At some point in my life, I am going to be a missionary!
My name is Isabelly. I come from Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, and I am currently serving as a missionary in Guinea-Bissau. Since I was young, my heart has been passionate about missionary stories. I have always been convinced that, at some point in my life, I would also be a missionary. When I finished high school, I faced many doubts and uncertainties about which college courses to pursue. However, God put in my heart the desire to study nutrition as a way to serve in missions. Throughout college, I saw God guiding me.
In my junior year of college, the same doubt returned: What to do after graduation? The only certainty was the missionary calling. That’s when God led me to AFM. I was afraid of fundraising, but my mother always reminded me: “He is the owner of gold and silver. If it is His will, the doors will open.” And that is what happened; as soon as I finished college, God allowed me to come to the mission field.
I work in Guinea-Bissau as a Portuguese teacher, support the Adventist group that operates in the local school, and collaborate with the Pathfinder and Adventurer clubs. At first, I experienced everything as if it were just an adventure or simple volunteer work. But soon after arriving, my world crumbled.
I had always been certain of my calling, but the reality was harsh: internal wounds opened, and my feelings almost dominated me. I thought about giving up. But God showed me that the mission is not about me; it is about Him. He showed me that I needed to abandon selfishness, pride, laziness, anxiety, and my propensity for trusting in my own strength. It seemed easier to abandon the mission, and for a moment, I wanted to. But the Lord helped me realize the privilege and responsibility of participating in His work.
Today, I understand that the mission is not just a trip or volunteer work. It is a spiritual battle. We need to position ourselves, take hold of God’s power and truly accept Him. Only then can we see the immense privilege of walking alongside Him, reaching lives and being transformed in the process. I cannot say it has been easy. But I can affirm, with conviction, that I would not trade this experience for anything. Here, I have learned to depend entirely on God and to know more deeply the Lord who calls, enables and loves each of His children.
