| Arch Woodruff and Linnis Cook
Av. Duque de Caxia 80
Apt 4A
São Paulo-SP 01214-000
Brazil
Email: Arch
Woodruff and Linnis Cook
Email: Arch
Woodruff and Linnis Cook 2
Linnis Cook and Arch Woodruff have been under appointment as
mission co-workers since 1986. Linnis works with victims of domestic
violence and prostitutes, and Arch is professor of New Testament
at São Paulo Theological Seminary of the Independent Presbyterian
Church of Brazil and professor of New Testament in the graduate
religious studies program at the Methodist University of São
Paulo.
Linnis, a lawyer, now works with the Asociação
Fala Mulher and also serves on its board of directors. The Association
has two projects: the Center for the Social Integration of Women
(CISM), which works with prostitutes in the center of São
Paulo, and Casa Abrigo, a shelter for women whose lives are at
risk from domestic violence.
CISM helps women who have few or no alternatives for survival
for themselves and their families. Though the “oldest profession”
is not illegal in Brazil, the women are not free from violence,
disease, and low self-esteem. CISM offers workshops to address
these concerns and also offers courses in sewing and weaving that
can create an alternative source of income. Linnis helps these
women with marketing. Their products were on sale at the 2006
Presbyterian Women’s Churchwide Gathering.
Casa Abrigo gives shelter for up to a year to 20 women and children
who have been victims of extremely severe domestic violence. Fala
Mulher manages a second "Casa Abrigo" in a neighboring
city. Security for the women, children, staff, and referring agencies
is a serious concern in Brazil, which has a high rate of homicide
and low regard for women. Add to that the corruptibility of police,
the complexities of “hiding” children, who must go
to public schools, and the need for the women to find jobs and
go to court against their aggressors in non-secure courthouses,
and one begins to have an idea of the challenges Casa Abrigo faces.
“I’m very grateful to be able to work with the creative,
dedicated, and brave people in CISM and Casa Abrigo,” writes,
Linnis. “I enjoy both the fellowship of colleagues and people
who use the services of these projects.”
Arch has teaching responsibilities in Greek, New Testament, and
"Biblical Literature of the Second Temple Period" at
the two institutions. He also is advisor to doctoral students.
At the seminary library, when Arch starting asking questions about
how the books were classified, he ended up classifying them himself.
Over a ten-year period he classified about 10,000 volumes. Now,
Arch is helping a new librarian to acquire this skill. Arch is
also a socio, or member, of the Centro Gaspar Garcia
and attends its events and supports its organizing work.
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