The Golden Elite Seniors Club of Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church, Somerset, headed by Sis Grenell Stocks got far more than they initially calculated, when they invited Brazilian-born Cindy Saul to be their monthly guest speaker.

Routinely the Elites select a country to be themed. A speaker is chosen, and a member volunteers to theme-dress and personally greet that speaker.

A three-course lunch is laid on. Brazil was the chosen country.

Sis Dorothy Maybury, 81, depicting the world-famous soccer icon Pele was out front with his name emblazoned on her. She was nonplussed when Cindy Saul arrived with three other attractively dressed Brazilians, embraced er and indulged her in a little soccer

Mrs Saul was fully backed up by her friends as she proceeded to describe their country as a melting pot of cultures, flavours, colours and creeds.

Populated by nearly 200 million people; with Portuguese the official language, and a woman head of state, President Dilma Rousseff.

Brazil was a society that is home to people of many different ethnic backgrounds, resulting in Brazilians generally treating their nationality as a citizenship rather than and ethnicity.

The biggest surprise and treat of the afternoon came when Cindy and friends demonstrated how the African influence had created the city of Salvador as “Brazil’s capital of happiness” with its population of 2.5 million, it being most notable for its architecture, cuisine and music.

It was at this point Golden Elies had to take a back seat. They were treated to a feast of Brazilian food, desserts and drink the guests had brought. and served to the background of dance, acrobatics and music of Brazil.

Elite Mae Smith introduced Cindy Saul as a Bermuda resident since 1989.

She’s an educator, home maker, happily married to Walter Saul, the operations manager of Bermuda Pest Control.

She finished college in Brazil and attended Bermuda College furthering her knowledge in accounting and English language.

She volunteers as a Pink Lady at the hospital; and twice a week volunteers at West Pembroke Primary School, assisting P2 and P3 children in reading and writing skills.

Cindy’s most enthusiastic ‘back up’ was Taina Ratteray.

She is the wife of globe-trotting George Ratteray, the son of the late Sir George Ratteray, who was once President of Bermuda’s Upper House the Legislative Council as it was then known.