Through tears, training, and short-term mission work, Jewell has become a jewel Life Impact International needs in the Amazon. The native of Canada leads our team in that region of Brazil.
Her love story with Brazil—specifically the Amazon area—began ten years ago. Jewell knew she wanted a “God adventure,” and the destination in her heart was the Amazon. Jewell worked hard and saved her money for about a year after graduating high school, then took her first adventure to Brazil and Columbia. She stayed for six months.
For the first three months, she worked with a missionary in the Amazon, traveling from village to village along the river, sharing the good news of Jesus, helping start house churches, and holding women’s conferences.
For the next three months, she traveled the frontier between Brazil and Columbia, all the while falling more in love with the Amazon, its people, and God’s heart for them.
During those six months, Jewell heard the horrific stories of child trafficking and prostitution. She knew she wanted to be part of rescuing these little ones and helping them heal from trauma.
But she didn’t have any connections in this ministry work…yet.
So she went back home to Canada, worked for a while, and then in 2015, she enrolled at Rhema Bible College in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. It was here she first heard about Life Impact International and its founder, Lana Vasquez.
She was excited to hear about her work of rescuing children in Thailand, but it was Brazil that was still in her heart. Little did she know it was also on Lana’s heart. It would be several years, though, before their paths would cross.
After attending Rhema, Jewell went home to Canada in 2017 to study various skills, including how to create websites, bookkeeping, managing events, and social work.
“I remember crying at my desk several times, wondering what I was doing because my heart burned for the nations and to help rescue kids from trafficking,” Jewell said.
Finally, in 2020, Jewell moved to Brazil. She continued working online and taught English. Not only did her love for the Amazon grow, she soon fell in love with a Brazilian man, and they married in 2021.
That same year, Jewell was finally able to connect with Lana. She visited the Life Impact projects in Rio de Janeiro and in the northeast. Then, in May of 2022, she officially began serving with Life Impact, launching the first prevention project in the Amazon.
Jewell now serves as the Amazon Regional Coordinator for Life Impact. She’s excited to see the first Safe House in Brazil open in the Amazon.
“I believe these children and older girls can heal—through music, worship, the arts, being in a loving family. God has designed us for loving family and to be whole,” Jewell shared. “I am so excited to be a part of what Life Impact is doing in Brazil and the nations. We know it is just the beginning!”
