By STACY LEE
Daily News Staff Writer

Auberle resembled Rio de Janeiro as the organization hosted some special guests from Brazil.

Pro Youth Brazil staff members Marcelo Daher, Helaine Stumpf and Nathalia Barros taught the children at McKeesport's Auberle about their country at a Brazil Day party thrown for the guests. The party had traditional Brazilian music, decorations and food. The dinner consisted of a dish called Feijoada, pork mixed with beans and various spices over rice prepared by the Auberle kitchen. Stumpf and Barros even demonstrated Salsa dancing with some students.

"We're delighted they were able and willing to do this," Auberle CEO John Lydon said. "We really appreciated their time with us. We like to expose our children to different cultural experiences."

Lydon said Daher, Stumpf and Barros jumped at the opportunity to come back and teach the children about their culture.

Pro Youth, a social service agency, returned to Auberle as a thank you for the guidance received from the local organization. Pro Youth came to the Pittsburgh area to research how Auberle and other organizations for troubled children and families are run. The Brazilians toured Auberle in November and talked to management and staff about treatment and education.

"It helped us a lot," Daher said. He said his company is currently working on fund-raising now.

"We have many youth and social problems," Stumpf said of the challenges facing Brazil. She said the families need money and the unemployment rate is high.

Daher said violence is also a large problem in Brazil.

"It's difficult to change (as a country)," Barros said.

Pro Youth Brazil is located in southeast Brazil in Juiz de Fora, which is about two hours from Rio de Janeiro. It has four staff members and 50 volunteers. The agency has been around for a year and a half now.

"It's strongly based in volunteer work," Daher said.

The children learned about Brazil through a slide presentation and a question-and-answer session with the Brazilian representatives.

Boniface Igba, Auberle spiritual development coordinator, said Auberle has many cultural days, in which the children and staff learn about cultures, such as those in Europe or Africa.

"We believe in exposing the kids to world cultures," he said. "They are going to grow up in a world of different cultures or lifestyles."

Igba said he understands cultural diversity as his native country of Nigeria has 250 different ethnic groups.

"This is an ongoing effort to educate the children and staff," he said.

Daher, Stumpf and Barros have been in Pittsburgh since Sept. 7, staying at a rented house in Pittsburgh. They will head back to Brazil Thursday.

Auberle is a faith-based Catholic agency that helps abused, neglected and troubled children and families in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1952, the agency offers residential and foster care, emergency shelter, in-home intervention, alternative education and drug and alcohol treatment programs.