including Le Meridian, Sheraton, Novotel, Radisson, etc. Just make sure you clarify what your needs are, and if the hotel is accessible enough for you. Our primary mode of transportation in Rio de Janeiro was by car and by walking/rolling. There are a number of tourist buses available, if you are able to climb a couple of steps, or willing to be carried into and out of the bus. Whatever the case may be, your visit to Rio de Janeiro will be a memorable one that you’ll cherish for years to come. Just relax, let go of some of that apprehension, and enjoy the magnificence of Brazil. Our thanks go out to our friends Marisella and Senor Espirito Santo for making our stay in Rio, truly worry-free. Also, sincere appreciation to Vasco and Manuela for connecting us with their friends in Brazil.
EDUCATION
PROPER NAME OF COUNTRY Federal Republic of
Brazil
Facts:
Historic dates:
ON A LIGHTER NOTE
Have you ever heard a soccer radio announcer belt out, "GOOOOAAALLLL?!" Chances are that you heard that all the way from Brazil, the soccer, or as they call it football, capital of the world. People from all over the world kept telling us how much Brazilians love their soccer, but to actually go there and experience this frenzy, you will immediately agree that it goes way beyond love. Businesses close early when there is a soccer game in Brazil. It could be a game involving ten year olds. It simply does not matter. One night while Pat and I were in our hotel room, a game had just ended, and the sounds that filled the streets outside reminded us of people rushing out of a building when there is a fire. I’m not kidding! This goes beyond the desire a kid has for candy. It goes beyond the addiction that some people have for soap operas. It goes way beyond "fever for the flavor of a pringle!" Though I may not be painting to nice of a picture of this Brazilian pastime, I must say that overall, I was inspired and moved by the energy that this sport has created here in Brazil. It unites people from all walks of life and creates a family type of atmosphere, provide it that everyone is cheering for the same team. Don’t even go there with people cheering for opposing teams. World War III would certainly break out. There has been much criticism about sports lately and how seriously some people take it. Well, there is a silver lining on this cloud and that can be found where the game of soccer is played no better, Brazil!
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY??
Please E-mail us your thoughts, questions, comments, and/or suggestions about our newsletter and world tour. In addition, if you know people who can benefit from receiving future issues of "Globetrotting," please forward their E-mail addresses to us or simply forward the newsletter to them. You can reach us at chesney12@comcast.net
NEXT ISSUE!!
We are finished our worldwide journey...for now, but we are launching the Devotion to Motion Life Enhancement Center in New Jersey, USA and will continue our work. Find out more details about this exciting new endeavor in two weeks!!
D2M TRIVIA ANSWERS
Trivia Answer # 1 - Brazil Trivia Answer # 2 - Brazil
Thank you for listening and for your continuous
support!
Scott & Pratiksha Chesney
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