March 23 Today in OPC History

Marieta, the wife of Orthodox Presbyterian Church pastor Roberto Laranjo, was born on this day in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Raised by her godly grandmother, Marieta committed her life to Christ at sixteen. In college on a blind double-date, she met Roberto Laranjo. After four years of long-distance dating while completing their education, they married on August 4, 1990. Roberto soon received his first call to a Presbyterian Church of Brazil congregation in Ipatinga. Laura, their first child, had a very serious, often life-threatening illness, which doctors were unable to successfully treat. Their church prayed fervently and Laura was healed. Nearly 500 people attended a service of thanksgiving on Laura’s first birthday.

In 2007, Roberto was contacted by then OPC associate pastor Greg Hills and elder Carlos Pereira, both of First Presbyterian Church, North Shore, in Ipswich, Massachusetts. A group of Brazilians in the Greater Boston area needed a pastor. Roberto agreed and on April 17, 2007, he was received into the OPC’s Presbytery of New York and New England as pastor of Igreja Presbiteriana Brasileira em Melrose, the Brazilian Presbyterian Church in Melrose, Massachusetts. Both Portuguese and English are spoken at their services, which helped the congregation to grow. On January 25, 2015, the group became an organized OP church.

Marieta struggled with the challenges of learning English while living in a different culture. In Brazil Marieta studied to be a biology professor. She missed her large church and her two daughters, Laura and Rebecca, often were bullied in school. Yet English classes and volunteering as a health educator for Portuguese-speakers helped Marieta to adjust. The family also worshiped Sunday evenings with other congregations. As Marieta grew in her patience and trust of God, she also rejoiced that their church grew to nearly fifty who attend Sunday morning worship.

Kathleen Curto wrote more about Marieta in Choosing the Good Portion: Women of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, which is available on OPC.ORG here.

Picture: Roberto and Marieta Laranjo