L’Arche – A Big Loving Family

Ana with Michael (left) and Nancy (right)
~ written by Masca (Guilherme) Mascarenhas
Do you know that little angel that shows up on the shoulder of cartoons characters? Well, I have my personal one. Her name is Ana Beatriz and she is my 4 year-old daughter. I’ve always been a shy and recluse person, preferring to spend my time by myself or in very small groups. Not Ana Beatriz. She is social, she wants people around her, and for that, she BUILDS COMMUNITY. “Let’s go to Brookwood!” “I wanna go to church tonight!”, “I wanna play with Amanda and Nancy!” “Lets bring cookies to Lorenzo and grandpa Joe and Kathy!” … And so we go.

For Ana Beatriz, growing up in community is fun. She made it her very big family. As for myself, having Ana here made me deepen my roots in the community. As immigrants, Maria Laura, Ana Beatriz and I live far from all our family and we miss them a lot. Last year we had the opportunity to move to the basement of The Club and start living in the “core” of this great community right on the property. That’s when Ana Beatriz found a whole new family. Now Ana Beatriz has uncle Mike Arnett, big sister Amanda, a very festive aunt Marianne who loves to do her nails and auntie Nancy who always gives her pictures and plays games.

It is a big loving family where everyone lives close by.

~ Masca and his wife Maria-Laura have been part of our community for over 10 years.