Almeida, Victorino Cabua Josepho De

Victorino Cabua Josepho De Almeida 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. 

Almeida is a lay member of the United Methodist Church of Emmanual, Luanda, related to the East Angola Annual Conference. In his congregation, he teaches Sunday school, works with youth, and participates in music groups and drama activities. Almeida earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science.

“My journey of personal spiritual growth has been a profound and transformative experience,” he said. “From a young age, I was introduced to the values of compassion, empathy and service through my family and community. These early lessons laid the foundation for my spiritual development and instilled in me a deep sense of purpose and connection to something greater than myself.”

As Almeida grew, he sought to deepen his understanding of spirituality through meditation, prayer and study of sacred texts. These practices enriched his spiritual life and instilled in him a sense of inner peace and clarity. “They taught me the importance of mindfulness, gratitude and living in alignment with my core values,” he said.

Almeida had a pivotal spiritual moment during a volunteer journey to a remote village. “Witnessing the resilience and strength of the people there, despite their challenging circumstances, profoundly impacted me,” he said. “I felt a strong calling to mission work. I realized that my spiritual growth was not just about personal enlightenment but also about using my gifts and resources to serve others and make a positive difference in the world.

“Mission work aligns with my deepest values and beliefs. It is an opportunity to live out my faith in a tangible way, to be a source of hope and support for those in need, and to contribute to the greater good. Mission work allows me to connect with people from diverse backgrounds, learn from their experiences, and grow in empathy and understanding.”

Almeida believes that promoting justice and community involvement requires people to live out their religion in practical ways. “I have a strong sense of obligation to advocate for the underprivileged because of my faith,” he said, “and Global Mission Fellows offers a special chance to live out that conviction. I will be able to immerse myself fully in a new setting, absorbing knowledge from the community and engaging in its day-to-day activities while dedicating my abilities to promoting significant change.”

Almeida looks forward to developing such critical leadership skills as flexibility, active listening and conflict resolution through planned experiences and mentorship opportunities. “My perspective,” he said, “will be widened and my assumptions challenged by interacting with people who have had diverse life experiences, which will promote my spiritual and personal development. Working with other participants and community members, I want to establish relationships based on trust and respect so that I can empower those around me and gain knowledge from their experiences and expertise.”

He added, “My love of education also motivates me to design initiatives that support community capacity and skill development. I want to offer seminars that emphasize useful abilities like leadership development, resume writing and financial literacy. By making these tools available, I want to encourage a sense of agency and purpose while enabling people to achieve their career and personal aspirations.

“In addition, my deep commitment to sustainability might direct projects that support ecologically conscious behavior,” Almeida said. “In order to combine my principles with practical initiatives that improve preservation of the environment and community health, I would like to work with others on community gardens or neighborhood recycling programs.”