Most people of Azorean extraction researching their roots have ancestors,
particularly from the mid-19th century back, who were abandoned at convents.
These "expostos", commonly known as "filhos da roda" (children of the wheel),
were left in a blind cylinder Lazy Susan in a convent. There was a little bell
rope on the outside that was pulled by the person abandoning the child to alert
the porter that a child had been left on the wheel. Sometimes these babies came
with notes, or a ribbon tied to the arm, or a little medal, something attached
by a mother who had some hope of reclaiming her baby in the future. The nuns
had to find wet-nurses to care for these babies and ultimately foster mothers
who could care for them long term. Before baby formula was invented, children
without nursing mothers or wet-nurses, usually died. Even as foster children,
the death rate for these children, in an age where infant mortality was already
high, was alarmingly high.
Children who were placed with families committed to raising them, even after
the subsidy was ended at about age 5, stood a better chance of survival. People
who visit the Convento de Esperança in Ponta Delgada can still see a "roda" in
operation, although today it is used to receive anonymous offerings from
immigrants. In fact, the Convento da Esperança, was not one of those receiving
convents.
This system still exists throughout the European Union. America Magazine ("Life
Windows" 2/11/2013) published an article in this month's issue. In order to
prevent babies being abandoned to dumpsters, the EU has re-established these
"receiving centers" where children are placed in a heated cubicle through an
outside door. Instead of a rope that rings a bell, there is a button that
sounds a very loud alarm to alert the nuns that a baby has been left in the
cubicle. There is a great picture in the article that show a nun, on the
receiving end of the cubicle. Just like in the past, sometimes mothers leave
identifying articles with their babies. The article narrates the story of one
baby left in the modern day "roda" along with a note. "Casper, I'm sorry. I
love you very much. Mom."
In Massachusetts we have the "Safe Haven" Act. Anyone can leave a baby within
the first 30 days of life at a hospital, police or fire station with no
questions asked, no identification needed, only whatever information the adult
wants to give. This is measure taken to eliminate babies being left in
dumpsters to die.
John Miranda Raposo
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