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ALUM Spotlight Steven '91 and Angela Burkhalter '91

Steven Burkhalter took his first international missionary trip to Brazil while he was a student at Auburn. That trip sparked a passion for the South American country and its people.

Today, the Burkhalters and their six children call Fortaleza, Brazil home. The couple, both Auburn graduates from the Class of '91, are the directors of an international mission for troubled youth.

Q. Please tell about your missionary work in Brazil and what led you there.

A. Since 2002, we have worked with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), an international and interdenominational Christian missionary organization. We, with our 4 children, moved to Fortaleza, Brazil in 2003 and are the current directors of YWAM Fortaleza ministries, leading a staff of 50 full time volunteers from 10 different countries. YWAM Fortaleza operates a street kid rescue & restoration center, community development projects, evangelism impacts, church training seminars, and various University of the Nations leadership/staff training courses. In 2006, we equipped over 40 students in courses for missions and mobilized them short term to expand our efforts in Northeastern Brazil and internationally in 15 different countries on 5 different continents.

Our interest in missions began while in Auburn. We interacted with many international students and professors and found them very fascinating. At Lakeview Baptist Church, we met many missionaries and received a vision to reach all peoples with the good news about a relationship with Jesus that transforms individuals and societies. While still in Auburn, Steve made his first international trip in 1994 to Manaus, Brazil. We moved to Memphis in 1995 where Steve worked for 7 years as an Engineering Salesman for York International. We used our vacation time to share about Jesus in Brazilian public schools to teenagers with drug and gang problems. We became passionate for the Brazilian people and culture and decided to move the whole family to Brazil so we could invest directly in the potential of Brazilian youth. Two additional sons have been born since moving to Brazil. We have constructed a house here in Fortaleza and now consider this home where we plan to stay indefinitely.

Q. What might a typical day (if there is such a thing) be like for each of you?

Steve:  A typical day certainly includes lots of meetings in order to advise staff or students, solve relationship or technical problems, make planning decisions, and drink lots of wonderful Brazilian coffee. I often give lectures in our training courses and take opportunities to mentor our staff and students in leadership development. Being in a voluntary organization with various skills and experiences, I often work on water pumps, fix sewer or electrical problems, taxi people around, or do whatever needs to be done. I represent the organization publicly and also travel within Brazil or internationally to teach and assist in other projects or recruit for additional volunteers and partners.

Angie: For me everyday is an adventure as a mom of 6 children. My main responsibility is overseeing the home schooling of our 4 oldest who are 14, 13, 11, and 8 years old. We begin school around 8 am and later interact with the staff, students, and other children during lunch hour at the base cafeteria. I am also a member of the base leadership council which meets weekly. I, along with the kids, serve and entertain many guests that we receive. If you add taking care of a 3 and 1 year old, all this can make a typical day very interesting.  

Q. What experience(s) working/living in Brazil has inspired you the most?

A. Brazilians are wonderful people with much to give to the whole world. Our goal is to see these Brazilians reach their potential and destinies. As we teach and share from our knowledge, understanding, and experiences with the poor or upper class alike, we are able to encourage and release Brazilian leaders who are bringing transformation to their own families, communities, and country. We’ve been inspired by teenage boys who formerly lived as homeless drug addicts and thieves on the streets but now are learning to live responsibly and preparing themselves to be future pioneers and leaders. We’re excited to see that our investment in others is taking root to grow, spread, and multiply in Brazil and even unto many other countries of the world. We’re extremely inspired by our own children impacting lives here and catching a missionary vision of their own to impact other nations.

Q. Do you speak Portuguese?

Steve: Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?  I was given responsibilities early on which required communication so I learned quickly even though I had my doubts I would do well. I was lost for a while, but God blessed and all of sudden I was even thinking and dreaming in Portuguese. Today, I lead meetings, teach, or preach in Portuguese daily as well as make written correspondence. Of course, I have my embarrassing moments and am well known for making up new words, but I can laugh at myself and don't get too bothered. I'm shy of TV interviews, though, as I once spoke really bad Portuguese that appeared on a national broadcast. How humbling afterwards when I encountered people who said "Hey, I saw you on TV the other night" knowing they didn’t understand anything I'd said. I'm often asked to pray in large gatherings and still find this very challenging as prayer is very intimate communication. But, I also find it thrilling to express some things from my heart that I'm unable to express equally in English. Learning Portuguese has really expanded my horizons and has helped me to understand a lot more of Spanish, French, and Italian, too. 

Angela: Yes. The question is do I speak it well. I understand a lot of what I hear and can carry on conversations. I manage well with the shopping, doctor/dentist visits and other necessities. I do need a lot of improvement with my grammar and receive a lot of correction from our kids. They are all bilingual and unlike their parents speak Portuguese without a foreign accent.

Q. Why Auburn?

Steve:  I have an older brother and two sisters-in-law who graduated from Auburn. I grew up near Tuscaloosa in a small town called Gordo. But, I was attracted to Auburn from a young age. Auburn was the place/school in which I identified with best in spite of all the cut downs and jokes I had to tolerate. Naturally, I loved Auburn Football and attended many games. I chose to major in Mechanical Engineering and attended Auburn because of its outstanding Engineering Program. I also wanted to represent the Tigers on the Water Ski Team for which I competed 4 years. We began our family in Auburn and operated a small business for a couple of years just because we didn't want to leave town. Why not Auburn?  It's a really great school and a wonderful place to live! 

Angela: My dad graduated from Auburn in education and I was even born in Opelika. So, you might say Auburn was just part of my DNA. I grew up in Gordo, too, but I always wanted to go to Auburn. There was never any doubt about that. I graduated in Education just like my dad. I have fond memories of many great experiences in Auburn and still have friends there today.   

Q. What does the Auburn spirit mean to you?

A. To us the Auburn spirit is about commitment and dedication to excellence, innovation, and teamwork. This is what attracted us to Auburn and was developed in our lives through our experiences there and it is what we see living on in the Auburn spirit today. To our son Caleb, the Auburn spirit means to tell all Brazilians everything about Auburn sports and to listen to the football games on the internet even at 2 am if necessary and to dream about playing football for the Tigers one day.