Vitoria is 9 years old. She lives on an island in the Amazon River in Brazil. Her house is built on stilts. Why do you think people build their houses this way? In the rainy season the Amazon River rises, often flooding the islands in its path. A house built on stilts is safer when the river rises.
[Have a map of South America or a globe available.]
Vitoria [vee-TOH-ree-ah] is 9 years old. She lives on an island in the Amazon River in Brazil. [Locate the Amazon River in northern Brazil.] Her house is built on stilts. Why do you think people build their houses this way? [Let children respond.] In the rainy season the Amazon River rises, often flooding the islands in its path. A house built on stilts is safer when the river rises.
The island Vitoria’s family lives on doesn’t have roads, so the family doesn’t own a car. Instead, they use a rowboat to get around. Or they take a public motorboat when they need to buy food or clothes or want to visit another island. Do you think it would be fun to live on an island such as Vitoria does?
Vitoria’s whole family is busy sharing God’s love with others. Since Vitoria was little, she has gone with her father to meet with people in small groups.
Busy for God
Vitoria likes to be busy for God. Every week she leads a children’s small-group meeting at a friend’s house. But she does more. She helps her father produce a radio program.
When her father started the program, he talked to grown-ups about God. Then he asked Vitoria to tell a story for the children. Now they do the program together.
“I tell a story,” Vitoria says. “We play music and share prayer requests and talk about health. My father has a short sermon.
The radio station reaches the islands around Vitoria’s home, and many people listen. They write in to say that they like the programs. The pastor says that the radio program has helped many people living on the islands near their home know about the church.
“Sometimes we talk about the small groups we lead,” Vitoria says. “Then when people are invited to join a small group, they already know a little bit and are willing to attend.”
New Church
Vitoria and her brother, Daniel, are members of the Pathfinder Club. The club has several members who are not Adventists. “We invite our friends to come, and we pray for them. Seven are planning to be baptized,” Vitoria says.
“Sometimes Daniel and I preach in church. We’re always looking for ways to share God’s love with people.”
Boys and girls, Vitoria and her family are busy working for Jesus. We can work for Jesus right here where we live too. We can tell others about God, pray for them to give their hearts to Jesus, and give our mission offering every week. That way people we may never meet on this earth can learn that God loves them. There’s so much we can do! Let’s get busy—just like Vitoria.
