Student Profile: Guilherme Fadlalla

By: Laniaya Alesia Hoofatt

Posted: 4/12/07

A soccer and surfing fanatic, Guilherme Fadlalla is from San Paulo, Brazil. He is a transfer student from San Jose State University, a NCAA Division 1 school where he played soccer as a sophomore and junior. He was about to start his university experience in Brazil but an opportunity to come to the U.S. and study and play soccer was too good to give up. Fadlalla was able to transfer to SAU this January.

"I was not happy in a secular school, surrounded by parties and living in the world. After my baptism I started to look over the internet for some Christian school so I could play soccer and finish my senior year," said Fadlalla.

An exercise and sport science major, he is concentrating his studies in recreation and leisure. Fadlalla chose this course of study because he was not happy with any other. He contends that he is here because God told him to come to a Christian school so that he would be able to learn more about God.

Fadlalla said that his greatest influence for going to college was his parents. His mother grew up extremely poor and through her persistence and hard work was accepted to the best law school in the country. His mother was his motivator to pursue higher education. In Brazil it was hard for someone to be accepted into a university, because there some could study for free. Fadlalla's mother showed him what true survival is.

He initially came to SAU to study Christian ministries but did not want to stay an extra year. He will be graduating in the spring of 2008. "I want to go to seminary school because God has called me to preach the word in Brazil at the beginning and after I will travel the world spreading his word," said Fadlalla. He has plans with friends in Brazil to start a ministry. He wants to reach out to the poverty stricken in San Paulo, which is affecting more than 19 million people in the city alone.

"It (San Paulo) is a huge city, diverse in every way, all kinds of ethnic groups, beautiful places, there are people who have good income but most of the population is poor," said Fadlalla.

It was not easy for Fadlalla when he first came to the United States. The language barrier was hard for him. Being away from his family and friends in Brazil hurt even more. He knows that everything that he went through will not be in vain.

"I know that everything that I have been through, every suffering, every time that I cried because I missed my family and friends, God carried me through these years, otherwise I would have quit," said Fadlalla.

Fadlalla said that when he goes back to Brazil that he wants to serve God. He knows that his major cannot help with that but his life experiences that he has had during college, will help him. He feels that his degree now does not make a difference. It is clear that Fadalla's love of Christ is all that he needs to succeed in reaching the people of Brazil.

"God has been shaping me over this year and after I graduate I will serve him fully," said Fadlalla.

"Every ability, every major that each of you have chosen, do it for God's glory. We have to get out of our comfort zones to do his will. We know that there are a lot of people suffering, they are not only suffering with physical needs, like the third-world countries, but even here in the U.S. people are suffering with spiritual needs, people are living a Christian life as a ritual, not really following him and suffering for him and we know that God does not want that from us. Let's take our crosses and really follow Jesus."