Who We Are
Our History
The history of Amazon Outreach began with a group of individuals who developed a passion for the Amazon River Basin resulting from their involvement on a short term mission trip. They began their own organization in 1999 and raised support for the first mission boat. The newly established Amazon Outreach staff, board and team members prayed heartily for a mission boat and a church on the Amazon in which they could establish as a partner. God provided for these two requests after several months of committed prayer and they thought they had all they could ask for. They were ready to go and serve! However, God, as usual, had so much more planned for them than they could ever hope for or imagine.
The first surprise was the number of people God has brought to this ministry who have made a difference in their world and ours. There were men that raised money for a second boat, a man that almost single-handedly began a water well ministry for the people of the Amazon, another man orchestrated a huge crusade in a large city on the Amazon, others have created our website, organized our warehouse, and written our training handbooks, to name just a few.
But one of the biggest surprises God has given us is the way the teams have evolved and how this short term mission experience has changed their lives. The early teams were comprised of only adults and now we rarely take a team without families and youth on board. Families find that a mission trip is far more bonding, rewarding, and memorable in comparison to the family vacation they could have chosen. We have watched as young people grow closer to God, begin reaching the lost in their schools and communities, and learn how to lead a mission trip of their own. Adults as well as youth come back from a trip on fire for the Lord and recommit their lives. We’ve heard countless testimonies of young people “sold out” for God and His mission in their life after they return, pastors telling us how their congregation has changed after people experienced God on the mission field, and individuals entering seminary and devoting their lives to full time ministry. Lives on the river are won for eternity but lives on the boat come back with a much deeper and richer relationship with their Lord.
Our Goals and Objectives
- Prepare, train and help facilitate North Americans in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ
- Spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to villages on the Amazon River
- Come along side of our church partners in the Amazon to encourage, strengthen and assist them
- Provide much needed medical attention for villagers
- Send teams of pastors and teachers to train Brazilian pastors and lay leaders
- Encourage North American churches to adopt villages, river tributaries or areas of ministry to help in the discipleship and development of the communities along the Amazon River
- Drill water wells providing clean water and better health to the Amazon villagers
- Encourage and disciple the existing Christians in the Amazon villages
- Help plant and build enough churches on the river tributaries so all villagers will have access to a church home
