DEPOSITIONS
Isabela's Testimony
“I started going to axé at the end of 2018, at a time in my life when I was very poor financially, spiritually and my health was very poor. I had just arrived from the UK and did not know I had caught tuberculosis. I found myself sick, with a precarious financial situation and started treatment, but until then I felt in the dark. I was always very connected to religion, spirits, entities, I had access to other axé houses, Mães de Santo, but not did me good. Since I was 15 I used to go to terreiros - now I'm 28 - and it was always an exchange. As the years went by, I lost the desire to be in these places, in these terreiros, I was very disappointed, as I went through several difficult situations. Despite always relying on entities, guides and Orixás, I walked away from these places and found myself alone in the world, aimlessly. And in 2018, a friend of mine who was entering London when I was leaving, and who always complained about the difficulties at that time, she called me saying “friend, things got better, I met a Mother of Saint, Patricia who helped me, she reached out without even knowing who I was. She did something for me there in Brazil, which gave me movement, I'm working a lot and feeling very good.” When she told me that, I hadn't played for a long time, without talking to religious people, because I was very discredited. for having been deceived so many times in this environment. But it made me want to get in touch with this mother of Santo. That was when I had my first contact with Mother Patricia through a video call. I remember to this day that I didn't even have the money of cards, nor the money to pay her for the game. But she told me there would be no problem - given my situation - and played. That video call, through the game and your words have already given me strength. At that time I was very weak, almost 90 kg, with the disease, I reached 67 kg. Then I saw hope, when I spoke to Mother Patricia for the first time and things started to move again. Like a car that goes for repair and starts again. From then on I never lost touch with Mother Patricia. She taught me how to strengthen myself spiritually, with baths, prayers. From then on I started to see my life going. It was when I had strength, I overcame the disease, I returned to my job. It was when I went to the city of Feliz, in RS, to meet Axé. When I arrived I saw right at the entrance that stone road with those trees, the noise of the wind in the trees, the noise of the water and that peace I had never seen anywhere. , where I entered devastated by all the experiences I had already gone through in my life. But inside I learned that I would reap good things - and I still harvest them today. Before, I didn't thank, my life was not to thank, it was just to ask, ask, ask. Because they taught me that way to ask, ask, ask. And there in Axé, with Mother Patricia, I discovered how important it is for us to give thanks for the light, the darkness, the land, the water, for everything we have in this life - for our life itself. I learned to value everything. I learned to live! I learned that the smallest things I had never cared about before are now the most important things in my life - a word, a hug, a caress, an attention. When I arrived at Axé, at Mother Patricia, I was an indigent person. I didn't even have documents. And with axé I managed to be called Isabela today, have my documents, bank account - something I never had - to be someone on this planet. When I arrived I was a faint person and there I saw light! Today I feel very good , I became so attached to that place wherever I am - for example, I'm now across the ocean, in the UK, but I'm very attached to axé. I feel, thank you, with everything we're going through right now with this pandemic, I feel confident, I feel safe, very safe. Because I know that Mother Patricia, Axé, the Orixás are all in one energy of us turning around and moving on. If I were to really stop to talk about everything, about how my life was, how it is today... I can say that before I had no life. She was a person who wandered the world aimlessly, without destiny and without light. And nowadays I say, I beat my chest and say that I am this Axé's daughter and that soon I'll be back and we'll be laughing, hugging each other in a just energy, which is what I think is what everyone expects, for all of this to pass.” Statement by Isabela
THE START ON THE SITE
Testimony - Maik
My name is Maik, I am Mother Patricia's blood brother.
My first contact with spirituality was with Mr. João Caveira, six years ago.
Aunt Cléa and César came to say that Mr. João Caveira wanted to talk to me.
I already knew that Patricia worked with... I can't say at the time what I thought about it, it was something I didn't accept, I didn't like and, finally, I didn't understand, I didn't know.
When they arrive (Exús), it was a very difficult time, with a lot of losses, I had been losing a lot in my company. I was coming at a really bad time.
And then I met (Exú) Sr. João Caveira one night. I spent a whole night and then I got involved, helping... after a while, the Orixá owner of this Casa pra Feliz was brought in and then I took part, I helped bring it.
And soon after the Orixá comes, all the people who were at the Filhos de santo house) they (Exús: Mr. João Caveira and Mrs. Maria Mulambo) send them away, so I have no "obligation"* any (*without any religious initiation ), without much knowledge...almost no knowledge and, finally... Patricia was already who she is today, but she still didn't have all the knowledge she has today, the maturity she has today. Anyway, it was a very difficult time.
Then she is alone, with no child of Santo, no child "with obligation", having to attend, having to take care of work, having to raise her family. And I start to participate in all of this, wanting to help, anyway.
And then the function of the land comes in, because in the first conversation I had with Exú João Caveira I asked him "'how powerful he was, what would he lack", because nothing could be missing.... .he told me that everything was missing.
I didn't understand what it was and then I ask him:
"if you're the guy, ...how can you be missing something, you can't be missing anything!"
And he tells me: "I lack the land"
Then I say: "but the land I'll give you a piece"
Anyway, that was the beginning, my beginning.
And it went on, I helped and we stayed a long time with Patricia incorporated, the children were small, I helped and so it went on, nights, and nights, and nights... and it started to come together.
One more brother arrived, then another brother, then he brought the family.
That's how I got to know spirituality and that's until today.
Two years ago I collected for my Orixá. I didn't have the strength or understanding anymore and then you start wasting energy that you don't have until you run out of energy. That's when I gave an "obligation" and it did very well for me, it was very good.
And we are there playing, helping in what we can and advising the younger ones, calming down - because it is not easy, sometimes the demand of the Mother of Saint, of spirituality in short, they know what they do, where they are going, where they are going be the right situation. You have to listen, there is still a lot of understanding for us.
I think this time is too little for us to understand the grandeur of spirituality, but we are on the right path.
It's not easy for anyone, it's the first task we have is with ourselves, because being well with your spirituality, you have your way open, with protection and with strength.
Just trust and let things happen in their own time. You cannot stop moving. If a Spirit, spirituality or the Holy Mother says "you go", then you go. Did not work? Then go again, one time will be the time. You can't lower your head.
I only have spirituality to thank. I've improved a lot as a person, understanding other people and knowing that it's really not just us who need it, that others also need it and sometimes there are people much more in need than us and we just look inside ourselves, only for "I"... which is what we always say in here, "the me, it doesn't exist", because one depends on the other, this is in humanity and in spirituality, in everything.
I can only thank spirituality, this great House that is being built, building the whole family and other people who are joining the family.
Because the strength is the family.
And I just have to thank you.
(The statement was transcribed, trying to maintain the colloquial form of the speech that is in the video)
TESTIMONY
Testimony - Valdemir
"I'm Valdemir, I've been this Axé's son since 2016, beginning of February.
I got to know Mother how she worked... with cards, playing cards.
I had problems in my life and I entered the house indicated by a person.
I didn't know it, I had no idea what it was and I just went there to play, without knowledge, I wasn't even aware of what it could be and I ended up staying, and staying...
Before that I had some problems in my life: I lost my job, work.
I worked, built a lot of things and ended up leaving everything behind to start another story and Mother Patricia helped me a lot with that. She and all her spirituality.
I ended up meeting people here... One thing I didn't have: ability to deal with people and every day I'm evolving, I'm improving myself, managing to grow and today it's been much better for me. With the help of spirituality things are opening up.
Mother helped me a lot to get back on track, so that I could have a life again. Because it was something I no longer had. I didn't have friends anymore, I didn't have people anymore...no one wanted to be close to me, I was very arrogant.
Because of this arrogance I ended up losing everything I had. I almost lost my daughter because of it, I walked away from her. And today we're talking again, we still have ties and each time I'm closer to her and I want to get even closer, because this is the true meaning, this Ilê (house) works a lot on top of it: he is the tie, he is the family .
They may say one day the blood has come together, as Mother's entire family has been united here. Probably one day mine will also join, just as I looked for help, they will also look for it - I've already talked about this with them, but as I said at the beginning: everything has a misunderstanding in the beginning, a little prejudice to understand what it's all that...it's very complex, it takes time.
I believe that whoever steps in here will not regret it... I am an example of what spirituality can do with people. I have a lot to improve, to evolve.
I met a person here, in this House, who is now my wife, Ana Paula.
And that was something I was looking for and found here: a person who could make me happy and I could make her happy - which was what I didn't have and that's why I broke up and left everything behind.
Today I have everything, I don't lack anything, I'm happy, thanks to this House, to Spirituality, to our Mother.
I still have little time at the Casa and for you to have history you have to have time.
Summing up what this house is, in my point of view, for me it was very good and will continue to be and for those who don't know it, I recommend it, I recommend it.
It's a place to build people.
This Axé raises people from wherever they are, if they believe and want to rise.
It is no longer my story, this is something I say is from here.
This House works to improve and build people.
And I am very happy to participate, to be a child of this house and I hope this continues."
(Deposition transcribed trying to keep the colloquial speech expressed in the video)