True Stories

A great way for learning a language! Read true stories and facts about life, nature and the universe, in bilingual, English and Portuguese, side by side texts. Practice your English or Portuguese!

Histrias de Verdade
Uma tima forma de aprender um idioma! Leia histrias verdadeiras e fatos sobre a vida, a natureza e o universo, em textos bilngues, Ingls e Portugus, lado a lado. Exercite seu Ingls ou Portugus!

I Was Blind, But Now I See

I was born blind. It might be difficult for anyone who reads these lines to understand what it is like having never been able to see anything. I found many obstacles, and from childhood things were always difficult for me because I was blind. It was difficult to study. People who had the patience and who would take the time to teach somebody different were hard to find. To walk along the sidewalks of my town was another problem I had to face. The sidewalks had many uneven places; and often when I would take a step it would bring the surprise of a fall or bring some unexpected obstacle, such as something hitting me in the face. Prejudice I had to face another serious problem, one that is common to all people who are born with some sort of disability: PREJUDICE. Many people think a blind child or one who has some other physical problem, is also mentally handicapped or unable to live a normal life. But in spite of the difficulties, I went on learning to "see" with my ears, using tact and even the senses of smell and taste as a means of "seeing" what was around me.

Eu Era Cego, Mas Agora Vejo

Nasci cego. Pode ser difcil para qualquer pessoa que leia estas linhas entender o que nunca ter sido capaz de enxergar coisa alguma. Encontrei muitos obstculos e desde a infncia as coisas sempre foram mais difceis por eu ser cego. Era difcil estudar. Pessoas que tivessem pacincia e que gastassem seu tempo para ensinar algum diferente eram difceis de encontrar. Andar sozinho nas caladas de minha cidade era outro problema que tinha que enfrentar. As caladas tinham muitos degraus; e com frequncia cada passo podia trazer a surpresa de uma queda ou algum obstculode inesperado, como algo que me batesse no rosto.

Preconceito Havia outro problema que eu ainda tinha que enfrentar, algo comum a todas as pessoas que nascem com alguma deficincia fsica: PRECONCEITO. Muitos acham que uma criana cega ou com algum outro problema fsico seja tambm mentalmente retardada ou incapaz de levar uma vida normal. Mas apesar de todas as dificuldades, fui aprendendo a "enxergar" com os ouvidos, usando o tato e at mesmo pelos sentidos do olfato ou o paladar como meios para "ver" o que havia ao meu redor. Adolescncia Logo veio a adolescncia e o comportamento rebelde comum a esta idade. Ao meu comportamento fui somando as mgoas de ser diferente. Era

Adolescence Soon came adolescence and the rebellious behavior common to that age. My behavior added to my grief of being different. It was as though the time had come for me to show to myself and to everyone else that of which I

was capable. By my teenage years, I was already involved with music, having already begun playing and singing whenever invited. It did not take long to find friends who would offer me a means of escape from my problems. That was how I got into the dreadful world of alcohol and drugs, smoking marijuana, smelling glue and even using cocaine. It makes me sad to remember the many times I brought shame to my parents, staggering around under the effect of alcohol or drugs and disregarding those who loved me.

como se tivesse chegado a hora de provar a mim mesmo e aos outros do que eu era capaz. Nos meus anos de adolescente eu j estava envolvido com a msica, tendo at comeado a tocar e cantar onde quer que fosse convidado. No demorou para encontrar amigos que me oferecessem uma vlvula de escape para meus problemas. Foi assim que ingressei no horrvel mundo da bebida e das drogas, fumando maconha, cheirando cola e chegando at a consumir cocana. Me entristece lembrar as muitas vezes em que envergonhei meus pais, cambaleando bbado ou drogado e desrespeitando aqueles que me amavam. Alguma Esperana? Cada dia eu afundava mais no vcio e na depravao, e me tornava cada vez mais rebelde contra tudo e contra todos. Minha vida, que tinha comeado nas dificuldades da falta de luz, mergulhou nas trevas cada vez mais densas do desespero. A soluo para meus problemas parecia impossvel. Como poderia eu, viciado e cego, dar a volta por cima? Como poderia existir qualquer esperana para um perdido como eu? Algum Morreu Por Mim! Um dia algum resolveu gastar seu tempo comigo. Sentou-se ao meu lado e comeou a falar de uma soluo que nem me passava pela cabea. Esta pessoa me falou de Cristo. Explicou que toda a runa de minha vida era causada pelo fato de eu ser um pecador perdido. Falou-me que Deus me amava e queria me salvar, no apenas de uma vida de vcios e pecados, mas de uma eternidade de tormento separado de Deus. Jesus havia morrido por mim. Ele havia sido pregado numa cruz para me salvar. Ele conhecia a minha dor e os problemas que eu passava. Ele at sabia o que era ficar sem enxergar. Para provar o Seu amor, Ele teve Seus olhos vendados e foi esmurrado sem

Any Hope? Each day I sunk deep into addiction and degradation. I became more and more rebellious against everything and everybody. My life, that had begun with the difficulty of the lack of light, plunged into the increasing darkness of despair. It seemed impossible to find a solution for my problems. How could I, addicted and blind, have a new beginning? How could there be any hope for a lost one like me?

Someone Died For Me! One day a person decided to spend some time with me. He sat by my side and started talking about a solution that before had never come to my mind. That person spoke to me about Christ. He explained that all the ruin in my life was caused by the fact that I was a lost sinner. He told me God loved me and wanted to save me, not only from my life of addictions and sins but also from an eternity of torment in separation from God. Jesus had died for me. He had been nailed to a cross to save me. He knew of my grief and the problems through which I was going. He even knew what it was like to be unable to see. To prove His love, He was blindfolded and cuffed without a word of protest from Himself. He had to face the deepest darkness on the cross; and He did it all for my sake.

reclamar. Ele tinha enfrentado as mais densas trevas na cruz; e fez tudo aquilo por causa de mim.

Twice Blind Each word that person spoke sank deeply into my heart. The message was clear; there was hope even for someone like me. Understanding began to come over me that I was twice blind. I was unable to see the love of God - not only was I naturally blind but also I was spiritually blind. In spite of all the destruction addiction had caused in my body, I still had hopes of reaching fame, earning money, and some way achieving happiness. I was then given a passage from the Bible that shook my confidence: "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"1. Even though this word shook my heart, it was still hardened. My answer to that one who so lovingly showed me the way to heaven was in a defiant tone: "I will only convert myself to Christ if God speaks in my heart."

Duplamente Cego Cada palavra que aquela pessoa falava tocava fundo em meu corao. A mensagem era clara: havia uma esperana at para algum como eu. Comeava a entender que era duplamente cego. Eu era incapaz de enxergar o amor de Deus -no apenas era naturalmente cego como tambm espiritualmente cego. Apesar de toda a destruio que o vcio causava em meu corpo, eu ainda esperava poder alcanar a fama, ganhar dinheiro e de algum modo conseguir a felicidade. Ento uma passagem da Bblia abalou toda essa minha confiana: "Que aproveita ao homem ganhar o mundo inteiro, se perder a sua alma?"1 Mas apesar daquela palavra tocar meu corao, este continuava endurecido. Minha resposta quele que com tanto amor me indicava o caminho do cu foi em tom de desafio: "S me converterei a Cristo se Deus falar em meu corao". Numa Festa Tera-feira, 15 de agosto de 1995. Podia ouvir ao longe o barulho das ondas do mar quebrando na praia de Areia Branca. As vozes alegres e as risadas das pessoas ao meu redor no eram capazes de abafar a angstia que tomava conta de meu corao. Eu havia sido contratado para tocar e cantar para alegrar as pessoas numa festa, mas eu mesmo estava triste. Durante um intervalo, sentado naquele bar com um copo de bebida na mo, meus pensamentos estavam longe da festa. Pensava na falta de paz e no meu destino eterno. As palavras de Jesus me perseguiam: "Vinde a Mim, todos os que estais cansados e oprimidos, e Eu vos aliviarei. Tomai sobre vs o Meu jugo, e

At a Party Tuesday, August 15, 1995. I could hear far away the noise from the ocean waves breaking on the Areia Branca beach. The happy voices and laughs from the people around me could not overlay the anguish that was taking place in my heart. I had been hired to play and sing to cheer up the people at a party; but I was sad. During an interval, sitting at the bar holding a glass of alcoholic drink in my hand, my thoughts were far from the party. I was thinking of my lack of peace and what would be my eternal destiny. The words spoken by Jesus were pursuing me. "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."2.

aprendei de Mim, que Sou manso e humilde de corao; e encontrareis descanso para as vossas almas. Porque o Meu jugo suave e o Meu fardo leve"2. "A Partir de Hoje..." Posso me recordar muito bem do que aconteceu a seguir. Passava das duas horas da tarde quando Deus falou claramente em meu corao: "Wilton, seu lugar no aqui". Tomei uma deciso; levantei-me e, pegando o microfone que tinha usado at aquele momento para cantar e animar a festa, declarei para todos ouvirem: "A partir de hoje, sou crente em Jesus!" Das Trevas Para A Luz A partir daquele dia estava salvo. Deus fez uma obra em meu corao e em minha vida, libertando-me das drogas e da vida depravada que havia levado at ento. Eu, que havia sido duplamente cego, agora podia ver a luz do cu. A porta estava aberta para mim. Continuo sem poder enxergar as coisas ao meu redor, mas posso enxergar a luz que ilumina minha vida e essa luz Jesus. Ele trouxe paz ao meu corao. Ele tirou-me das trevas e me levou para a Sua radiante luz. Uma Esposa Mas Deus no parou a. Ele ainda tinha outros planos para minha vida. Quase um ano e meio aps minha converso, conheci uma jovem chamada Valdirene, tambm convertida a Cristo. Logo percebi que a amava. Dvidas encheram minha mente; "Quem iria se interessar por um cego como eu?" Bem, Jesus se interessou a ponto de morrer na cruz por mim. Logo Ele estaria cuidando tambm para que meu amor por Valdirene fosse correspondido. No dia 31 de julho de 1997 nos casamos e somos muito felizes. Haver coisa alguma impossvel a Deus?

"From Now On..." I can recall very well what happened then. It was past two o'clock in the afternoon when God spoke clearly to my heart: "Wilton, your place is not here." I made up my mind; I stood up and took the microphone I had been using to sing and cheer up the party and declared in a way all the people would listen: "From now on I am a believer in Jesus."

From Darkness Into Light From that day I have been saved. God did a work in my heart and life, freeing me from drugs and from the depraved life I had been living. I, the one who had been twice blind before, could now see the light of heaven. The door was opened for me. I still cannot see things around me, but I can see the light that enlightens my life; and that light is Jesus. He gave me peace for my heart. He took me out of the darkness and brought me into His radiant light.

A Wife God's dealings with me did not stop there. He had other plans for my life. Almost one year and a half after my conversion, I met a girl named Valdirene; she also had been converted to Christ. Soon I discovered I loved her. Doubt came into my mind; "Who would be interested in a blind man like me?" Well, Jesus was interested in me, even to die for me on the cross. He soon took care that my love for Valdirene was corresponded by her love to me. On July 31, 1997 we were married and have been very happy. Is there anything impossible for God?

The references are: 1Matthew 16:26; 2Matthew 11:28-30

Mario Persona

As referncias so: 1Mateus 16:26; 2Mateus 11:28-30

Mario Persona

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