FINDING HOMES FOR BRAZIL'S HOPELESS

Akron Beacon Journal (OH)

HUDSON WOMAN HEADS INTERNATIONAL WORK FOR ORPHANS

Author: Yalinda Rhoden, Beacon Journal staff writer

Operating from the tiny basement office of her Hudson home, Nancy Cameron provides somewhat of a threshold of support for orphaned children in Brazil.

Mrs. Cameron, 41, is the president and founder of the Limiar Association, a non-profit adoption and social service organization in Brazil. In 1981, while living in Sao Paulo, she organized Limiar (Portuguese for threshold) and began working with hard-to-place children.

`I was knocked over by the fact that hundreds of abandoned children lay in the streets DAY, and night and that young people would come to our door begging for food,' she said.

``I found that about one-third of the country's people are needy children.' Brazil's population is about 85 million.

A staff of about 60, operating out of Limiar's orphanage in Sao Paulo, works in four states of southeastern Brazil. The purpose of the Hudson office is to distribute information about Limiar, coordinate the work with other organizations and to gather financial support.

`Everything we do is for the sake of children because we want them to grow up in families, not institutions,' Mrs. Cameron said.

She and her family moved to Brazil in 1979 when her husband, Stuart, now an executive with Goodyear, went there to work for a petroleum company.

The Camerons have six children, three of whom are adopted.

Mrs. Cameron, who has two bachelor's degrees -- one in chemistry from North Dakota State University and another in music from Ashland College -- said her work with Limiar is a mission God gave her.

`I met several people involved with orphanages (in Brazil) and found out the problems they had with overcrowding and in placing children,' she said.

`I bought some books and educated myself, and in the process found out that some tremendous abuses had given foreign adoptions a bad name.'

Since 1981, Mrs. Cameron estimated, about 500 children have been adopted through her organization by American, Canadian and Dutch families.

She said Limiar works closely with similar groups in those countries to place Brazilian children.

She said the organization not only handles adoptions but also provides educational opportunities, medical treat-ment and shelter for children and financial assistance for families that want to stay together.

The organization is funded by donations from individuals and corporations, she said.