true stories

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.

Today, Oades is a member of the Lagoinha Church in Belo Horizonte. He lives with a family from his church and works in the graphics department there.