Virginia Beach is a great mix of people from all around the world!
The military is a big reason for the diversity of countries but it is also encouraged by our university of higher education, proximity to Washington D.C., other colleges in our area and the medical community.
One international family that has become special to Katha and me is the Sampaio family. This sweet family is from Brazil and have been in Virginia Beach for about a year and a half. As a family, they operate a clothing alterations business in a nearby shopping center where God is blessing them with a good amount of business.
The youngest of two daughters speaks English very well as does her older sister. The mom is making great progress in learning the language and the dad speaks English very little. He usually speaks to us through one of the daughters who serve as translators.
The Sampaios have a great love for one another, big hearts for others and a frequent laughter that is prompted by their strong relationship with God. I asked the mom about the joy that she always seems to have and her reply was, “Why shouldn’t I be joyful and happy?! God has blessed me with much for today and I have no assurance for tomorrow. I will enjoy what God has given me today!”
The family is a living model for James 4:13-14
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
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