0001 00:00:04:15 00:00:11:08 I'm very honored that God chose me when I was born. 0002 00:00:21:15 00:00:24:00 Alani is 14 years old. 0003 00:00:24:03 00:00:29:24 She looks like an ordinary girl, but her life isn't like other children's. 0004 00:00:34:03 00:00:40:04 People have always believed Alani could perform miracles by touching them. 0005 00:00:40:07 00:00:42:20 Sickness is the work of evil. 0006 00:00:42:23 00:00:45:09 When people come to church - 0007 00:00:45:12 00:00:51:06 - I pray for them and use the force of good. 0008 00:00:51:09 00:00:56:09 So it's like a spiritual battle. 0009 00:00:56:12 00:00:59:18 But good always wins. 0010 00:01:08:12 00:01:12:01 I'm in a suburb of the metropolis Rio de Janeiro. 0011 00:01:17:04 00:01:21:16 I'm about to meet the miracle girl Alani for the first time. 0012 00:01:21:19 00:01:26:02 Even the loudspeaker here at a random square in Rio - 0013 00:01:26:05 00:01:29:13 - urges people to come to church. 0014 00:01:29:16 00:01:32:18 Church is a big thing in Brazil. 0015 00:01:33:21 00:01:36:22 In my 10 years in Brazil - 0016 00:01:37:00 00:01:40:21 - I've come to share the Brazilian outlook on life. 0017 00:01:40:24 00:01:44:10 Their relationship to God fascinates me. 0018 00:01:44:13 00:01:48:06 Many Brazilians go to church to be healed - 0019 00:01:48:09 00:01:51:15 - like we go to the doctor. 0020 00:01:54:12 00:02:00:10 Alani lives in the suburb of São Gonçalo that has a population of 300,000. 0021 00:02:00:13 00:02:04:22 - Hello? Kristian. - I'm Adauto. 0022 00:02:05:00 00:02:10:18 I meet Alani and her father, a minister, in the city's poorest slum area. 0023 00:02:10:21 00:02:16:06 We're going to pray for the people in this area. 0024 00:02:16:09 00:02:21:16 For the residents, the shopkeepers, those who need it. 0025 00:02:21:19 00:02:25:13 If we meet sick people. we can pray for them, too. 0026 00:02:25:16 00:02:28:17 - Do you like doing it, Alani? - Yes. 0027 00:02:28:20 00:02:33:10 I like helping others. 0028 00:02:33:13 00:02:40:05 But it's a dangerous neighborhood. Do you feel safe here? 0029 00:02:40:08 00:02:43:06 Yes, because God protects us. 0030 00:02:55:17 00:02:58:00 It's a tough neighborhood. 0031 00:02:58:03 00:03:04:06 At the hairdresser's, young men hide their guns when they see our camera. 0032 00:03:04:09 00:03:10:01 This is the missionary Alani. I'm her father. Do you want to pray? 0033 00:03:11:08 00:03:13:21 Let's pray for them. 0034 00:03:13:24 00:03:18:14 Bless this place. Bless this salon and your sons here. 0035 00:03:18:17 00:03:21:04 Bless their families. 0036 00:03:21:07 00:03:28:01 Cameras aren't welcome here where the criminal fractions rule. 0037 00:03:28:04 00:03:31:02 But it seems no one wants to pick a fight - 0038 00:03:31:05 00:03:35:06 - with anyone in the company of Alani and her bible. 0039 00:03:35:09 00:03:38:06 And so I pray to the Lord. 0040 00:03:45:20 00:03:49:19 In the name of Jesus, I ask you to bless this life. 0041 00:03:49:22 00:03:53:02 Bless this man. 0042 00:03:53:05 00:03:58:05 Heal him and deliver him from evil. 0043 00:03:58:08 00:04:03:24 It may seem strange for a 14-year-old to spend her Thursday like this. 0044 00:04:05:13 00:04:10:23 For Alani, the laying on of hands and prayer have always been a part of life. 0045 00:04:15:07 00:04:17:16 When I was three - 0046 00:04:17:19 00:04:22:02 - I healed a woman who had a broken thigh bone. 0047 00:04:22:05 00:04:28:07 She couldn't walk, but then I touched her with my small hands. 0048 00:04:28:10 00:04:31:01 Suddenly she could walk. 0049 00:04:31:04 00:04:35:09 I think that miracle was a watershed moment for me - 0050 00:04:35:12 00:04:41:08 - because it was at the very beginning and so very important. 0051 00:04:48:05 00:04:51:09 Alani's work is almost over for today. 0052 00:04:51:12 00:04:56:10 Tomorrow I will see her perform miracles at a local church with my own eyes. 0053 00:04:56:13 00:04:58:22 - What's your name? - Matias. 0054 00:04:59:00 00:05:02:19 The prophet's name. God bless them. 0055 00:05:03:21 00:05:09:00 On our way out of the favela, I'm reminded of God's omnipresence here. 0056 00:05:09:03 00:05:11:13 - How are you? - Hello. 0057 00:05:11:16 00:05:16:13 My brother, when you passed by, God said to me: 0058 00:05:16:16 00:05:22:18 "Tell him I'll cure him of a sickness in his body." 0059 00:05:22:21 00:05:29:04 I don't know you but God says for you not to worry. 0060 00:05:29:07 00:05:34:07 "Tell him there's a person who will help him." 0061 00:05:34:10 00:05:39:02 - God is telling you that? - Yes, and I'm to tell you. 0062 00:05:39:05 00:05:45:19 - Receive this from God. - Thank you. 0063 00:05:49:10 00:05:54:18 It seems Alani isn't the only one receiving messages from God. 0064 00:06:09:21 00:06:13:20 Alani is part of an up-and-coming church movement. 0065 00:06:13:23 00:06:17:16 Her father is an Evangelical minister in the Pentecostal movement. 0066 00:06:21:01 00:06:24:24 The Christian movement is rooted in America in the 1800s - 0067 00:06:25:02 00:06:29:08 - and centers on spirituality and direct contact with God. 0068 00:06:31:20 00:06:35:10 It's the fastest-growing religion in Brazil. 0069 00:06:35:13 00:06:39:02 Historically, it's almost a religious revolution. 0070 00:06:41:12 00:06:45:12 In the name of Jesus... 0071 00:06:52:04 00:06:56:19 25 years ago, only 10% of the Brazilians were Evangelicals. 0072 00:06:56:22 00:06:59:09 Today, more than 30% are. 0073 00:06:59:12 00:07:05:14 And the percentage of Catholics has dropped from 75 to 55. 0074 00:07:09:07 00:07:15:05 Theologian Henrique Vieira has studied the advance of the Evangelical churches. 0075 00:07:15:08 00:07:19:00 Some studies show - 0076 00:07:19:03 00:07:22:24 - that by the middle of this century - 0077 00:07:23:02 00:07:27:05 - the Evangelicals will constitute the majority of the population. 0078 00:07:27:08 00:07:30:20 Truly an impressive growth. 0079 00:07:30:23 00:07:37:15 Maybe it's a more joyous church with its music and gospel. 0080 00:07:37:18 00:07:43:16 - Is it a more Brazilian church? - Yes, it's more modern. 0081 00:07:43:19 00:07:47:04 With more room for the individual. 0082 00:07:47:07 00:07:51:07 The services are much more spontaneous. 0083 00:07:51:10 00:07:54:24 They're more physical. 0084 00:07:55:02 00:08:02:13 All that speaks to our cultural roots. No doubt about it. 0085 00:08:18:15 00:08:23:16 Particularly the Evangelical churches appeal to the poorest people. 0086 00:08:23:19 00:08:30:24 I've gone to southern Rio to the slum town of Vidigal. 0087 00:08:31:02 00:08:36:13 About 35,000 people live in this small area. 0088 00:08:37:18 00:08:42:21 Down two small streets we've already seen three churches. There are hundreds. 0089 00:08:42:24 00:08:47:13 Just like the missionaries converted the Indians back in the day - 0090 00:08:47:16 00:08:51:02 - the churches go into the favelas - 0091 00:08:51:05 00:08:56:11 - where the authorities don't go, not even the police. 0092 00:08:59:18 00:09:06:12 - It looks like a movie theater. - This is where we have the service. 0093 00:09:06:15 00:09:10:05 What a surprise. 0094 00:09:10:08 00:09:14:14 You enter from the street to find this church. 0095 00:09:16:12 00:09:21:00 There's no service today. Still, people come and hang out. 0096 00:09:21:03 00:09:23:12 I've just met a woman who claims - 0097 00:09:23:15 00:09:28:24 - to have survived 21 cancer tumors thanks to God. 0098 00:09:29:02 00:09:32:14 But how can you be sure it was God? 0099 00:09:32:17 00:09:37:16 When I was diagnosed, I was afraid. 0100 00:09:37:19 00:09:43:08 The doctors said I had 21 tumors. 0101 00:09:43:11 00:09:48:10 One was the size of a lime. They actually gave me a death sentence. 0102 00:09:48:13 00:09:52:10 The doctor said: "The only way from here is death." 0103 00:09:53:11 00:09:57:01 A minister of the church asked God to help Claudia. 0104 00:09:57:04 00:10:01:22 A month later at her chemo treatment, the tumors were gone. 0105 00:10:02:00 00:10:08:02 One, two, three... Suddenly there were ten doctors in the room. 0106 00:10:08:05 00:10:14:10 They didn't understand it. I didn't understand why they were so many. 0107 00:10:14:13 00:10:19:03 I said, "Oh my God, am I dead?" But they just didn't believe it. 0108 00:10:19:06 00:10:24:19 How could the tumors have disappeared? 0109 00:10:40:16 00:10:47:20 The Evangelical churches obviously use miracles as a crowd-puller. 0110 00:10:47:23 00:10:53:16 It also seems like the churches are more in sync with the Brazilians. 0111 00:10:53:19 00:10:57:09 Also when it comes to church music. 0112 00:11:10:07 00:11:17:00 Alani does have a life outside church, but God is always there. 0113 00:11:17:03 00:11:21:20 We always talk about God and church things. 0114 00:11:21:23 00:11:28:10 The other girls talk about forbidden things, and they swear. 0115 00:11:28:13 00:11:31:09 We are more proper. 0116 00:11:31:12 00:11:34:09 Yes, they swear a lot. 0117 00:11:34:12 00:11:38:02 They're different than us. We try to follow God's path. 0118 00:11:38:05 00:11:43:16 A boy is waiting for me. He'll have to wait. 0119 00:11:43:19 00:11:47:15 My mother wants me to wait until I'm 17. 0120 00:11:47:18 00:11:51:06 I agree. It's better to wait. 0121 00:11:51:09 00:11:53:23 I'm still so young. 0122 00:11:54:01 00:11:59:01 I won't think about things like that for many years. 0123 00:12:00:22 00:12:07:01 She has to respect her calling and be careful. 0124 00:12:08:15 00:12:13:16 It's like if a father wants his son to become a football player. 0125 00:12:13:19 00:12:19:10 If he lets him smoke and drink, he'll never be professional. 0126 00:12:34:16 00:12:40:11 Alani prepares for her guest appearance in the neighboring parish. 0127 00:12:40:14 00:12:48:07 A miracle is God's intervention in a human being's life. 0128 00:12:48:10 00:12:52:22 A miracle is something that person believes can happen. 0129 00:12:53:00 00:12:57:01 I pray for them, and it happens. That's a miracle. 0130 00:12:57:04 00:13:01:18 Alani's gifts have attracted attention ever since she was little. 0131 00:13:04:04 00:13:09:06 It all started when she was just two months old. 0132 00:13:09:09 00:13:13:21 Dear God, I ask you - 0133 00:13:13:24 00:13:19:07 - to heal many people tonight - 0134 00:13:19:10 00:13:22:16 - and to bless them in the name of Jesus. 0135 00:13:22:19 00:13:26:16 A woman with a grossly swollen belly due to tumors - 0136 00:13:26:19 00:13:31:05 - came to the church and asked Alani's father to pray for her. 0137 00:13:31:08 00:13:37:05 I was about to pray for her, when I heard a voice saying: 0138 00:13:37:08 00:13:40:01 "Don't touch her." 0139 00:13:40:04 00:13:42:11 I had a vision. 0140 00:13:42:14 00:13:49:06 I was to let Alani's little hand touch the woman's belly. 0141 00:13:49:09 00:13:52:12 When we put Alani's hand on the woman's belly - 0142 00:13:52:15 00:13:58:03 - she was literally thrown as far back as to that wall over there. 0143 00:13:58:06 00:14:04:23 As if she'd been shoved or hit hard. 0144 00:14:06:11 00:14:11:21 And when she got to her feet - 0145 00:14:11:24 00:14:14:23 - her belly began to shrink. 0146 00:14:15:01 00:14:18:13 - On the spot? - On the spot. Everyone saw it. 0147 00:14:18:16 00:14:21:13 It just got smaller and smaller. 0148 00:14:22:13 00:14:27:06 Then we knew it was a calling. 0149 00:14:45:24 00:14:50:09 In Brazil, religion and politics often go hand in hand. 0150 00:14:50:12 00:14:54:03 Hello. I'm on my way to Parliament. 0151 00:14:59:01 00:15:04:19 The success of the Evangelical churches also impacts the capital of Brasilia. 0152 00:15:09:09 00:15:13:20 The Brazilian Parliament has gotten more Evangelical members. 0153 00:15:13:23 00:15:18:16 One of the more pronounced members is the far-right minister Marco Feliciano. 0154 00:15:21:07 00:15:26:11 I have 6 million followers on social media. 0155 00:15:26:14 00:15:30:19 4.5 million followers on Facebook. 0156 00:15:30:22 00:15:36:21 On Instagram, I have 1 million and on Twitter, more than 600,000. 0157 00:15:36:24 00:15:42:23 I'm one of the most influential politicians on social media. 0158 00:15:43:01 00:15:47:03 Marco Feliciano has won over the far right... 0159 00:15:47:06 00:15:51:10 Brazil is a secular state, but the large majority is Christian. 0160 00:15:51:13 00:15:56:03 ... by railing against free abortion and gay rights. 0161 00:15:56:06 00:16:03:20 The church, like most others, only accepts a marriage - 0162 00:16:03:23 00:16:06:12 - between a man and a woman. 0163 00:16:06:15 00:16:12:03 That is the civilized form. The family precedes the state. 0164 00:16:12:06 00:16:18:14 If you send 500 homosexual couples to an island - 0165 00:16:18:17 00:16:22:00 - and give them what they want - 0166 00:16:22:03 00:16:27:11 - and then return 70 years later, there won't be anything left. 0167 00:16:27:14 00:16:31:24 Why? Because it isn't a civilized form of family. 0168 00:16:32:02 00:16:36:17 Feliciano's political wing has the wind at its back and ambitions. 0169 00:16:36:20 00:16:43:10 They're working hard to get the first Evangelical president elected. 0170 00:16:43:13 00:16:49:21 It's a tragedy for democracy. For the separation of state and church. 0171 00:16:49:24 00:16:53:17 For religious freedom. 0172 00:16:53:20 00:16:57:09 For women's rights and LGBT rights. 0173 00:16:57:12 00:17:02:00 For the Indians. For the blacks. 0174 00:17:02:03 00:17:10:22 Feliciano belongs to the part of the Evangelical church - 0175 00:17:11:00 00:17:14:05 - that is fundamentalist. 0176 00:17:15:10 00:17:19:10 The presidential election is in October. 0177 00:17:19:13 00:17:23:24 Jair Bolsonaro is one of the favorites to win. 0178 00:17:24:02 00:17:28:08 I thank God for the opportunity. 0179 00:17:28:11 00:17:37:07 From this moment on, I consider my candidacy my mission. 0180 00:17:39:06 00:17:44:06 Though a military man, not a priest, he has seen which way the wind is blowing - 0181 00:17:44:09 00:17:48:19 - and in April, he got baptized in the Evangelical faith. 0182 00:17:52:03 00:17:58:11 If Bolsonaro doesn't win this year, Feliciano is ready in another 4 years. 0183 00:17:58:14 00:18:04:03 Do you think we'll get an Evangelical president in the near future? 0184 00:18:04:06 00:18:06:24 I don't just think so. I know so. 0185 00:18:07:02 00:18:14:00 It's my dream, and I'm ready to put myself forward. 0186 00:18:14:03 00:18:17:05 We need someone as courageous as Trump. 0187 00:18:17:08 00:18:21:20 Say what you want about him, he's brave. 0188 00:18:21:23 00:18:27:17 - Could you be a Brazilian Trump? - Yes, we think alike. 0189 00:18:27:20 00:18:34:01 I'm a liberal economist with conservative core values. 0190 00:18:34:04 00:18:40:03 Keep an eye on your child. See if anything's wrong. 0191 00:18:40:06 00:18:45:21 Church and politics are mixed well and truly together these years. 0192 00:18:45:24 00:18:50:03 Even Alani has been used to promote political messages. 0193 00:18:50:06 00:18:55:20 Here, she's performing for a campaign for a crackdown on pedophiles. 0194 00:18:56:11 00:19:00:04 Pedophilia? No, no, no. 0195 00:19:00:07 00:19:06:20 Imprison these people who don't have a heart. 0196 00:19:07:11 00:19:10:22 Pedophilia? No, no, no. 0197 00:19:11:00 00:19:14:03 Dear God in heaven. 0198 00:19:14:06 00:19:18:12 We are gathered here in your house today. 0199 00:19:18:15 00:19:22:16 In São Gonçalo, Alani has arrived at the church. 0200 00:19:22:19 00:19:25:24 Those in need of a miracle have signed up. 0201 00:19:26:02 00:19:33:18 Remember: Miracles only happen if you believe. 0202 00:19:33:21 00:19:40:16 I am filled with suffering. 0203 00:19:40:19 00:19:47:16 I do all I can, but it persists. 0204 00:19:47:19 00:19:53:08 Thou, holiest of holy... 0205 00:20:01:22 00:20:06:22 Those wishing for a miracle receive Alani's blessing. 0206 00:20:22:19 00:20:26:07 One of those in need is 50-year-old Neyde - 0207 00:20:26:10 00:20:29:01 - who has a serious heart disease. 0208 00:20:29:04 00:20:33:14 - How long have you had problems? - Two years. 0209 00:20:33:17 00:20:36:15 - Now it's gone. - In the name of Jesus. 0210 00:20:36:18 00:20:42:06 If you have this problem, you cannot run and must not exert yourself. 0211 00:20:42:09 00:20:50:06 But now you will run and knock down anything in your way. 0212 00:20:50:09 00:20:54:10 One, two, three, run, run, run. 0213 00:20:57:24 00:21:02:12 Turn around down there. Go, go, go! 0214 00:21:02:15 00:21:07:17 Go, go, go! My God! Go! Come here, Neyde. 0215 00:21:07:20 00:21:10:19 Now I want you to jump. 0216 00:21:10:22 00:21:14:12 Shout: "Only God!" 0217 00:21:17:20 00:21:22:02 God is amazing. God is amazing. 0218 00:21:23:15 00:21:27:05 - Where is the pain? - I don't feel any. 0219 00:21:27:08 00:21:29:19 - And the palpitations? - Gone. 0220 00:21:29:22 00:21:36:02 An enlarged heart would normally make you gasp now, wouldn't it? 0221 00:21:36:05 00:21:40:14 Yes. When I go up the stairs in my daughter's house - 0222 00:21:40:17 00:21:44:06 - I have to pause halfway. 0223 00:21:44:09 00:21:47:04 You have to pause? 0224 00:21:47:07 00:21:51:05 - Now you can run up the stairs. - Yes, in the name of Jesus. 0225 00:21:51:08 00:21:54:17 - Hit yourself. Do you feel anything? - No. 0226 00:21:54:20 00:21:58:16 - Who healed you? - Jesus. 0227 00:21:58:19 00:22:04:15 Give her a hug. Raise your voices and say: "Only the Lord is God." 0228 00:22:10:13 00:22:15:07 God performed big miracles. Many go home healed. 0229 00:22:15:10 00:22:23:23 Normally I'm quite shy, but when I step up and pray - 0230 00:22:24:01 00:22:28:19 - I am transformed and feel much more confident. 0231 00:22:29:16 00:22:34:04 Evil, disappear now. In the name of Jesus. 0232 00:23:07:09 00:23:11:03 If those we saw in church yesterday - 0233 00:23:11:06 00:23:17:03 - if they really feel cured and are happy today - 0234 00:23:17:06 00:23:19:15 - they are cured in a way. 0235 00:23:19:18 00:23:26:01 They're happier today than yesterday, so she has performed a small miracle. 0236 00:23:26:04 00:23:29:03 That then raises the questions: 0237 00:23:29:06 00:23:33:01 Do they just feel better for one day? 0238 00:23:35:17 00:23:38:06 People with injuries and diseases... 0239 00:23:38:09 00:23:42:21 They can't just have vanished. I don't think so. 0240 00:23:48:07 00:23:51:12 We're gathered here to pray - 0241 00:23:51:15 00:23:55:06 - because you're a loving and powerful God. 0242 00:23:55:09 00:23:59:16 - Will you keep healing people? - Absolutely. 0243 00:23:59:19 00:24:02:11 - Always? - Yes. 0244 00:24:02:14 00:24:07:08 If I meet you in 50 years, will you be an elderly lady performing miracles? 0245 00:24:07:11 00:24:10:05 Yes, I'm sure of that.