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From Brazil to Mali, Karla Leitzke Makes Herself at Home  by Nadia McGill, public relations assistant, ADRA International
The dusty streets of Bamako, Mali, in western Africa are a far cry from the concrete jungle of São Paulo, Brazil. Growing up in that South American metropolis, Karla Leitzke never dreamed of working in humanitarian service, let alone of devoting her entire life to helping others. “Before ADRA, I was working as a graphic designer and marketing assistant in Brazil,” she recalls. “No one in my family had done anything like this.” Now, six languages and six countries later, she looks back at her experiences over the past ten years and marvels at the immense changes that have transformed her life. Having grown up nurturing a passion for diverse cultures, Karla decided to go abroad as a student missionary during her final year at the When Karla’s boyfriend, Fabiano Valente Franz, also received an offer to work as a volunteer in Cambodia, they began whirlwind preparations. “We graduated university in January 2000, became engaged in February, got married in March, and four days later flew to Southeast Asia,” she remembers.
Working for ADRA Cambodia, Karla experienced ADRA’s work firsthand. As a volunteer communications officer, she visited project sites, interviewing and photographing staff and beneficiaries for newsletters, graphic materials, press releases, and other ADRA Cambodia media publications. She was impressed with the impact ADRA’s projects had on people’s lives. “I felt proud to work for ADRA and be able to touch people’s lives in such a powerful way.” During a visit to an ADRA leprosy project in Cambodia, Karla spoke at length with project beneficiaries. Those conversations made her realize she wanted to make ADRA’s work her own. “For the first time, I really felt deep in my heart that ADRA was changing people’s lives for the better,” she says. “I saw the beneficiaries and what ADRA was doing to help them live a more dignified life. I knew I wanted to make a positive difference in people’s lives.” Karla and Fabiano both agreed they had found their life callings. Canceling plans to return home at the end of the year, they prepared for their next leg of ADRA service in Uzbekistan. Karla enjoyed the challenges that came with working as projects director for ADRA Uzbekistan. At first, though, she found her new responsibilities daunting. “I felt as if I was just thrown into a big pool of water, and I was forced to either sink or swim,” she admits. Ultimately, Karla rose to the challenge, helping to establish the official ADRA office in Uzbekistan. She also served an integral role in setting up project operations in neighboring Afghanistan during a time when, due to the conflict situation, it was impossible for ADRA Afghanistan to work in the northern part of the country. “For six months, I was the project manager based in Sheberghan, in northern Afghanistan, while Fabiano was still the country director in Uzbekistan. He would come every month, but I still had a lot of alone time,” she recalls. She filled her free time with private lessons in Dari, one of the two official languages of Afghanistan.
In December of 2003, Karla became the project manager for the ADRA Afghanistan office. “I always felt that God always led us to the right country under the right circumstances, and each country prepared us for the one to come,” she says. The situation in Afghanistan, however, was anything but easy. With Afghanistan at war with the United States, the threat of violence became an everyday concern. When a car bomb exploded one block from the ADRA compound and injured two ADRA employees, Karla and her husband decided it was time to return to Brazil. Despite the violence, it wasn’t an easy decision. “I left a piece of my heart there,” says Karla. “I loved working with the Afghan people, working with other young, Christian non-governmental organization (NGOs) workers, experiencing God’s leading and His protection. It was the best experience of my life and I would definitely go back if security improved.” The couple returned to Brazil, giving Karla the opportunity to complete a master’s degree in international development with a specialization in cross-cultural communication. She also immersed herself in an intensive French course to prepare for her upcoming position as ADRA country director in Mali, a French-speaking country. In that role, Karla shoulders an immense responsibility, supervising all aspects of ADRA’s work in Mali and forming relationships with the Malian government, local donor and NGO agencies, and media outlets. Working in partnership with the programs director, she assesses humanitarian needs in targeted areas and writes proposals to fill those needs. She also provides training and recruitment that ensures that ADRA Mali staff is competent, committed, and dedicated to the needs of the Malian people.
Although Karla loves the work that she does, as with any position there are good days and bad days. “Sometimes the work can be discouraging,” she says. “But when you find communities willing to work with you to help themselves, their families, and their neighbors, it’s worth the heat—literally,” she laughs. Looking back over the past ten years, Karla knows that working for ADRA was the right decision. Yet when she and Fabiano first began, their families could not understand what would make them leave their homes and travel halfway around the world to help people they had never met before. However, as the years have passed, their families have become more supportive of their work. “Fabiano just lost his mom to sarcoma cancer this February,” she says somberly. “Her last e-mail to us told us to keep following God wherever He would lead us. It’s wonderful to know that she understood what we’re supposed to do in this world.” With their first child due in late January, Karla and Fabiano are looking forward to the future with joyful anticipation. In preparation for their growing new family, Fabiano has taken over the responsibilities as country director for ADRA Mali, while Karla is now working as programs director. “My passion is people,” Karla answers emphatically when asked about the things that drive her. “That is definitely what makes my work worth it. Real people who, despite their circumstances, still find the strength and a smile to go on day to day.” Karla may be far from her hometown, but her compassion for others, and her heart for service, have given her a home all over the world. |
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