Legacy 2011 is over!

Saturday was the Legacy Sponsorship Banquet and Im so proud because Im part of that because all of the Interns did their best. As a result, we nail the "do together" project!!!

I want to share my written report and leave my contacts below.

"Thank you Jesus" (Pr. Rod Shimabukuro).

Love
Joaquim Emilio de Almeida

CONTACTS
Facebook: Joaquim Emilio
E-mail: joaquimalmeida@newhope.edu
MSN: joaquim.emilio@hotmail.com
Skype: j.emilio1

WRITTEN REPORT
Legacy has changed me in many ways such as, my behavior, my personality, my marriage, my life principles, and etc. Also, the opportunity to be part of the New Hope Church for eight weeks and glean from some godly things of New Hope gems. A church which is formed of amazing people. I will remember these eight weeks forever. I have learned so much here that I need divine help to unpack all of that knowledge now.
The Fireside Chats were amazing to me because I had the opportunity to know a little bit deeper about the New Hope DNA and also to meet God's pioneers of the New Hope church. First, the New Hope Core Value # Seven caught my attention since I read for the first time. Also, I could clearly feel and see genuine love and caring relationships during the testimonies. Second, New Hope is a volunteer-driven church for sure since the way that the Levites set up the churches around Honolulu is something beyond my understanding of being a servant of God. Third, the sense of community inside of New Hope is something very powerful since it provides a safe place to everybody.
The Paddling Ministry had amplified my understanding of leadership, which was so selfish and task-oriented before. I got the first seat in the canoe this position is responsible to give pace to the canoe. So, my thought was "I would make these guys paddle really fast". As we started to paddle I was paddling faster than I can. Also, I was paddling faster than my team and I realized that I was responsible to make my team paddle together. As a result, the canoe could go faster if we paddle together. At that moment, God taught me in my heart about godly leadership that focuses on relationship because we have to paddle/walk as a team instead pushing people too hard to accomplish church goals. So, a godly leader must build up the team.
The Legacy program was a life changing to me. I have been married for eleven months and I didn't know that in eleven months I had deeply hurt my wife. I realized this in the retreat because a pastor shared his testimony about his marriage. I realized I wanted her to be me because I thought that I could do things better than her such as, laundry, dishes, clean, etc... but I was completely wrong because I had showed no respect to her at all. However, I came to Legacy to learn how to be a good Leader but God brought me here to teach me first how to be a godly husband. So, I will never forget the Legacy retreat because it had saved my marriage and today my relationship with my wife is softer and more gentle since she can be herself and I stop getting angry with her since I understand how to now respect her as a God's queen.
The Character Class and "to do together project" had challenged me the most and helped me with my low planks. First, I was born in a Christian family and it gave me a good Christian foundation. Moreover, the Character Class challenged all of my Christians ideas and principles, which were not wrong but they are "christianize". So, the challenges during the class help me to expand my foundation and made it stronger on God. As a result, it will help me in my future. Also, the character class showed me low planks and that I should daily ask for God's grace. Second, in the beginning of "to do together project" I took charge and I was all in but I got so frustrated during the planning time. Through this, God had used my frustration to teach how to keep my peace and to listen more than speak.
In conclusion, I'm so proud to be part of a group of interns, which became mature as a group in many ways that I have never seen before. Also, I'm so thankful for all the Legacy leaders and all the pastors that I met during the program. They had impacted my life because they are God's people. So, my behavior, my personality, my marriage, my life principles, and many other things had changed during Legacy. Finally, I learned from a pastor to pray asking for a season to apply all that knowledge to become part of my character as a godly person.