true stories

Sheila

(Taken from A Survival Guide to Frontline Living by Sarah de Carvalho, published by Hodder & Stoughton 1999)

Sheila was three years old when her mother had to flee from her violent, drug-taking husband. They both lived on the streets until her mother eventually met another man, and they moved in with him. Two more little girls were born from this new relationship. Then in 1997 her mother tragically died of an infection after giving birth to a little boy. Everything at home fell apart and Sheila ran back to live on the streets, bearing the scars on her body from her stepfather. She was only nine years old at the time. In September 1998 our street team started to work with her and Sheila began to visit our day-care centre in the heart of the city. She presented herself as a solitary, self-contained and often depressed little girl, who reacted indifferently to the street workers. We rarely saw her smile. Eventually she started to express interest in coming to live in the girls house. Two days before she was due to go to the house, she asked Jesus into her life. However when the weekend came for her to go, she arrived at the day-care centre and announced that she didn't want to move in until after the weekend. There was nothing we could do. That night, on Friday 6 November, to everybody's horror, Sheila (drugged on glue) was hit by a speeding car. Her tiny frail body was somersaulted into the air and she came crashing down on the tarmac. Her head and stomach split open and she was rushed to intensive care by ambulance.

Sheila went into a coma, with serious head and spleen injuries. Her heart rate was high, and she was kept alive by a life support machine. The doctors were honest and warned that she would probably have the mental age of a one-year old, and could be paralysed if she survived.

The whole of the ministry fell into shock, struck again by the forceful reality that we are rescuing these children daily from possible death. We all knew Sheila had been so close to coming off the streets that very same day. Members of the ministry team set up a rota visiting her at all hours of the day and night. We all got on our knees to pray for a miracle. After a week in a coma the doctor, a Christian, warned Andy and Sally Furnival (workers in the girls house) that they might have to reduce the heavy sedatives or else she would never wake up. However, they could only do this once the severe swelling in her brain reduced. The following morning, on Monday 16 November, at 9.00am the doctors informed everyone that there had been no progress and she could die. Andy, Marlene and Sandra - two other workers from the girls' house - called together another emergency prayer meeting with the other girls: Fernanda (aged 10), Poliana (12), Pamela (10), Patricia (6), Rosanaria (7), Josilene (10), Ana Lucia (12), Daniella (11) and Arli (13), most of whom knew Sheila from the streets. Everyone gathered in the sitting room, Marlene recalls what happened.

'We were all very upset, and I reminded the girls of how Jesus said that we would do even greater things than he did, and Jesus resurrected Lazarus after four days! I said that we would pray because God could give everything new to Sheila once again. We all started to cry out to God from the depths of our hearts placing the life of Sheila in His hands, and declaring our faith in His Word. We prayed that the hands of the doctors would be substituted for the hands of God. And that we believed that Jesus could give everything new to her. The presence of the Holy Spirit was very powerful and all at once each one of us had the conviction that God would do a miracle. Suddenly Fernanda saw a vision of Sheila walking and speaking!'

That afternoon Andy and Sally went into the hospital. Sheila was awake! Miraculously she had awoken by herself that morning, before the sedatives had been reduced! The doctors had no explanation.

After a month in hospital she came out and went to live in the girls' house where she was cared for by the team and all the girls. Just being in the presence of some of her old friends stimulated Sheila to start to walk and talk again! 'I am a walking miracle,' Sheila tells everyone today.

Oades. Born 4.8.80

(Taken from 'The Street Children of Brazil' by Sarah de Carvalho, published by Hodder & Stoughton. 1996)

I haven't heard from my mother for over six years and I don't know my father. When I was born, my mother gave me to the couple who were running the orphanage where she used to live. After this my tia (auntie) looked after me, she also lived in the same house.

When I was about eleven years old my tia sent me to Belo Horizonte from Bahia because I was causing problems for her. She left me in an orphanage called Cidade do Menor. But I didn't like it there because the older boys used to beat me up, and so I ran to the streets where I started to sniff glue. Then I telephoned my tia in Bahia and told her that I didn't like the Cidade do Menor and she came and got me.

A few months later, when I was twelve years old, she brought me back again to Belo Horizonte, only this time I stayed on the streets for almost a year. I stole a blanket from a balcony window and used it to sleep in shop doorways and under freeways. Sometimes I was alone and other times I was with a group. Jose Roberto, who is on the farm also, was with me on the streets.

It was very difficult to sleep at night because other street kids would come by and wake you up. I sniffed glue and smoked marijuana to kill the hunger pangs. We stole people's wallets and took the money to a guy who used to sell drugs to us under a freeway in Pampulha.

Once I stole a necklace from a woman's neck and the police caught me. They demanded that I give them the necklace but I'd lost it while running. I was really frightened. But they let me go without beating me up.

It was horrible on the streets; there were fights and I was often filthy. Also I had a deep hate and jealousy of people who were rich, who had clothes, games, toys.

When I arrived at the farm last year I saw that things were different, and Jesus changed my life completely. The hate and jealousy disappeared, today I am happy with what I have and no longer resent what other people have that I don't. And I no longer think about stealing.

Some of us took a discipleship course last year and Sarah was talking to us about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Afterwards she prayed for us and I couldn't keep my mouth closed and I started to speak in tongues. Now I have such a desire to pray and to read the Bible.

Then at Christmas time Sally from Holy Trinity Brompton in London was here with a team and she prayed for me. I started to shake and cry. Then I stopped crying and started to laugh and laugh. Suddenly I saw in my mind a picture of what I thought was heaven. It was a place full of clouds and beautiful trees and birds. There were lakes, waterfalls and animals. And as I was walking through this place I crossed over into what seemed to be hell. Everything was red and the trees were dead. The place with the waterfall was the same as I'd seen in heaven only the water was blood. I heard people screaming.

I had previously asked God to show me what heaven and hell looked like, so this was an answer to my prayer.

Another time I was praying I saw in my mind a picture of a bright light and God said to me, 'Don't worry about your future because everything will be all right.' Then He showed me a house and on the house there was a sign with 'Study' written on it. I believe it has something to do with art and design and I believe this house is in England. I love to design and paint, especially nature.

Last year at school I was still causing problems, fighting with other boys and girls. But this year I've stopped. Jesus has given me enough love that I can control myself.

My tia came to the farm a couple of months ago. This was another answer to my prayers and she told me that my mother is alive in Sao Paulo and that she is married with three more children. My tia is going to get my mother's address for me so that I can make contact with her soon!

*

His mother telephoned him and they spoke for the first time in over six years in July 1995. Oades is now working in the marketing department for the supermarket Bon Marche. He as baptised in water on August 27th 1995.