A Brazilian retiree who is also a Seventh-day Adventist saw a direct answer to prayer—and it involved literature ministry in the South American nation.

Inmate Marcos da Silva (a pseudonym) is housed the Miracema Prison Unit, in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. However, since August last year, he has gained a kind of freedom that even life outside prison cannot offer. He decided to give his life to Christ.

That change in da Silva’s life began in 2018 with a prayer. Maria José, a retiree whose personal ministry is to share the Bible’s message of hope, collected all the books of the Impact Hope project that had remained from previous years. With 15 copies in hand, she prayed: “Lord, I will stop spending money buying books, because I have never seen anyone convert for having received them. If that is not Your will, show me through these last books that I am going to deliver.”

Maria went to Miracema prison, where she was studying the Bible with a group of prisoners. When he arrived, he distributed the books to them. Each week, Bible study continued, and several young men were interested. However, one of them participated. When he was invited by his friends, he replied: “I'm not going. I'm reading a book."

Three months later, on one of Maria José’s visits to the prison, Marcos introduced himself and said he had met Jesus through the book Esperança Viva (Living Hope) and that he wanted to study the Bible with her. For the retiree, it was a surprise and an answer to prayer.

“I am thrilled with stories like that. It was hard work, but with an incredible result. So far, three people have been baptized, but there are already two more who intend to do the same, as soon as the pandemic passes,” she said.

Answer to prayer

Da Silva decided to be baptized with two more prisoners from his unit in August 2018. He left the prison escorted only to go to church to be baptized. Then he returned to serve his sentence, which ends on December 3 this year. Since he met Christ, he has taught new prisoners about Him. With some colleagues, he conducts services and studies every day inside the jail.

Maria José decided to continue spreading hope through the delivery of books. On October 31, the day of Impact Hope for 2020, she will distribute copies in her neighborhood.

“I challenged God and He showed me that He has the power to save people through the book. So, I can't stand still. I will leave, taking all the precautions due to the pandemic, but I will deliver books to everyone I find,” she said.

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site