My Brazilian name is Edileuza, but that is hard for most people to pronounce, so I go by Edie. My father nicknamed me Mexerica which means Tangerine in Portuguese. He worked with the Brazilian Health Department to eradicate malaria from rural areas. He would ride his bicycle Monday through Friday, visiting the farms and sleeping in barns. Every Friday afternoon, I would wait for him to return for the Sabbath.

My father wasn’t always a Christian. His family had a history of violence and drunkenness, and he used to smoke and drink a lot at parties. He and his two brothers owned only one set of dress clothes between them, so while one was at a party dancing with girls, the other two were waiting impatiently in the woods for their turn.

About the time I was born, two men began giving my parents Bible studies. My whole family accepted Jesus and became Seventh-day Adventists. I am so thankful that someone took the time to share the Gospel with my parents. The entire future of my family was changed as they set aside their vices. When he was home, my father would lead family worships morning and evening. We would sing as we prepared for school. I remember many times waking up in the night with my father’s hand on my head as he prayed for me and my brother and four sisters.

I have a burden to share with the Ama people the Gospel of Jesus Christ that changed my family from a life of unhappiness to one of hope and joy. I want to bring health and education to replace ignorance and disease.

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