Evangelism

Sara Sparks has been a missionary with OMS International for five years. God used unusual circumstances to bring her into missions. Sara was diagnosed with a long-term illness that kept her out of school and in bed for more than six years. But God had other plans for her life and restored her health, much to the doctor’s amazement. She describes her call with these words, “When I was sick, I had no life, and Jesus gave me back my life. It would be foolish for me to not give Him mine in return.” As she travels the world, she identifies her story with the story of the bleeding woman in Luke 8. 

Sara’s first assignment with OMS was working with youth. She discipled teenage girls, and she trained and took teenagers on mission trips overseas. She has traveled to countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America. In between her trips with teens, Sara spent more than a year and a half in Calcutta, India, serving at an OMS seminary. While in Calcutta, she mentored young women between the ages of 18 and 27 who were preparing for ministry. The time she spent in India was life changing, with relationships that will last a lifetime. But God had a different plan, and while she was at an English camp in Hungary, through a comment of one of the missionaries, God began to show her the road that she would soon take. God used open doors via relationships that went very deep, very quickly with the young people at the camp to show her that this was where she should serve long term. God has continued to confirm this path through new opportunities with non-believers who desire to build strong and deep friendships. This is quite a rarity in Hungary and is quite a blessing.

Sara’s passion has always been helping young people understand their worth and purpose in Christ. She is excited about the plethora of opportunities that awaits her in Hungary. The young people are seeking something different than the life of their parents. They are searching for purpose, hope, authenticity and community. Currently, they are trying to fill the holes of emptiness with relationships and material things. But God wants to reveal Himself to this lost and hurting generation of young people.

When she arrives in Hungary, Sara’s first two years will focus on language study and developing the relationships that Christ has brought into her life. She views her language study as an act of worship for her future plans in ministry. Sara’s long-term ministry goals are to develop relationships with preteens in the local orphanage in order to share Christ, who can give them a hope and a future. As these relationships develop, she also intends to help them continue their education through high school and give them an opportunity that doesn’t lead to life on the streets. Another of Sara’s long-term goals is to take a group of young adults to India on a mission trip to show them that the world and our God is so much bigger than they could ever imagine.

Sara is currently funding for her first term and is finishing her degree in education, ministry and leadership. It is her goal to be in Hungary by mid-March 2009, but that depends on funding and God’s perfect timing.

Missionary ID #802289