Jorge Carvalho is a missionary with SEPAL Brazil, part of our OC Global Alliance. He led our team in Romania for many years and recently moved to Portugal, where he provides support and member care for all SEPAL Brazil missionaries serving overseas.  Jorge recently shared this story, highlighting the importance of our OC Global Alliance partnership.

I recently experienced a surprise blessing from being part of the OC Global Alliance. After serving for 14 years in Romania, I obtained Romanian citizenship. The story of how I obtained it is a true miracle.

When I applied for citizenship, one criterion was that I had to be employed in the country.  Even though I had been working there for many years, technically, my employer was not in Romania since our salary was raised through support from OC.  I explained my employment with OC and the Romanian government requested a work contract with OC.  I wrote to OC USA and asked if they could provide documentation demonstrating my connection with the organization.  A beautiful letter was written by Ray Sanford explaining the details of my situation.

When I took the letter to the officials, they said they could not accept it because it was not what they had asked for.  

I told her, "This is the truth about me.  I have nothing else to bring."

She thought about it and after some seconds she said, "OK... I will receive it since I do not make the decision.  That decision is made higher up."

I thought to myself, Yes, The ONE much higher up will decide this!

After three months, I received an official letter inviting me to take the citizenship test. When I got there on the day of the test, the officer in charge had my papers in his hand. He asked me some questions, and the last question was, "What is OC?"

I told him it was the organization I work for, and he said that he had never heard of it, but he had heard of the guy, Ray Sanford, who signed the letter. He is a pastor in America! God had highlighted Ray's name to this agent to bring me favor.

The long story made short is that I passed the exam and received citizenship with my family.  Shortly after, our family was re-assigned to Portugal, closer to many of our Brazilian missionaries.  Since we had become citizens of Romania, part of the European Union, we did not need visas to move to Portugal.

I remember hearing Dean Carlson say, "Our OC family is bigger than we realize."

I praise God for using our organization and the name of that American Pastor who was a channel of blessing to me, my kids, and generations to come.