Valeria Alves
Pentecost Today USA Board Member
Warrendale, PA
Valeria was born and raised in Brazil, in a beach city called Praia Grande, in the State of São Paulo, having lived there all of her life before immigrating to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2019. Married to Abilio Alves since 2008, she is mother of Davi José and Lorena.
Valeria is a missionary from “Aliança de Misericórdia” (Alliance of Mercy – a Brazilian Covenant Community) since 2014, when her life was transformed by Baptism in the Holy Spirit, that happened at an Alliance of Mercy retreat. After that experience she was so moved by the Holy Spirit that she decided, along with her husband, to spread the Baptism in the Holy Spirirt and bring Alliance of Mercy´s charism to her hometown, Praia Grande, starting a local mission in that city, where many people got involved, either participating, being reached by or helping.
Following one of the characteristics of Alliance of Mercy´s charism, which is creativity in evangelization and love for the poor and people who are on a vulnerable situation, Valeria helped to implement the homeless ministry in the parish, serving the homeless with clothes, food, prayer and sharing the Word of God at least once a week throughout the city.
Responsible for organizing the first “Cristoteca” (Christotheque – like a Christ disco) in the region, an evangelization that is unique of Alliance of Mercy, where people gather (mostly young people) to listen and dance to Catholic music, participate in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and go to confession, all in a relaxed atmosphere, without alcoholic beverages. People spend the night and often the dawn praising the Lord.
She was also directly responsible for organizing and preaching in dozens of retreats, being these for young people, for couples, open to everyone, Carnaval retreats, Revival retreats, having also promoted a “Christ Luau” on the beach and a “Baile no Espírito Santo” (Dance in the Holy Spirit) inside a church.
Valeria also participated in street evangelizations, prayed the rosary in the streets, organized cenacles in homes, visited the sick in hospitals, and also participated in prayer groups, having started an online prayer group in her own house. She created an evangelization channel with daily gospel meditation for children, with the help of her husband and her 9-year old daughter, who was responsible for appearing in the videos.
Having moved to Pittsburgh, to a house that is very close to The Ark and The Dove, she began to volunteer to help with their needs and also participate in the events that take place there. She organized the first mass in Portuguese in honor of “Nossa Senhora Aparecida” (Our Lady of Aparecida – Patroness of Brazil), held at The Ark and The Dove and broadcasted live on the internet. She also organized a Portuguese-language retreat (with simultaneous translation) in downtown Pittsburgh, where two priests from the Alliance of Mercy preached, and a night of worship and adoration at The Ark and The Dove.
Updated 3/1/2024
