Overcoming - Edja and Joice Félix’s Story

In various bible passages it points out the importance of having the support of brothers and sisters in our lives. Psalm 131:1-2 says “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe”.The story of sisters Edja and Joice Félix highlights the poignancy of these words. 

The youngest sister in this story is 35 year old Edja Félix, who has faced many challenges in life. She remembers: “My parents always lived in the Coque community. It used to be very violent here, so they would send us to stay with my grandparents in the countryside. Later I met a guy, lost my head a bit  and decided to go with him and live in Recife”. This wasn’t a good decision and for many years Edja suffered from domestic violence at home. She became one of the 304 registered street vendors in central Recife. 23,7% of this cohort are black and have not finished their education. 

37 year old Joice Félix, saw her sister’s suffering and decided to return to   Recife to help her sister emotionally and financially. Joice Félix quickly found salaried employment. She says “ I would’ve felt ashamed to sell oranges and popcorn a the traffic lights. I went after salaried employment and quickly found a job”. Joice Félix’s says “While we worked our children went to school and afterwards they attended the Ammar Transforma Project. I remember when the project very first started and those of us living in the community were invited to bible study classes. Transformation of family life came, through a gradual change of values and morals in those attending the classes” . 

Later on, the sister’s children began to participate in other activities such as the twice weekly  homework club. After a few classes, Edja’s second eldest 9 year old son Matthew came home and said “Mum, our class teacher asked if our parents smoked today, and if so what kind of cigarettes?” That day I realised that I was having a bad influence on my children and I decided to stop smoking. I also started to look at changing my life and attending the bible classes on offer” says Edja. Not long after, Joice Félix  also started to work on turning her life around following her sister’s example. She says their faith was the foundation of their hope throughout the pandemic.

Edja no longer sells fruit at the traffic lights and Joice Félix lost her job, both receive help from the government for families on low income. They made some plans and step by step they started to open a very small local street eaterie called “The Sister’s Homemade Meals”.  This initiative has really worked out and today the income generated from selling the meals from Monday to Saturday keeps the two families going.  While one sister serves the food the other cooks. 

Together they are managing their family lives and their dreams for self sufficiency.  They would like to have their own space to extend the eaterie for more customer comfort and for those who come from all parts of the community to eat their lunch. Today the sisters teach their children the preciousness of having brotherly and sisterly support and that blessings will come for those who live in unity and  peace. 

• Written by Eduarda Teixeira