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We need to recognize that what is strengthening to different people may be different. We need to foster self care and healing, finding our sources of spiritual strength — whatever those may be — and learning to accept ourselves.
To be born queer is to be born into a second family which is only discovered later in life. Just as we don’t choose our siblings but hopefully learn to love them and take pride in our family identity, we don’t choose our queerness but hopefully learn to love it, love our queer family, and take pride in our queer identity.
He buscado en la iglesia lo que Jesucristo dijo en Mateo 11:28: “Venid a mí todos los que estáis trabajados y cansados, y yo os haré descansar.” Él me ha aliviado. Me ha ayudado a saber que soy quien soy. No he dejado de ser su hijo por ser gay.
The 2nd annual Affirmation Conference was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina last month. People came from as far away as 18 hours by bus. The full range of LGBT were represented and parents, family members and friends also came to support those attending. Those attending said the weekend recharged them to move forward with their lives, knowing God loves them and understands them individually.
“Durante muitos anos tenho lutado, primeiro para ter o amor de alguém que me desprezava, depois lutei para não ser quem eu era, depois lutar para aceitar quem eu realmente sou… eu posso ter sido abandonado nesta vida por pais terrestres, mas meu Pai Celeste nunca me abandonou.”
In my prayers, I hoped that God would help me, but even more I always hoped that my mother would not suffer. Then came an opportune time. When I spoke the truth, parenthetically, something she already knew, that which I feared happened, something I can briefly describe as a “dark period.” At the same time, I felt relief at the end of the lies and deceptions.
Nas minhas orações, esperava que Deus me ajudasse, mais sempre desejando que minha mãe não sofresse. Então, chegou um momento oportuno. Hoje, minha mãe me ama incondicionalmente e ama quem estiver ao meu lado, não tenho dúvidas disso. Eu sei que Deus me ama, que é um Pai amoroso e, quando apresentei meus temores, Ele sabia que nas minhas preces havia um coração verdadeiro.
”
I marveled at the strength of conviction these friends have in the face of cultural and religious discrimination in so many of their communities and even from their loved ones in many cases. While affirming my admiration for their faithfulness, I voiced my belief that the only real testimony I currently can state with conviction, is my testimony of them.
Las primeras conferencias de Afirmación en Brasil con participación de líderes internacionales de Afirmación ha sido un sueño hecho realidad para activistas de Afirmación como Jean Carlos, Remerson Lima, Luiz Antonio Correa, Everaldo Ewerton, Cristiano Celestino y Sandra Cristina. Primero en Fortaleza (8-10 de abril de 2016) y después en Sao Paolo (15-17 de abril de 2016).