Vassula in Brazil

October 11 - 18, 1997

The fourth meeting was way up north of Brazil. The city that Vassula was invited to give the message of God was Forteleza. Vassula, Fr Milheiro and Sr Isabelle from Portugal together with Fr Michel and Josι Beneval from the True Life in God Association in Joinville, Brazil, arrived and met their hosts: Maria Dolores Pinto da Silva, Antonio Pereira Irmao and Cιsar Aragao.

In the past days when this little group of hosts were putting all their heart in preparing the venue, the Evil One did not resist from interfering into Our Lord's plans. He managed to raise upheavals and strong opposition from various people. Fr Marie-Eugene, OCD, wrote in his book, 'I am a Daughter of the Church', the following:

'Among the powers of evil, Satan stands out as a subtle and powerful strategist. His hateful jealousy cannot remain unmoved in the face of this soul that is about to escape him definitely and very soon to do him considerable harm. Such a soul has become his personal enemy. And so he uses against it all his resources. To the type of action that we have already mentioned, he will certainly join a more exterior activity. In the external domain of the senses, he finds all his best means and a certain superiority. To stop the progress of the soul and paralyze its action, the devil will enlist both persons and things. He will turn everything to his profit, the passions of men as well as their good desires, as also the laws of nature, which he will disturb in order to create agitation and trouble, contradiction and persecutions.'

But Jesus had warned Vassula in the very beginning, ten years ago, that it would be so. Vassula having grown, so to say, with these trials, and having them as her daily bread, never lost any of her courage nor her peace. Trusting in providence and in God's power, the criticisms of well-meaning persons such as those who were trying to prevent the meeting did not affect her the least.

Apart from creating persecutions and contradictions, the devil, in the very last minute while people were coming and gathering in the Sports Hall of the Calagio Cearense, managed to put the law of nature against them too; by a total blackout in the hall of the meeting. There he used the laws of nature to damage the meeting, but God's powerful Hand came again to their rescue and the electricity was fixed and everything was back to normal.

God who provides his people seed for the sower and bread for food had called those that were hungry for spiritual bread into a gathering of around 3000 people. The Spirit of the Lord was very manifest that evening. While Fr Milheiro, Sr Isabelle and Vassula were heading to go up on the podium, Vassula was asked to stop by on her way and meet a Syriac priest, from the Orthodox Catholic Church, (his name Fr Eli) who wanted very much to meet her. While Vassula was approaching him, he suddenly saw the face of Vassula change into the Holy Face of Jesus Christ. This phenomenon is now rather common and it is an extraordinary favour, Our Good Lord, has given to His chosen one and a grace for the one who sees it. Fr Eli witnessed later on, what he had seen.

Fr Milheiro spoke filled up with the Holy Spirit and touched many hearts. After having defended Vassula's charism, he sang a hymn with the people. This reminds us of St Paul's words to the Church of Ephesus: 'This is why we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in Him; so, I beg you, never lose confidence just because of the trials that I go through on your account; they are your glory.'

After that, Vassula prayed a decade of the Rosary in Aramaic which is Jesus' language. In her address to the people, Vassula quoted many passages from True Life in God, especially concentrating her talk on the Holy Spirit. This was the theme, obviously, inspired by the Holy Spirit Himself. Then, something happened; while she was reading the passage of the Holy Spirit speaking and saying:

"Come and step into my deep waters and my waves will wash over you and refresh you; do not fear me, have you not heard, my friend, that I will change the dry land into a sea? For from the heavens I will pour out on you My gifts and My favours,just like the heavens pelt down rain, so will I pour out my presence on all mankind." (July 17, 1996)

Big drops of water started to fall on her, on the notes she was reading from, on the interpreter, Fr Michel, and on some who were around her. Vassula looked up but only saw the ceiling. Those drops came from nowhere and kept coming for about half an hour. When she had finished addressing the people and sat for a while in her chair, her skirt started to fill with those drops. Fr Eli, who sat near her, said that he too had that same experience sometimes when he performed a baptism in his Church and that it was a sign given from the Holy Spirit.

Vassula later on told us, that during her address to the people, she felt in her heart great joy and she related that to the Joy that Jesus was feeling during the time of her testimony. Her whole face was radiant with this joy. This reminds us of a passage in Scriptures:
"For it is not ourselves that we are preaching, but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. It is the same God that said: 'Let there be light shining out of darkness' who has shown in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of God's glory, the glory on the face of Christ." (2 Cor 4:5-6)

In her testimony, Vassula reminded them of the Purification that was imminent that would purify the world. She explained it as a grace, for in spite of burning like fire from within, our soul would come out as clean and transparent as crystal. This purification would draw us further towards God. While Vassula was explaining the Purification, one could feel in those moments an intense presence of Jesus. Her testimony must have lasted an hour and a half.

Sr Isabelle then spoke of the programmes Vassula had made and had before her still in Brazil. All in all there were six and two others for the Association members of True Life in God. All these would be completed in those 12 days during their stay in Brazil. The towns where she would address the people were: Campinas, Brasilia, Vicesa, Curitiba, Porto Alegre and Portaleza then Joinville and Porto Alegre would have a special meeting for the Association members. Sister Isabelle thanked the people for their enthusiasm and tenderness they showed towards Vassula and mentioned that Brazil could now have the journal Edicoes Boa Nova printed in Brazil itself.

And finally, with praise, everyone stood up to sing a wonderful hymn to the Holy Spirit. Vassula raised her crucifix that contains a relic of the true Cross to bless the people, praying to the Holy Spirit to descend upon them and heal them. Many fell in the repose of the Spirit. Invoking the Holy Spirit in this way is also increasing the amount of thanksgiving that God receives. It was a magnificent moment of grace and peace, that touched the hearts of the faithful. Again, big drops of water fell on Vassula and the ones around her. The tablecloth where Vassula had placed her notes on was soaked by the time of departure.

The Holy One who provides, provided them with abundant graces and showed to them how they were all drawn by Him to hear His Divine Message.