God is Our Everlasting Hope

Soraya Torres

I was born and raised in a Christian family in Brazil. My father is a Pastor, so we heard about Jesus since our mother’s womb. As a family, we were always very involved in the Church, serving people of all different backgrounds. I learned during my childhood that LOVE is the most powerful tool to reach out to those who lack hope in life. I heard it so many times around the dinner table and saw with my own eyes – through people’s testimonies – how deep and wide God’s love is for His creation. So, at the age of 12, I  gave Jesus my heart and made my love for Him public. I remember asking Him to use me as His hands and feet on the earth.

A lot has happened since then! Sixteen years ago, my family and I took a leap of faith and decided to obey God’s call to move to a foreign country where we did not speak the language and had no idea what the future would hold. We left everything and everyone behind to seek God’s will in our lives. We faced trials and difficulties at all sorts, but God has been faithful through the years. He’s taken me so many places during my lifetime: all across Brazil, to Louisville, Kentucky and now to Pittsburgh, PA. I am married, mother of three kids and grandma of a boy and have a granddaughter on the way.I was an immigrant myself, and now an American citizen. Today, I feel very blessed that God gave me the opportunity to serve Him through this ministry at CIAC. I love my work at CIAC because I know firsthand the things our clients are facing and how showing them compassion and the love of Christ can change their lives.

I don’t know your story. All I know is that once you give your life to Jesus, He will get you through it. He is our everlasting HOPE and our ever-present HELP when we need it. That’s what we hope CIAC can share with our clients through the ministry we do.