Have you ever felt like you wanted to share Jesus but you didn’t know how? Coming to Australia from Brazil, I naturally experienced culture shock.  Because English is my second language, I didn’t feel comfortable sharing Jesus with people when I moved here. However, God had a plan!

One day as I was on the Brazilian Community Facebook Page, I felt God impress upon my heart, “Majilly, if you like to be on Facebook, this can be your ministry! Facebook!” The Brazilian Community Facebook Page is an online group of more than 24,000 people. It is set-up for Brazilians in Australia to feel community with one another. Having been very active in my own community in Brazil, I felt I needed to do something to continue working for Jesus. So I posted, “Are you tired of life? Do you feel like you don’t have hope? If you need hope, I can share the hope I have through Jesus!!! Contact me if you want to study the Bible or pray or come to church.”

Many of the Brazilians in Australia come to study English so I used language as an incentive for people. We study the Bible in English to show Jesus and His love. So then it was on; I waited to see if anyone would reply. Fortunately, I did not have to wait very long. Almost immediately, people inboxed me messages asking me to pray for them. Several wanted to come to church and others wanted Bible studies. By God’s grace, they are all growing closer to Christ by His Holy Spirit’s working.

Since then, I have brought at least 10 Brazilians to meet my Light Hope Church family, and they keep coming back. We love to fellowship and worship Jesus together. Since that first post, I have posted the invitation several times. Sometimes I mention political situations, strife around the world or make general appeals to those who are tired of this world and its grief, sorrow and sufferings. Because of the lack of affection many in the group feel-because they live far away from their families- they seek people they can relate to and treat like family.  Whenever I post, I usually say something like,  “If you’re interested in learning more about Jesus Christ, come to church!” Praise God! Every time I post something, I have around 25 people immediately inbox me asking for prayer and wanting to know how they can know more about Jesus or come to church. One girl, with whom I had Bible studies for quite a while, came to church faithfully but never made a decision for baptism while she was here in Australia. She ended up moving to Japan; I wondered what would happen in her relationship with God. I later learned she ended up not only committing to a church in Japan but has also taken her mother, father, sister and brother-in-law with her.

This ministry brings such joy to my husband Samuel and me, but we would be lying if we said it was always easy. Samuel and I always work to make those we meet feel at home, and it’s not easy, especially when we use our free time to serve. My husband, who has a great heart to serve the Lord, has helped so much – going to pick them up (no matter how far away they are), talking to them and helping with the Bible studies. We do all the cooking so it is full on as we both have our jobs and are very involved in several roles at church also, but I am so glad God gave us this way to reach out.

After starting off feeling reluctant to share Jesus because of my cultural difference, I have realized that Jesus wants us to use our cultures to share Him. For this reason we are having a Hope Culture Night at Light Hope Church in Campbelltown on the 22nd of August, to celebrate the various cultures we all come from and most importantly, the one Lord we serve. I’d like to encourage you to come and share your culture with us. Email pastorabigail@outlook.com for more details and may God bless you as you share Him in whichever way He instructs you- regardless of your own worries or shortcomings.

Contributed by Majilly Freitas, Light Hope Church