TESTIMONIES
VOY 2008
My name is Aime. Our mission experience to Nova Almeida was… indescribable. Myself, and each of the individuals behind me, had a personal experience which changed each of our lives. I’ll try my best to share an experience I had with you.
When I first saw the kids arriving, I didn’t really think of what to do – I just walked up and tried my best to reach out. Quickly several children asked my name and gave me a friendly hug.
When the group went to go play soccer, I noticed a girl of about 9 calling to me. She quietly pulled my hand to a playground and I learned her name was Gabriella. For a long time, few words were spoken. She seemed content simply by my presence. Suddenly, this child began to cry. Before I could respond, she jumped into my arms. I later found out she was crying because she was so happy for my presence that she couldn’t think of my leaving. No words were ever spoken between us, but there was never a moment of silence. With Gabriella’s help, I leapt over any previously created mental blocks; language, self-conciseness, exhaustion – nothing hampered me.
My time at Shade & Fresh Water showed me what God’s unfailing love was. Gabriella, as most of the children involved in the project, was underprivileged. Despite her harsh life, she still loved openly, without fear. Two completely different people, Brazilian and American, were instantly unified in Christ. We didn’t need spoken words, she loved me the moment she saw me. Gabriella, like every person I came into contact with, radiated God’s unconditional love. I didn’t need words to form a life changing bond with Gabriella. It happened instantly; with one look, we changed each others lives.
~ Aime
VOY 2008
The Shade and Freshwater program is such an incredible work of love. Working with the staff and children of this program was such an amazing and eye-opening experience for me.
Before we arrived at the program, I was apprehensive of the language barrier. I felt that I could never be a part of the awesome culture we were about to encounter. I was so different, but God proved me wrong.
One day at the project, we began the afternoon with a dance. A Brazilian girl, Erica, claimed me as her partner. Her beautiful smile and laughter spoke more than any words would have. Later that afternoon, I met Adrine`, Cassia, and Juliene`. I saw the same love, laughter, and joy from them as I had from Erica.
Shade and Freshwater is teaching the love of God to these kids, and it shows. The love of God in the Americans' hearts was the same love that was in the hearts of these Brazilian children. It was this love that overcame the language barrier.
I have been so blessed by the friendship of the staff and kids at Shade and Freshwater. They truly became like family to me and the rest of the group. With God, there are no barriers, only a uniting and everlasting love.
Below are words from the letters that we received from the children the day we left. I hope they touch your heart as they have touched the hearts of Voices of Youth:
Love is like a little bird. It can not live without a nest.
Distance can separate us from seeing one another, but not two hearts.
You make me forget the world, but the world will never make me forget you.
If the boat sails in the river, and the river sails with the wind, then you sail in my thoughts.
Kisses, little kisses, and big kisses. Kisses for all of you. I love you all. I love all of you and I will never forget you guys. You all live in my heart.
Kisses,
Wiliene
I think of you 25 hours a day, and I want my heart to work overtime. (heart) kisses.
First, I met you, then I became friends with you, but only today did I discover that I really love you guys.
The one below is probably the funniest one we've gotten. It has a word from God on it :-)
Have a good trip! I loved meeting you guys. Here, you are always welcome. May the peace of God be with you and in your hearts. Come back always. God said: I like the Americans, because they are funny and very expressive in their conversations; they're good humored and always ready for new experiences. And this is why you are so special to us.
With care!
Byanca Baby
All of you are special to me. I hope that you all return to see us. I will miss you all!
Kisses and bye,
Baby
~ Chelsea
VOY 2008
Voices of Youth has been the biggest blessing that I have ever received. I remember the day that I was invited to join, I was in my room when the phone rang, looking at the caller ID I decided not to answer it since I did not recognize the area code. My dad picked up the phone and then handed it over for me, I thought to myself who can this be, that’s when I was informed about the group and what it was. I was very excited and really wanted to participate but I was afraid as this would have been the first time to leave my family and leave with strangers that I have never met before. I was a little uneasy and reluctant but my family encouraged me and I joined the group. As soon as I met the group I felt the Christian love that we all share and my heart truly felt touched. Everyone was so welcoming they acted as if we had known each other for years and immediately incorporated me into their family. I felt truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to participate, it was such an amazing group that I decided to apply again.
My application was accepted and I received so much joy. I was going to participate with this amazing group another year. I was pumped but found many obstacles, they were something that I would have to overcome in order to get to Brazil, I had to find a way to fundraise the trip as well as figure out housing and everything else. My parents became very doubtful and at times thought I probably couldn’t go, but I continued to pray and felt that anything is possible with God. After a multitude of letters written, cookies sold, and services given, I was able to go to Brazil. I had used all the talents that God has given me to work in His service. When I got on the plane to Virginia I thought of how God truly answers prayers, I recalled all the hard work I went through to get where I was, and how I had finally met a group that I could congregate with and share Christian faith. The Youth in Virginia are truly a blessing and have touched my life, just as the children of Brazil.
I am very fortunate to have learned the Portuguese I did from my mom, but it was not only my mom that allowed me to communicate with the children of Brazil, but the will of God that spoke through me to the children. I do not know how I spoke to the kids in Brazil and how they understood if I am not even fluent in Portuguese the only explanation is that God used me as his instrument to share with the children. The children showed us how to be happy regardless of the difficulties they face and to share whatever they have. I was given gifts by the children in Brazil, and they are better than any other gifts because they are given from their heart of true love. I felt bad that I had not brought anything to give them so I did as they did and I gave whatever I had to give. The staff and children became a family, the kids would tell me são irmãos “we are brothers” and that let me know that no matter our distance we are all children of God and all brothers and sisters. Voices of Youth has been life changing and has truly molded me to be a new Christian. I thank God for the opportunity he has given me, Voices of Youth is a life changing experience.
~ David
VOY 2008
Okay, so going to Brazil, I had an idea about what I thought Brazil was going to be like. When we finally got there, I knew that what I thought was wrong. Brazil is most definitely a place of beauty, but unfortunately there is a lot of poverty. I expected there to be poverty, because you can hardly go anywhere and not see some form of it, but it was different in Brazil than anywhere else I have ever been.
One thing that shocked me was when we were driving by one of the poorest slums. This place was so poor that we weren't allowed to take pictures. The thing that shocked me was that right across the street were nice established buildings. Not only did these buildings have a safe roof and four secure walls, but it had more luxuries than anybody living across the street could have dreamed of. It’s weird for me to think that people actually live in such poor conditions.
When we worked with some of the children at Shade and Fresh Water, those kids weren't living in fancy homes and didn't have all the luxuries that we have, but they seemed so happy. It really does prove, that even in the poorest parts of the world, that you don't need a lot of riches and property to be happy, just being with the ones you love and that love you is the biggest form of happiness. Getting to experience this love in Brazil definitely was a life changing experience.
~ Katie
VOY 2008
The Voices of Youth Shade and Fresh Water Tour 2008 was my first huge mission experience, first time out of the country, and first time away from home for three weeks with total strangers. As excited as I was, I was also very nervous.
On the first day, after my parents left, I didn't know what to do, who to talk to, or how I was going to make it three weeks alone. Yet, by the third day I had become friends with 40 amazing people who it seemed I'd known my whole life. The people from Voices, all the choir members, youth and college staff, and the adult leaders are all family to me now.
We spent three weeks together in long airport layovers, Brazilian hotels, and with host families. I feel so fortunate to have experienced so much with these wonderful people. They show me the kind of life I want to lead, how to really be a Christian, and they share so much unconditional love and joy.
The staff at the Shade and Fresh Water Project and all the kids there also became part of our Voices family. They ate with us, translated for us, danced with us, sang songs with us, worshiped with us, and prayed with us and for us. All of them were so loving and welcoming despite the fact that we couldn't communicate with words and had never met them before. I was taken aback by their warmth and hospitality.
Despite my initial worries about Voices, I have now come home and won't stop talking about the fantastic experiences and people. I feel so blessed to have had such an opportunity. The three weeks I spent on VOY were by far the highlight of my summer and three of the best weeks of my life.
~ Kelsey
VOY 2008
I found the community I experienced as a member of Voices of Youth 2008 to be life-changing. Made up of diverse people, thirty-seven youth and five adults combined their talents to be the body of Christ. The children and adults of the Shade and Fresh Water project at Nova Almeida, Brazil became the body of Christ for us. The relationships that emerged from our time together were characterized by mutual respect, compassion, and love. We had fun together. We shared delicious meals. We took lots of pictures. We made music. We danced. We laughed and we cried. We prayed and we sang in English and Portuguese. We were surrounded by the beauty and squalor of Brazil. We loved and were loved. We learned to trust one another. Strangers and their needs took on new meaning. My world expanded exponentially, and the journey continues. I will share the story of our time together as well as pray for and provide financial support for my new brothers and sisters in Christ as a way of nurturing these beautiful relationships. Thanks be to God.
God Moments:
As we were saying good-by, Rosanne Nelson, whose husband is the pastor of the Methodist Mission in Nova Almeida, gave me a pair of pink pants with instructions to remember her each time I wore them. I rarely find pants that fit in all directions. The pants are a perfect fit!
Two of the youth from Fairlington UMC in Alexandria received partial financial support for VOY 2008 from a mission education scholarship created and administered by the Fairlington United Methodist Men in memory of my husband, Frank, who died in 1988. I served as Director of Music there from 1979-1991, long before either family began attending the church. What an affirmation of God's steadfast love reaching beyond our understanding. When VOY appeared at the Jurisdictional Conference at Lake Junaluska, a pastor and his wife from South Carolina, Frank's home state, sought me out to tell me what a special person he had been in their lives.
The bus company that carried VOY 2008 across the Virginia Annual Conference is headquartered in my home town, Luray, Virginia, and the driver, Ed Richards, is the band director at Randolph Macon Academy in Front Royal. We had numerous colleagues in common.
Although I speak very little Portuguese, and the praise band at the church in Vitoria spoke little English, they were delighted to share their new headphones and sound equipment with me as I played the keyboard for the service there. We all loved singing the tunes of familiar praise songs to the Portuguese texts!
Equipped with an English-Portuguese dictionary, Leia, the music teacher for the Shade and Fresh Water Camp in Belo Horizonte, and I spent over an hour "discussing" boomwhacker techniques. While there I learned that another mission team from the Virginia Conference would be coming to Belo Horizonte on August 3. When I returned home, I was able to send additional boomwhackers to accommodate the students' needs via a mission team from a church only 45 minutes from my home! Talk about a quick turn-around!!
~ Laura
VOY 2008
I had the privilege to go to Brazil with Voices of Youth, the Virginia Conference youth choir, and it was a life changing experience.
When I first started this trip, I wasn’t sure what this group was all about. We arrived in Rio on July 8th, and I was relieved to finally be to at our destination. The first thing we did was go see Christ the Redeemer stone statue on the mountain. This was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
But once we went down from the mountain, we saw the reason we had come to Brazil. All across the hills and mountain sides that looked so beautiful from a distance were slums, or favelas. These were extremely poor areas, and they were covered in graffiti. Rio then became one of the most heartbreaking places I had ever seen.
When we arrived at the camp we would actually be working in a small rural town called Nova Almeida. We were given our jobs, and we were to work with kids from ages 5-14. At this Shade and Fresh Water camp, the kids would learn about God, and would sing, dance, and play. Most of these kids did not have much at home. Their families would go off to work and the kids would be left at home to the influences of drugs, crime, and prostitution. But Teca Greathouse, the founder of Shade and Fresh Water, created this camp to prevent the kids from having to resort to such influences.
At first the idea of playing with kids all day sounded awesome; until we realized that we didn’t speak a lick of Portuguese. The only words I knew were “good morning”, “thank you”, and “what is your name?” That amounts to approximately 1 minute of conversation. Not quite enough for a whole day.
But later what we did realize was that we did not need to speak their same language to communicate. We communicated through music, through smiles, and through games. We played soccer with them everyday, and even though a team of 10 year olds kicked 10 American’s butts, it was the most fun I could have asked for.
They always had the most amazing attitude and were always ready to learn something new. We taught them Ultimate Frisbee and they taught us new hand games.
We were also largely affected by the staff that helped these kids. Some of them had grown up in the program. People like Leia, Taisa, Rosane, and Denilson worshipped with us and sang with us often. They were very inspirational because their commitment to Shade and Fresh Water was phenomenal.
One night during worship, the staff broke down crying, and after translation, we were told that Nova Almeida’s government would not be providing funds for that Shade and Fresh Water camp for the next 6 months. It was so sad because the few paid staff members would have to go and find new jobs, and the kids that it supported and kept from bad influences would not have the camp anymore, and would be back on the streets.
We got on the phone with people from the Virginia Conference, and two days later, $2,000 was sent to Nova Almeida to keep the camp going. It was amazing to see the church react so quickly to those in need, and it just showed me how much mission means to the Methodist church. Voices has taken on the goal of raising money to continually support Shade and Fresh Water until their government funds them once again.
This project is very close to my heart. The love of God shined through everyone in that camp; the staff, the kids, and those translating for us. I was strongly influenced from this experience because it showed me that mission and helping others can not be hindered by a language barrier or geography. As long as you are willing, you can help somebody in need. I also want to thank all those who sent me on this trip with their funds and prayers. It all means so much to me. Thank you.
~ Mary Beth
VOY 2008
Participating in Voices of Youth along with the Shade and Fresh Water project was undoubtedly a life changing experience for me. Even more than I expected, God’s love was shown to me everywhere – in the kids, in the staff, and even the strangers I came across in Brazil. Every member of the Shade and Fresh Water project was so hospitable to our group and made us feel welcome, despite the fact that we were foreigners, and could barely speak their language. But somehow, an even stronger type of communication that we used was through love. Everything from a hug, a wave, and a smile was always enough for me to understand what they were trying to communicate, and to brighten my day. Working and playing with all 180 kids in the camp was a blessing, but there are two girls, Rafaela and Diana, who most vividly remain in my memory.
When I introduced myself to the children, I always began by telling them my name. They could never pronounce “Rosemary”, so they usually avoided calling me by my name. Instead, they would run over to me, grab my hand, and pull me in the direction they wanted to go. For example, I met Rafaela on our second day of camp, and she immediately became attached to me. When she wasn’t near me, she smiled at me across the room, and would hold my hand whenever we traveled to a new location between activities. But still, she could not remember, let alone pronounce my name.
On our last full day in Brazil, we had a fiesta in the evening with all the Shade and Fresh Water children and staff. The fiesta celebrated the corn harvest in Brazil, so we dressed up and put on silly makeup as though we were farmers. When I was waiting in line to get my “farmer” makeup done, Rafaela ran over to me and slipped a note into my hand. I carefully unfolded the paper. Inside I found not only a drawing, but a small flower magnet with a smiley face on it. Also included with the drawing was a note written in Portuguese. It said, “From: Rafaela, To: Someone special.” Below the note was a drawing of two girls and a house, which I assumed were Rafaela and me at the Shade and Fresh Water building.
After everyone got their make up on, the dancing began. We were instructed to find a dancing partner, and with a smile on her face, Diana rushed over to me and grabbed my hand. Although I wasn’t familiar with some of the Brazilian dances, she grinned at me and led me through the steps. During one of the songs, Diana pulled out a glittery butterfly hair clip from her pocket, pinned it to one of my braids, gave me a huge smile, and then continued dancing.
I was so thankful for both gifts I had received that night, but more importantly, I cherished the love and friendship these two girls had shown me. Both the presence of Rafaela and Diana and the gifts they gave me put a smile on my face, and made me feel as though they accepted me as a friend, even across borders. These children didn’t have much – in fact, the snack of bread, cheese, and juice that was given at the camp was the only meal that most of the kids received each day. Yet, they were grateful, and were still some of the most joyful kids I’ve ever met. It made me realize how much the small things in life don’t matter, and how much I’ve taken for granted. I never got to have in-depth conversations with the children through words, but you don’t have to be able to talk to someone to show them kindness, friendship, and God’s love. Small actions can go a very long way, and you never know how they could change someone’s life.
~ Rosemary
VOY 2008
My life has been forever changed. God has shown me so much since I have been in Brazil and since I have been home. Seeing the way people live, in the kind of poverty that they do, made me realize how grateful I am to live in America and to live the way I do. Voices of Youth has been such a blessing in my life and I contribute most of my faith walk to the experiences I have had while on Voices.
Our final destination in Brazil was a small village called Nova Almeida. Nova Almeida is home to the Shade and Fresh Water project, a day camp for children who are left on the streets after school hours. The S&FW project uses Christian-based education practices to teach art, music, dance, and includes daily devotionals as well as a nutritious meal for the children. The camp is home to approximately 180 children between the ages of 5 and 14. These children have nothing. Most of them only own the clothes on their back and a pair of shoes. These children are dirty and hungry. Despite their circumstances, the children at the camp are loving, generous, and hospitable. Even though these children were young and naive about their circumstances, they knew we were there to help, even though we looked and acted differently than they did.
One child touched me in particular. His name was Jesse. He was 4 years old, and loved to take pictures. That is all I know about this child of God. We could not effectively communicate with each other because of the language barrier, but we shared two things in common: we could communicate through the universal language of music, and we were both children of God. When we arrived at the Shade and Fresh Water project, Jesse was the first child that I spotted. He ran up to me and hugged me so tightly that I could barely breathe. He said something in Portuguese and proceeded to hug my leg again. He spent the whole week with me and would not leave my side. I became so attached to this little boy. I wanted to wrap him in my arms and never let go. The thought of what was going in his home tore my heart to pieces. This young child of God, so innocent and perfect, was being torn apart at the seams. Things at home and things in his country were all so terribly wrong. I wanted to hold him forever and tell him how much God loved and cared for him - and that is exactly what I did.
During the final night VOY was at the camp, we had a fiesta with the children. We shared dances, food, and great fellowship. Jesse was also there. He came right to me and hugged my leg again. I picked him up, and he hugged me and would not let go. Even though he couldn't understand me, I leaned over and whispered in his ear these words:
"You are a special child of God and nothing can ever happen to you,
as long as Christ
is the center of your life."
A giant smile came across his face and he wrapped his arms around my neck and hugged me. It was at this moment, just for a moment, that I felt we understood the same language and he was trying to tell me the same thing.
Having to say goodbye to Jesse that evening was very emotional. The fiesta came to an end and the staff began escorting children to the gate. This night in particular, Jesse had to walk home. This small 4 year old boy, walking alone in the dangerous streets by himself. I couldn't bear to think about it. I knew it was time for Jesse to go home and I had been dreading it all evening. I bent down to his level, and looked him in the eyes. There, in the twinkle of his big brown eyes, was a small tear. I told him to never forget me and to never forget the things that I had told him. He hugged me and tears formed in my eye. As he walked toward the gate, a calm swept over me. I knew it was God telling me not to fear, that Jesse was safe in his arms and nothing would happen to him. I sighed and watched him walk out of the gate for the last time.
I will never forget Jesse. Not a day goes by that I don't think of Jesse. The background on my computer is a picture of Jesse and me taken at the fiesta. Every time my computer is turned on, Jesse pops up and reminds me of my experiences in Brazil. Although I only knew a few things about him, he touched my life in a special way. He showed me how to love a stranger unconditionally and to appreciate the small things in life.
~ Sarah W.
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