Kelly and Edson Lee are missionaries at the Santarém base. Edson grew up in São Paulo, Brazil. Shortly after graduating from dental school, Edson accepted an invitation to serve with PAZ in the Amazon on a short-term medical trip. It was during that time that God spoke to Edson about serving as a full-time medical missionary with PAZ. Six months later, in August of 2004, Edson moved to Santarém and began to serve with PAZ’s health team.

Edson and Kelly Lee

Shortly after Kelly Klootwyk came to the Lord in 1998, she felt God’s call on her life to serve as a missionary. Through her church, Kelly first heard about Project AmaZon and felt God’s specific call to serve with them as a medical missionary.

Kelly graduated with a degree in International Community Health from Elim Bible Institute in 2005. Later that year, she completed her six-month internship with PAZ’s health team in Santarém. It was then that she met her future husband, Edson. After the internship was completed, Kelly returned to the United States to raise support and prepare for full-time missions. In January 2007, Kelly moved to Santarém as a full-time missionary.

On January 24, 2008, the wedding bells rang for Kelly and Edson. The couple continues to live in Santarém where Edson serves as a dentist with PAZ on evangelistic health trips, in PAZ’s social assistance clinic, and in the local prison. Kelly co-leads the health and water filter ministries and oversees short-term medical missionaries and teams, all while studying nursing at a local university.