Garcia, Victorino de Almeida
Victorino de Almeida Garcia is an international Global Mission Fellow with the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, engaged in a two-year term of service.
The Global Mission Fellows program takes young adults ages 20-30 out of their home environments and places them in new contexts for mission experience and service. The program has a strong emphasis on faith and justice. Global Mission Fellows become active parts of their new local communities. They connect the church in mission across cultural and geographical boundaries. They grow in personal and social holiness and become strong young leaders working to build just communities in a peaceful world.
A member of Jose Catumbela Lima United Methodist Church in the West Angola Annual Conference, Victorino loves his congregation. “I see myself carrying out a lot of activities such as Bible reading, liturgist and chorister,” he said. “Most importantly, I got myself familiarized with charity activities.”
Since Victorino accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, he said, “God has been helping me to get involved in spiritual and social activities to [improve] my spiritual life. I am now a final-year student at Africa University, pursuing my Bachelor of Science degree in international relations.” As a member of Ambassadors of Christ, he nurtures his faith, “sharing the word of God and praying for each other as the Bible encourages to do so,” he said.
Along with working as a coordinator with the campus life warden, Victorino served as a Bible reader, liturgist and occasional preacher. “All in all,” he said, “I can describe my spiritual growth as a positive change. I aim at growing every day by drawing near to God.
“In terms of my call to mission,” Victorino added, “I believe that I can easily understand others by putting myself in their shoes. My calling is to impact people in everything I do because the Bible says that in everything you do, do it diligently and with all your heart because it pleases God. I assure you that, with the help of God, I will serve and impact people’s lives through my way of living.”
Interning at the Angola Embassy in Zimbabwe, Victorino worked as a political and economic assistant, primarily conducing research.
As a Global Mission Fellow, he said, “I would like to contribute and maximize positively and bring change [wherever I am placed]. “The Angola Embassy taught me the importance of working in a group and working under pressure.” He speaks English and Portuguese fluently.