I was a single woman when God led me to plant a church in Portugal

I never thought in a million years that I would be planting a church, but looking back, I can see that God had been preparing me for this all along, even when I didn’t recognise it.

Before full-time ministry, I was a tennis coach and a singer-songwriter. Then, when God called me into ministry,. I was involved with street evangelism outside St George’s hospital offering prayer to people managing and growing a large worship team, healing rooms, prayer and worship events, women’s events, and preaching and teaching at Oasis Church in South London.

I had been travelling to Portugal doing healing music missions, and every single time God moved powerfully. There were miracles, healings, and salvations. On my last trip, I was asked if I would plant a church there. Internally, my immediate reaction was, “No way.” But after returning to the UK and speaking with my pastor, we both felt God was calling me to step out in faith.

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What I didn’t know was that God had already placed Portugal on my pastor’s heart years earlier, he had simply been waiting for the right time and person.

There was a lot of concern around me leaving. It felt sudden to some, and people were uncomfortable with the gap it would leave. I was also going alone. But when God speaks, you go, even when it looks unconventional and uncertain.

Six months before leaving, I began praying weekly with four people from Portugal who were going to help me. But when I arrived, two of those people disappeared. They chose other paths and no longer wanted to be involved. This was deeply painful. I had just uprooted my entire life to follow God’s will, and I felt betrayed. The other two people lived about 40 minutes away and were a great support, however, during that season, I had to depend on Christ like never before. 

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I moved at end of February 2024 as a missionary from Oasis Church, Colliers Wood. 

I moved at end of February 2024 as a missionary and am based in Ericeira, which is 40 minutes outside of Lisbon. Not long after arriving, I became violently ill with food poisoning. I was alone, throwing up and unwell for hours. The next day, I was so weak it took me nearly an hour just to put my shoes on. In that place of weakness, worship became different. I sang every word with meaning. I realised how easily we sing songs in church without fully living the weight of what we are declaring. I was hanging onto every word.

So what was the plan? Honestly, all I came with was the heart and values of Oasis Church. I had 140 people praying for me and once a month I have a prayer Zoom with people from the UK. I prayer walk every day, as without prayer, none of this would have happened.

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The Holy Spirit told me that I was to serve the community and that I was to offer free English classes. From there, the church would be birthed. The Holy Spirit gave me a very clear design for a flyer, and out I went—yes, a little scared but walking by faith.

I met a girl named Yasmin who spoke English and helped me with ideas on where to place flyers. I started in cafés. People would scan the QR code for free English lessons, sign up, and then come to my home. At the end of each lesson, I would explain why I was offering them, to serve the community, and because I was planting a church. Then I would invite them to church. That is how the church began. God brought people. I cooked meals, built friendships, and invited people into God’s family. My living room became a sanctuary, a second home, the Father’s house. Finding a suitable home was hard; I remember being discouraged, but God always came through at what felt like the last moment and gave me a beautiful place.

One café worker allowed me to put flyers up, and I invited her to the English lessons. She came and now, two years later, she has returned to the Lord, has been baptised, and is now living fully for Jesus. She is part of the core of the church. This is just one of many stories like this of what has God in this place.

I was stretched beyond what I expected. I hadn’t realised I would need to sing and preach in Portuguese. 

I was stretched beyond what I expected. I hadn’t realised I would need to sing and preach in Portuguese. I don’t speak fancy Portuguese (My mum is Portuguese, but I had to learn the language), so people weren’t staying because of me—hallelujah, but because of the Holy Spirit! . By God’s grace, in the first year, I did everything in Portuguese; I am still not sure how! Now I preach in English with translation, as we have English and Portuguese people coming to church.

There have been countless nights of prayer, worship, deliverance, tears, laughter, and seeking God in my living room. There have been baptisms, lives have been restored, and people have been called back to Him. As I write this, we are celebrating two years of church. We’ve grown so much that God miraculously opened a school for us, and we are stepping into a new location. This is phase two. Phase three will be moving into our own building.

Prayer is the key to everything in the Kingdom of God—humility, surrender, trust, and obedience, even when it hurts. God continually reminds me: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.” I had much come against me in the beginning. I knew the enemy did not want me there. But I’m still standing because of Jesus and His blood.

This is just the beginning.

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