Sharing the Gospel in the U.S. while waiting for another VISA to return to Brazil this summer

What a precious opportunity God gave me on Palm Sunday to share the Gospel with two 3rd grade girls who were visiting my home church in Virginia. I was sharing God's plan of salvation with them through the Gospel bracelets, and I asked little Jorden, "Do you know why Jesus died on the cross?" Sadly to say, she responded by saying, "No, but didn't they stick Him up on something?" It is tragic that this is what she knew about Jesus. Praise the Lord I was able to share with young Tara and Jorden that Jesus died on the cross for their sins and mine. The Holy Spirit opened their hearts to understand the Gospel, and they prayed with me to receive Christ as their personal Savior from sin. May Jesus help us remember that there are children and adults all around us who are dying without Christ and have no clue how to be saved. "How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?" (Romans 10:14).

Thank you so much for praying for me! I could not extend my visa any longer in Brazil. Right now I'm sharing the Gospel with kids in the U.S. while I'm waiting for a Missionary Visa to be able to return this summer to Brazil.

Special opportunities God is giving me while waiting for my Visa

On Tuesday afternoons, I teach a Backyard Bible club in my brother's neighborhood.

A couple of weeks ago a 12 year old girl named Simone got locked out of her house and came to the end of our Bible club. I gave her a gospel bracelet and explained the plan of salvation to her. She said she had never heard that before. The Lord had her heart so ready for salvation that in her own words she prayed, "Jesus, please forgive me of my sins and receive me." After she asked Jesus to come into her heart, in her own words, Simone prayed, "Jesus, thank you for relieving me of my sins!" Praise the Lord!

It is a joy to volunteer a couple of days a week at my home church, Atlantic Shores Baptist Church, in Virginia Beach, VA. On Sundays, sometimes I sit in the hallways and talk to kids who don't know Jesus. A couple of weeks ago, a little girl name Julia prayed with me in the hallway to accept the Lord Jesus as her Savior. I asked her if she had a Bible, and she said she only had a tiny one and didn't have the money to buy one. When I told her I'd get her a Bible, she said, "I'll give you the $10.00 I have if you'll get me one." I wouln't dare take her money, but I thought it was so precious to see her excitement about giving the little money she had to get a good Bible.

On Wednesday nights, I get to teach an evangelism class for kids at my church. What a privilege it is to pray with these kids for their lost friends and help them learn how to use the gospel bracelet and Evangelcube to lead their friends to Jesus. On Wednesday, Jeremy (a boy in the class) told me he led his little sister to Jesus. Praise the Lord for kids who are excited about sharing Christ. May we never underestimate what God can do with children on fire for Him!

I really appreciate your prayers as I speak in different chapel services and travel to different churches sharing the gospel with kids while waiting for my Visa to return to Brazil. Thank you for praying with me for God's blessings and power upon these ministries. Without Jesus, we can do nothing (John 15:5)!

Treasured memories from my 6 months in Brazil

Thank you all who have faithfully prayed for me and supported me, so that I could live at the Alpha & Omega Children's Home in Garca, Brazil, and serve under the authority of Pastor Odali and Kathy Barros of Central Baptist Church of Garca. I lived with about 115 children. Almost every weekday I had the privilege of taking kids from the home out witnessing. Here are some of the ways God answered your prayers:

The children & I were able to pass out hundreds of Portuguese Bibles and thousands of Gospel bracelets and gospel tracts in Portuguese that faithful supporters provided. What a joy it was to share the gospel with children from Alpha & Omega on the streets, in hospitals, at church, at soccer games, and wherever we went.

Praise the Lord for the many people who received Christ as Savior. Ana Paula, who is around 13, prayed with me to receive Christ as her Savior around midnight in her room at Alpha & Omega. One night Danilio brought me his friend Estevan and said he needed Jesus. That Wed. night Estevan, a new child at Alpha & Omega, prayed with Danilio and me to receive Christ as his Savior. Jessica accepted Jesus while waiting at a hospital. Bruno, Douglas, & Eliezer got down on their knees with me to pray to receive Jesus at our church plant in the city of Alvinlandia, Brazil. A boy, Andre, from Alpha & Omega told me that he wanted to talk to more people in the soccer stands. That day two ladies named Jenny and Ceda accepted the Lord and received Bibles. One day around lunch time, Alan, who was dedicated to Satan as a baby and was struggling with demons prayed for Jesus to save him. You could see the light of Jesus change his countenance. He later told me that he just keeps saying to himself, "At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" ( Philippians 2:10).

It was a joy to be involved with the children's ministry of my home church in Brazil, Central Baptist Church of Garca, as well as help out in one of the seven or eight church plants out of Central Baptist.

You helped me start a Christian library for the kids at Alpha & Omega so the kids could read books like In His Steps and the Left Behind Series and many other Christian books (for different ages) in Portuguese.

How special it was to see the kids praising the Lord through Christian music in Portuguese as they worked and played with the boom boxes you helped provide.

Teaching English at the Christian school at Alpha & Omega provided wonderful opportunities to teach the children important Biblical truths. What a delight it was to hear the kids say, "God is Faithful."

Future Plans

My prayer is to receive the Missionary Visa I need and return to Alpha & Omega Children's Home in Brazil this summer (Lordwilling) to continue the ministry God has given me there. My main focus will continue to be the evangelism and discipleship of children. Thank you so much for partnering with me to reach children for Jesus in the U.S. and in Brazil! God bless you greatly!

By His Grace,

Stephanie Parker

Contact Info:

Stephanie Parker
C/O Gayle Penley
8286 Liss Rd.
Willis, MI 48191

(734) 439-8458

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Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied, "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."