We have received 25 letters while corresponding with Gizelle, in addition to receiving two pastors letters (2013 and 2015) and two project directors letters (2014, 2016), and one country director's letter. Her birthday is May 20. Gizelle lives with her mother, who works in general services.
Project Info and Activities:
Gizelle attends BR-417 in Serviluz, Fortaleza
* Home to approximately 18,000 residents
* The primary ethnic group is native Indians
* Most commonly spoken language is Portuguese
* Most common work is work is fishing, but most adults are unemployed
* Average earning is $178 a month
* Regional Diet: beans, bananas, chicken, fish, bread, rice, potatoes & eggs
* Common Health Problems: measles, flu, respiratory illesses, anemia, verminosis (parasites), skin diseases
* Typical Houses: cement, tile roofs
Center activities: Bible teaching, health education, nutrias food, sorts, birthday parties, recreational activities, field trips and academic support.
Miscellaneous Info from Letters:
* Favorites: dolls, playing house, art, dogs, pink, lions, “The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1), singing in the choir, ballet, playing tag, going to the beach, ice cream, jumping rope, cats, Wonder Woman, swimming, writing, reading, playing balls with friends
* Dreams: to be an actress, to own a home, to own a nice car, to have a pet cat, to be a model, to be a ballet dancer, to help her dad by working and helping at home, to visit Europe, to visit her sponsors in the USA
Letter Highlights...
"Here in the project was realized a tour to Zoo and she knew the other children. There she knew several animals. She loved lion."
"The name of Gizelle was chosen for her parents because for them it was very much beautiful."
"God bless you every day and may this friendship endure forever."
"Thank you for the beautiful letters, they are very special to me! I love you from the bottom of my heart!"
"My dad broke his leg and he still cannot walk. Please pray for him."
"Someday I would like to meet my sponsor because: they are lovely in the letters they send me."
"How are you? Hope you are well. I'm so glad to write to you. Congratulations on the pregnancy. May the baby be very healthy and make your home very happy. Thanks for the letter, pictures and for always thinking of my friends and me. Also for the present. I bought a dress and a towel. I'm having much fun school vacation. I'm not on project vacation. I'm going to my cousin's wedding today. We are so excited about this beautiful party. I always pray for you. Thank God I'm growing up healthy. A big hug. May God be with you."
"I am writing you this letter to thank you for al dedication that you have for me. My dad reads all of little letters that you send me...I am very much happy to know that your baby was born with much health!"
"Thank God everything's ok with my dad's leg. I'm good at school and I only have good grades. I am very happy to know that a very beautiful and healthy new baby was born. I loved the new photos of your beautiful children."
"About the fish called Rays, they are very funny and they exist in the coast of Brazil... The dragon-bearded lizards are very beautiful. And besides, they have funny names: Cherry and Grape."
Artwork
Gifts & Visits
We have had two opportunities to send gifts to Gizelle. In 2013, we sent a small stuffed dog and she brought it for photo day at the project! You can see her holding it in her second official Compassion photo. And then in 2015, we were able to send a doll and dress. She sent this lovely photo in return (she's wearing the dress!):
In 2015, we sent a large family gift and she said she bought books for school, "The book is thick and there are seven subjects - Math, Science, History, English, Geography, English, Arts and others. The other one is for handwriting practice."
And in September 2016, David Chalmers, the author of Go Into All the World, visited Gizelle and Estela on our behalf! He blogged about his time in Brazil, and shared about his Visit Day with the girls and then about his Birthday Bash (which he invited our girls to participate in). Here is Gizelle's project, BR-417:
Gizelle saved all her letters (and showed them all to David by dumping them all over her bed!), but her family also put some photos on their wall. Gizelle also showed off her ballet dancing:
I love how she still has her doll and the stuffed dog we sent her!
And here she is with her parents (her dad had recently had a motorcycle accident):
I love this photo of Gizelle with her mom:
Here are some photos from the Birthday Bash!
I just loved this video too--Gizelle and Estela had a blast on the playground:
You can read more about the 2016 visit with David Visit to Brazil and Visit to Brazil Part II.
We received a photo of Gizelle with her birthday gift in 2017:
To read the other posts in this series, click here.
