Orphan Joy Brasil

This will be my fifth trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil! It's the country where I was born, although not where I was raised. Nevertheless, I've always felt a connection to it. Maybe it's because of what I've been doing for the past five years.

Founded in 1984 by Nancy Cameron, Limiar's initial objective was to provide care for children and adolescents with special needs from various conditions. Nancy raised resources both in Brazil and abroad to support the house, providing comprehensive assistance to children with various challenges, including cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, mental, physical, visual, and hearing impairments, among others.

As it has grown, Casa Limiar has provided a home for thousands of children who have found loving families. However, the house has limits on the number of children it can support at any given time. Caring for these special children requires extreme dedication and constant attention.

I was one of the first few children adopted by a family in the USA through Nancy Cameron. She played a pivotal role in pioneering international adoptions of Brazilian children. The adoption laws have since become more stringent regarding adoptions from outside Brazil.

Nancy passed away in 2006, and I never had the opportunity to thank her in the way I would have wanted. In 2017, I decided to go to Brazil as a birthday gift to myself. I reflected on my life and how much it had been influenced by Nancy, my parents, and Brazil. Nancy was the catalyst for a new chapter in my life, sparking everything else.

The last few trips I took made me realize that they weren't just for me. I understood that these journeys were for the children I've impacted, the ones I've come to love and care for. In some way, they also serve as a tribute to Nancy, because of her love, sacrifice, and faith. I've always felt a responsibility to pay it forward.

Over the past few years, I've had the pleasure of spending time with some of the children who have lived in the home. Of course, within that time, some children have come and gone. Most of those who left have been adopted into good homes or reunited with their families. Each child has a unique story, and hearing them is heartwarming and soul-stirring. Listening to these stories makes me want to know them better and find ways to stay in touch with them as much as I can. Each child inspires me to return, better, stronger, and with the support of my friends and family.

With that in mind, I've created this page to ask you, my friends and family, to help make a child's life a little brighter this Christmas. I know that the people I reach out to about this wonderful opportunity are kind-hearted individuals who understand me, who have seen me face challenges and rise to be able to perform acts of kindness and love like this. This will be a truly joyful Christmas for these children.

Every penny donated will go to the Casa Limiar orphanage in Sao Paulo, Brazil. My plan is to spend time getting to know the new children and reconnecting with those who have come to know me in prior years. As before, I will volunteer my time to assist the casa with various tasks, looking after the children, playing with them until I'm exhausted, and surprising them with outings like Burger King runs or whatever I can do physically and, of course, financially.

Once I've gotten to know the children and learned about the things they may want, such as toys, books, clothes, or anything else, I'll put together a list and head out for some shopping. We'll also explore doing some fun activities like visiting the waterpark, amusement park, and perhaps even the beach.

If there's anything left over, which I hope there will be, I'd like to give it to the orphanage itself to buy any necessary supplies, food, cover maintenance costs (for the building and vehicles), and so on.

So, that's the plan, and with this plan, I'd love to continue this year and expand this personal outreach. It's a way for not only me, but also for my friends and family to show their support and bring hope not just to me, but most importantly, to a child in a country that doesn't have the same rights we do here in America.

I will always remember, learn from, and live for this: A child once approached "momma," my newly non-blood sister Luiza, and asked her (in Portuguese), "Why is he here?" Her reply was, "Because he used to be an orphan in an orphanage too!" He responded with, "I want to do what he is doing." This has inspired me to keep going, and I will do my utmost to return every single year.

During my third visit, I had the joy of reuniting with my mother and brother for a beautiful Christmas surprise. It was a moment filled with overwhelming emotions. Every time I reflect on these trips, I'm transported back to the journey itself—the process, the waiting, and the distances I cover. The anticipation of it all can be quite overwhelming at times.

From day one, my mother and I have been making up for lost time through messages, with me relying on a translation app to bridge the language barrier. Although my brother is constantly immersed in his demanding job at the hospital, I've managed to stay in touch with him. Exploring my familial connections has been a profound experience, prompting me to contemplate what my past might have been like. I'm immensely grateful for the present, as it allows me to support them whenever I can.

I vividly remember the first time I learned about my mother and brother, how it stirred me and brought my tranquil thoughts to a halt. While I still experience a range of emotions, I'm managing them to the best of my ability.

These journeys of mine have contributed significantly to my comprehension of the missing piece in my life. At times, I find myself grappling with the emotional weight, feeling burdened and adrift. Yet, I recognize that sometimes, fulfilling one's purpose comes at a cost.

The purpose of these trips is not only to pay homage to a woman who changed and saved my life, but also for me to be able to ignite a spark of hope and love in a child's heart and soul. It's about making a child believe that life can be good and that there are good people on this earth. It's about changing a child's life by just one degree, and hopefully, that one degree will make an impact that will last a lifetime.

“I will continue the good by doing goodness and showing my heart to the children that have been lost with love, hope, faith, and understanding."

Please give what you can, do not worry for even $1 goes a long way. Thank you and the children, staff and my Brasilian friends and family thank you.