Photo Credit: Not even rain was a problem for the choir to make a Christmas request for the elderly. (Photo Credit: Sezinaldo Vargas and Sérgio Kaczan)

South America

Adventist Choir brings Christmas songs, worship to elderly nursing home resident, granting patient’s wish

Presentation took place in Joinville and followed social distancing protocols.

Brazil | Paulo Ribeiro

A Seventh-day Adventist choir in Brazil made the Christmas wish of a nursing home resident a reality, by presenting an in-person Christmas concert.

 

Those responsible for the Ágape nursing home in Joinville, in Brazil’s Santa Catarina state, asked residents what they would like to receive as a Christmas gift. Nelson Prause, 73, asked for a choir to come and sing. Administrators started looking for someone who could fulfill that wish, but most choirs in the area were inactive due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

However, Adventist choir Voices Coral learned of the story and decided to comply with Mr. Nelson's Christmas request. Following the protocols of social distancing, the musicians went to the care facility and sang carols including “Jesus Nasceu” and “Luzes Coloridas.” The concert took place on December 19 in the afternoon.

 

According to the person in charge of the site, Cristiane Oliveira, Prause has an extremely advanced level of Alzheimer's disease, although social action has recovered some of his memories.

 

“He has always been a member of the church and is very fond of choir and prayer, he always talks about it. Walk around saying 'God bless you'. He was moved and cried a lot,” Oliveira said.

 

The social action of the concert helped ease the impact of this atypical year of pandemic, Oliveira noted.

 

“We spent a very difficult year restricting visits and family members, and this spiritual moment is very important for their health,” she said.

 

Internet tests 

According to the choir conductor, Léia Piola da Silva, the group's rehearsals took place by video call, and the surprise visit to the Ágape home was worth the effort.

 

“We were completely thankful to God for allowing us to take these moments to the elderly. We benefited the most, however, because the feeling of being a blessing to the other person's life fills the heart,” Léia said.

 

Delivery of literature and food 

In addition to the musical performances, the choristers offered a biblical reflection and delivered Christian literature to those responsible for the nursing home for them to clean and present the elderly. The musicians also donated food through joint action with the Adventist Solidarity Action (ASA).

 

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site

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