Teacher Spotlight on Paulo and Greta

Love can greet you when you least expect it, a pleasant surprise amidst everyday life.  For the two Courtnay and Rowe teachers Paulo and Greta Lira, love snuck up on them and changed both of their lives forever.  Since love united the two, they have created a full life dedicated to bettering the world in which they live, and they do it all together. 

Paulo, a native of Brazil, had been working for a missions outreach program in various American cities in 1997 when he ventured to Tyler, Texas to work for a “Youth with a Mission” school.  Coincidentally, Greta had also traveled to Tyler from New Hampshire to work at the same school.  The two shared the same not-so-romantic work assignment of “washing industrial sized pots and pans,” in the kitchen of the school.  One day, Greta was singing in the kitchen during clean up when Paulo overheard her.  “It was not ‘love at first sight,’” Greta recalls, “but as Paulo would put it-it was love at first sound.”  The two were married within a year and a half of meeting one another.

Once married, they moved to Brazil, where both Paulo and Greta used their gifts of teaching to enlighten their community.  Paulo started a music school, teaching piano, singing, and music theory lessons, and Greta taught English for a few years.  In fact, music has been a special part of both of their lives for many years, with Paulo beginning piano lessons at the tender age of 6.  “[Paulo] has studied with some of the best musicians in Brazil and his passion is Brazilian Jazz,” Greta explains.  As for her, she states “I have always loved to sing, I have been singing in Church since I was 15.”

The two also worked within the music industry with Paulo producing albums for various artists and Greta working with a Christian recording company called Vineyard Music Brasil.    “Greta and I helped produce 6 albums for Vineyard Music,” Paulo shares. “It is similar to Courtnay and Rowe in that you must have a passion to see the people you are teaching grow as they enjoy what they are learning.” Paulo has also masterfully handled the recording and mixing for the C & R Fundraising CDs for the past two years.

After 10 years in Brazil, the two decided to come back to America in October of 2007 after their friend, a Minister, founded a church in Marietta, to help establish the music band as well as help support and minister the congregation.  The two of course teach for Courtnay and Rowe also, where they can perfectly blend their musical talents with their love for teaching.  “Music has always been a huge part of our lives- it permeates our day to day,” Greta says of her and Paulo, “teaching is also a large part of who we are- we truly desire to see others grow in excellence and maturity.” 

Paulo and Greta are truly wonderful representations of all of the powerful things that can be done through music.  It is so hard to find someone who has passions so similar to your own, and these two not only found each other but have dedicated their lives to pursuing and spreading their passions to the hearts of others.

-Marian Mereba

 

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