My name is Rebecca Parker, my husband's name is Matthew Parker and my sister in-law's name is Nikki Parker. We are reaching out to raise funds for both families to be provided for leading up to, during and after my husband's kidney transplant and Nikki’s kidney donation. The surgery date has been set to April 16th, 2024. With this gofundme, I would like to be able to take some financial burden off of Nikki, Damien and Logan. She is doing such a selfless act and sacrificing so much. She is already raising 2 teenage boys and that in itself is expensive. I want to do anything possible to help her and the boys out in anyway. I’d also like to help relieve some of the financial burden on mine and Matt’s plate as well. Any money that is donated will be going towards medical bills, power and water bills, mortgage payments, insurance, food etc. If you feel in your heart to donate and even just put us in your prayers, know that this is helping out 2 different households through a very tough, but very special time and everything, no matter how big or small, is greatly appreciated by all of us.

Here is a bit of our story;

Matthew Bryan Parker is a wonderful father to 2 beautiful children, Sylas (5) and Eden (2). He is the light in so many people’s lives. If you know him, you know that he is the best kind of friend, the BEST daddy and an amazing husband. He is the most caring and giving person I have ever met and he just shines from within with love and kindness. In 2019, Matt was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease and then end stage renal failure. That was the beginning of a whirlwind of a path that we had no choice, but to just take head on. Throughout this journey, Matt has shown so much strength and determination even in the pits of despair. He has taken on so many surgeries, hospitalizations, treatments (both peritoneal and hemodialysis), more surgeries and more hospitalizations and was even on a ventilator for a period of time. Through all of this he has fought to LIVE!

I've never seen such genuine kindness and love in someone until I met my husband. Sometimes I just sit back and watch him in awe because he has a heart that just yearns to care for and take care of people. He's also got the patience of a saint and I'm always striving to be as patient as him. He is the type of person that will make sure that you have what you need even if it means he's giving you his last dollar or he has to work more to be able to help you out. This is not just for his immediate family either. Matt is the kind of person that will do anything for anybody. That's just who he is.

Ephesians 5:31 says, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." When I say "WE" I do it for a reason because when the person that you love so much in the world becomes sick, you take on that sickness with him. We've cried, we've prayed, we've screamed, we've curled up in fear, we've had set backs, we've had near death experiences, we've had scares, but we've FOUGHT, we've OVERCOME, we've MOVED FORWARD, we've LEARNED, and we've LOVED. We're making our way towards healing and health!

Late last year Nikki Parker gave us the biggest blessing that we could have ever dreamed of. She had secretly been going through the rigorous testing process to become a donor. This was no easy task either because she had to jump through hoops and actually fight to be able to sacrifice her own body to help her brother.

Nikki Parker is my sister in law and Matt’s younger sister. If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting or getting to know her, then your life is definitely brighter because of her. She is a hard working single mom of a 16 year old boy named Damien. Not only does she work hard every day of her life and put her child first, she also took custody of her 13 year old nephew, Logan, who was in danger of being lost to the social services system. She has never had things easy or handed to her. She’s had to work tirelessly to provide a great life for her now 2 children. She’s not one to lose hope though. In the midst of her own struggles and journey she turned to the Lord and boy does she have a testimony to tell! (I will add that at the end in her own words) Nikki has been here every step of the way with us through this whole journey. Anytime we needed help, she never hesitated. She has one of the purest hearts I’ve ever met. She truly is an angel here on earth and I am so very grateful to have her in our lives!

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for your patience. It’s hard for me to put everything that we’ve been through and my feelings into words. Next I will insert Nikki’s testimony in her own words. ♥️

One of the biggest highlights in my life is having Matthew as my big brother.

“Brothers are like streetlights along the road. They don’t make distance any shorter, but they light up the path and make the walk worthwhile.”

Like everyone, I’ve had dark chapters in this life. Matthew has always helped light the way when I couldn’t seem to find the light inside myself.

It has been heart-wrenching to see a soul so bright suffer at the hands of kidney failure. For over 4 years I have watched my personal flashlight grow dimmer and dimmer. While his smile never fails to shine in any room regardless of his circumstances, even a blind man can see how this battle has taken its toll on him and continues to drain Matthew’s glowing spirit.

On 4/9/23, I surrendered my heart to the ultimate light of this world and was baptized in the most powerful name of Jesus!! Since then, He has undoubtedly taken over my whole life. While I always considered myself a believer, it takes much more than that to be a follower of Christ. Once I came to this realization, it was placed in my heart to see if I could return the favor of a lifetime’s worth of Matthew’s beacon working tirelessly for me.

Matthew 5:14-16 says “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

So, I began the process with the Living Donor Transplant Center in Greenville, SC. After months of testing, major setbacks, and countless conversations with our good Lord, my prayers were answered! I was finally approved for donation- in His perfect timing- the week of Thanksgiving! Not only am I a perfect match, but my kidneys are functioning in overdrive almost as if our Father designed this specifically for one of His purposes in my life.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

This amazing news certainly gives hope for a future!

Our family has so, so much to be deeply thankful for with this answered prayer, yet we still live in a world which requires the means to support a family. Matthew has an uphill battle to fight to proceed with receiving my kidney. His body desperately needs time to build his strength for this to be successful. Time which doesn’t feel logical when doing everything humanly possible to financially support his two beautiful children alongside his wife, Rebecca. While Rebecca would do her absolute best to handle all financial burdens they are facing pending Matthew’s break from providing, being a single mother myself, I know all too well what a struggle it is to live off of one small income in this expensive, broken world.

We have an overwhelming faith that the battle is already won, and I humbly ask that you may find it in your heart to join us in the story. Any amount, large or small, we would be eternally grateful for! However, PRAYERS are what we need the most and that would be more than enough of a gift to give! #GoFundMe OR #GoPrayForMe, either one would be PERFECT!

Regardless, from my heart to yours, thank you for reading!