Helping Hands - Projeto do Brasil SUD

Maybe I'm not paying enough attention, but I didn't realize that the Mormon or LDS service project for local communities at large, "Helping Hands," originated in Brazil. I was watching this video (in Portuguese) and it said that the internationally used, yellow vest, with hands in blue and green, represent the national colors of Brazil as an acknowledgment of the program's Brazilian origins!

Que coisa!

Then I realized that I had the evidence in pictures of my two youngest children as LDS Missionaries in Japan and Ohio, USA, wearing the yellow, green, and blue!

My son, A-5, shoveling snow in Japan wearing the "Helping Hands" or "Mãos que Ajudam" vest.

My son, A-6 (second from right), recently returned from Ohio, wearing the Brazilian "Helping Hands" colors on a t-shirt with a few others.

So, I thought I'd do a bit more checking. Sure enough, Google found the yellow "helping-hands" vest in Africa:

LDS Helping Hands in Ghana

And in Germany:

The project included sewing and assembling small “Broviac” catheter bags, which deliver life-saving medicine into the child’s body. The portable nature of the catheter enables a child suffering from cancer to move about freely. 

And in Australia:

Mt. Baker Ward, south Australia, planting trees to help restore a wetland.

And with that, I guess we have the continents covered! (Don't tell Antartica!)

The weird part is that although I have been on more service projects than I can count on a thousand fingers, I have never donned the yellow vest or t-shirt. Something must be done about that. After all I do count as um dos Santos dos Últimos Dias!