Raquel is 10 years old. She lives with her family along the Amazon River in northern Brazil. Raquel’s family doesn’t attend church, but Raquel sometimes attended church with her cousin on Sundays. One Sunday evening Raquel’s cousin didn’t come to take her to church. Disappointed, Raquel wandered outside.

She heard people singing in the Adventist church near her home. She hurried back inside and asked her mother to let her go to the Adventist worship service since her cousin hadn’t come for her. Her mother agreed, and Raquel hurried down the street to the church.

The members greeted Raquel warmly; she was happy that she had come. She enjoyed the worship service and decided to return. One of the members invited her to come for Sabbath School; so on Saturday morning when Raquel heard people singing in the little church, she hurried down the street to join them.

Raquel loved Sabbath School, where the children helped her learn new songs and the teachers made Bible stories so interesting. Raquel continued worshipping at the Adventist church. When her cousin invited her to go to church again, Raquel told her that she had found a new church.

Raquel has joined Pathfinders, and she sings in a children’s choir. She enjoys helping with the children’s programs at church. She has invited her family to come to church with her, and her mother and brother have visited several times. Although they don’t always attend, they are glad that Raquel wants to worship God. “I feel that I’m a light shining in my home,” she says.

Raquel learned that nearly everyone in the church is involved in one or more small groups that meet during the week to study the Bible and talk about God. Members invite their friends to come, and many people have joined the church through these small groups. Raquel wanted to learn how to lead a small group, so she took a class. Now she leads a small group just for children. Raquel invites her friends from school to attend the small group and encourages the other children to invite their friends as well.

Raquel has learned that there’s power in group prayer. When her father was seriously ill, she asked the small groups at church to join her in praying for him. Her father recovered, and she told him that she’s sure his recovery was in answer to the prayers of her church friends. Her father has promised to visit her church one day. Raquel can’t wait for him to keep that promise.

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Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
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