I was 7 years old, my brother was 8, and my sister was 4, when we went fishing. My brother and I knew how to swim, but my sister didn’t. She begged to go, until one day Dad took her.
It was a beautiful afternoon and fishing was good. There was no mist, nor heavy clouds, but we did not count on the suprise of a wind storm. So, the waves rose up and made the boat turn over. Dad threw the fishing line and it snagged the hull of the boat causing a lot of water to come into the boat. At this time we did not have a motor, only oars and sails. Dad was not able to cut the line and the boat began to sink.
My sister jumped on my brother’s neck and Dad dived in to try and take away the hook from the hull. On his third attempt, he did not return. My brother and I were not able to hold onto our sister for long. She also drowned.
It was night when my brohter and I returned to the beach. On the other side was our house and there was a wide river to cross. We were only able to arrive home the next day. Mother cried. She thought we had all died. My brother took the firemen to the place of the wreck, but they did not find anything.
When we moved to Vila Progresso I heard people talking about Jesus and I always criticized them. I had never heard of Jesus before. To me, my ‘god’ was my father.
One Saturday, the missionary invited me to play volley ball and I went because of my friends. There, he read John 3:16. Every day I would remember that Word, but did not understand it. I was ashamed to go back, until I had the courage to return a second time. So I, clearly, felt the arm of Jesus. I felt God saying, “I am your Father’’. At the age of 15 I gave my life to Christ and understood that God is my Eternal Father.
“Why did the Lord allow my father and my sister to die? I questioned God and He gave me peace about what had happened.
Jesus has transformed me and made me love the water and love, even more, the people around me. My desire is to serve the Lord in the communities that still have not been reached with the Gospel of Christ.