How a Mission Call Led a Young Brazilian Professional to Thailand

While many young people dream of a career abroad, Vitor Emanoel Bispo de Souza chose a different path. At 22 the English teacher from Itabuna, Bahia, Brazil, decided to reject possible job opportunities to live as a volunteer missionary in Thailand. He left on July 22 from the Salvador Bahia Airport, after months of preparation.

“I sought to serve as a volunteer because I believe that this is the fastest way to speed up Christ’s return. I want to give Him all that I am,” de Souza said. He had served as a teacher at Itabuna Adventist Academy for two years. There, de Souza combined language teaching with evangelistic initiatives, he reported. “Witnessing the joy of children and the parents’ support, I soon realized that English was more than a subject. It was a bridge to talk about Jesus,” he shared.

Even in the face of professional possibilities abroad, de Souza opted for a path of total surrender. His decision, however, was not simple. “Most of my acquaintances discouraged me. Many believe that life is about studying, working, starting a family, and attending church on Sabbath. But serving God goes further. Sometimes you must leave everything and go,” de Souza said.

Strength and Spiritual Preparations

According to Jeiglion Pereira, coordinator of Adventist Volunteer Services (SVA) in southern Bahia, the profile of young people like Vitor expresses an increasingly rare spirit of renunciation. “It takes a lot of strength to leave family, friends, a stable life, and even dating behind. This cannot be done without a deep spiritual preparation,” Pereira said. “It is the reason we have invested in initiatives such as the School of Missions, which has been fundamental to strengthen a sense of calling and mission in young people in our region.”

It is de Souza’s first international mission, after participating in One Year in Mission in a town in the same state where he lived.

The call to Thailand came naturally, he said, but not without preparation. In addition to deepening his studies in English and learning the basics of the Thai language, he dedicated himself to prayer and knowledge of the local culture. “I sought God’s guidance. I made Him the guide of my journey,” he shared.

De Souza is full of courage, but admits his fears. “I’m afraid of not being accepted, of not being able to see Christ in me. But I believe that if He sent me, He will also sustain me,” he said.

A Mission With Purpose

De Souza will remain in Thailand for approximately one year. There he will dedicate himself to teaching, service, and discipleship in a reality completely different from his own. More than a geographical change, he will experience a journey of personal growth, spiritual maturity, and full dependence on God, volunteer leaders said.

The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Portuguese-language news site.