Stephanie's Story
Chapter 1
In May of 2014, a team from Re-Vision was introduced to 18-year-old Stephanie. We visited her outside the small home she shared with her 1½-year-old son and the toddler’s father.
The Director of the local Compassion International program, Isa Fructuosa, is responsible for choosing the homes team members visit when they are in town; and on this day, she chose Stephanie’s. Isa knew Stephanie had been exposed to the Gospel as one of the young mothers in Compassion’s Child Survival Program. She also knew that Stephanie had not yet accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior.
Spending some time getting to know her better, we soon discovered that it was guilt and shame from a teenage pregnancy outside of marriage that kept Stephanie from giving her life to Christ. After hearing an explanation of the grace available to her by accepting Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross as payment for her sin and turning from sin to Him, she was ready. Pastor Casanova then harvested the seeds that Isa had planted in Stephanie’s life.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- 1 John 1:9 ESV
Chapter 2
In June 2016, a combined team from Mission Point and Crossway Baptist, two partner churches from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, served in Los Asises. Stephanie had recently given birth to her second child and was staying temporarily in the home of her mother to recuperate. A few women from the team visited to deliver some diapers and clothing. While there, they took the opportunity to share the Gospel with Stephanie’s mother, and she too made a decision for Christ.
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
- Romans 10:13-15
Chapter 3
In April 2017, Executive Director Doug Campbell returned to the Dominican Republic to video some of Re-Vision's impact stories. When Stephanie was asked about her dreams for the future, she shared her desire to be a teacher. When asked about the challenges she faced in accomplishing that dream, she got quiet as her eyes filled with tears.
Stephanie is working on her high school diploma. With two young children, no disposable income, and such a long way to go educationally, the reality of her situation was overwhelming. When asked why she wanted to be a teacher, she responded "because I want to be a somebody."
Tears turned to laughter when she was reminded that her decision to follow Christ made her the daughter of the King of kings and Lord of lords. She was told that if she never taught a single student, she was a "somebody" because God loved her enough to give his Son's life for her.