Katie Ackerman Health Ministries img/ackerman Katie Ackerman has recently joined Project Amazon and plans to move to Santarem, Brazil as a full time missionary. She is a registered nurse, and will be working with the health ministry. Katie grew up in Peoria, Illinois and was blessed to be raised in a godly, Christian home. Her parents taught her the importance of living for Jesus, and at five years of age, Katie gave her life to Jesus. As she grew older, she began to understand the true meaning of being surrendered to Christ, and rededicated her life to the Lord.

When she was 11 years old, Katie visited Brazil for the first time. It was on this trip that God gave her a vision for lost people and a clear call to mission work. She visited Brazil again in 1996 for seven weeks, working with her missionary aunt. God continued to confirm the calling to missions. In 1999, Katie attend Elim Bible Institute and earned a certificate in a one year mission training course.

Katie Ackerman

Katie has been involved in her church and other outreach ministries over the years, including teaching Sunday school, discipleship, worship team, Bible studies, vacation Bible school, various mission trips and outreach groups at her school. She lived in Ireland six months in 2003, working with a missionary couple she met at Bible college. She helped in children's' ministry, worship, secretarial duties as well as developing relationships with the Irish people.

After Ireland, Katie went back to college and earned a BSN in 2006. She has been working as a registered nurse the past two years, getting experience for the mission field. She is excited to use her skills to show the love of Jesus in a practical way, and to share the good news of Jesus to Brazilians.

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]]> Tim and Roxanne Ault Aviation & Communications img/ault Tim and Roxanne Ault, with their children Amber (born 1980), Corrie (1982), Ben (1985) and Caleb (1989), have been missionaries with Mission Aviation Fellowship since 1988. They have served in Brazil since 1989, except for 18 months spent in Mozambique, Africa from 1995 to 1996.

In Boa Vista, Brazil, Tim flew for missionaries that live in remote jungle posts, working with indigenous people. They are translating the Bible, teaching the people to read, and caring for their health, even as they share the Gospel.

The Ault Family

The Aults are currently flying mission support for Project AmaZon (PAZ), at the mission’s main base in Santarém, Brazil.

Tim and Roxanne share, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God &mdash not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:8-10)

"These verses express our desire to respond to God's great love and salvation by taking His message to those who would not hear the gospel unless someone goes to them. We are blessed to be able to continue to serve our heroes, the front-line missionaries willing to live in isolated communities."

]]> Jim and Julie Benson Aviation, Construction & Health img/benson Jim and Julie Benson Veteran missionaries Jim and Julie Benson work at the PAZ base in Manaus, supporting the local church in its outreach. Jim is a carpenter, whose professional experience in the U.S. was mainly as a homebuilder. At the mission, he can often be found working with visiting construction teams building new churches. Jim is also a pilot and deeply involved with mission aviation.

Jim and Julie Benson

Julie is a registered nurse. Prior to joining Project AmaZon, she worked in American hospitals for many years. She specialized in maternal and child health, working as a labor room nurse and childbirth educator. Over her years in Brazil, Julie has spent many weeks on the mission medical boats, coordinating the work of visiting health teams. These teams come to help open new villages to the Gospel by providing health care to isolated river communities.

Jim and Julie met at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, married while Jim was in the Marines, and lived wonderful years together in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Medford, Oregon, Alstead, New Hampshire, and Colville, Washington, leaving many good friends behind.

The Bensons have one daughter, Jeneva, who lives with her husband and daughter, Jenica Jade, in Tacoma, Washington. They wish with all their hearts that their daughter and her family could live closer, but are deeply blessed to be living and working where God has placed them.

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]]> Don and Betty Best Communications & Guest House Hosts (Santarém) img/best Don and Betty Best Missionaries Don and Betty Best serve in Santarém, Brazil, and have been working with Project AmaZon (PAZ) since September, 2002. Don is a native of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and Betty of Westwood, Massachusetts. Prior to joining the mission, Don and Betty’s long-time home was in Surry, New Hampshire, where Don worked as a writer/editor and Betty home-schooled sons Paul and Jonathan.

Paul and his wife Melissa now live in Los Angeles, where Paul works for the National Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Melissa has just completed her master’s degree in math. Jonathan is in flight school at Moody Northwest, in Spokane, Washington, training to become a missionary pilot.

Don and Betty host the PAZ guesthouse in Santarém and provide interpretation, transportation and other logistical support for visiting health and construction teams. They frequently accompany visiting teams on their river trips, helping to coordinate church construction and evangelical outreach. In this capacity, they typically host 15 to 20 teams a year.

Don and Betty Best

Don and Betty also devote large amounts of time to mission communications and photography. One of their most exciting and challenging projects in this area was writing and designing the preface for the mission’s new Portuguese Bible.

"We are very happy to be working here in the Amazon and grateful to our Lord and to the body of Christ for enabling us," the couple relates. "There is nothing in the world so beautiful as seeing the life of an individual — and often entire families — transformed by the love of Christ. By the grace of God, a tremendous revival is underway here in the Amazon and the harvest is plentiful."

The Bests attend the PAZ Central Church in Santarém. Their home and sending church in the United States is Agape Christian Fellowship in Brattleboro, Vermont.

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]]> Scott and Aldine Blunier Accounting & Facilities Maintenance img/blunier Scott and Aldine Blunier Missionaries Scott and Aldine Blunier are based in Santarém, Brazil, and have been working with Project AmaZon since November, 1989.

Scott is a native of Forrest, Illinois and Aldine of Cissna Park. Both of their families work in farming. Prior to joining PAZ, Scott and Aldine were in ministry with Youth With A Mission for several years.

Scott & Aldine and their girls, Hannah, Elizabeth and Abigail

Scott is responsible for PAZ accounting and administration at mission headquarters in Santarém. He also involves himself with facilities and property maintenance at the base. Aldine homeschools their two youngest daughters — Abigail and Elizabeth — and is also involved with hospitality for the mission. Their oldest daughter, Hannah, is studying at Elim Bible Institute in New York.

Scott and Aldine attend the PAZ Central Church in Santarém, are regular members of their cell group, and offer marriage and financial counseling to Brazilians.

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]]> Juliana Caetano Health Ministries img/caetano Juliana Caetano Since graduating in 2003, Juliana has been a nurse. Born in São Paulo Brazil, she was raised in a Christian home. Her parents are pastors of the Igreja Cordeiro de Deus (Lamb of God Church) of Taboão da Serra where she too was involved with cell groups and in praise and worship ministries. She worked as a nurse in the municipal of São Paulo for around 4 years, teaching health classes and bettering the training materials.

Juliana Caetano

A strong desire for missions began to burn inside of her when, at 18 years old, she began college. In July of 2006 she participated in her first river missions trip with Project AmaZon in Santarém. It was there that the Lord spoke to her heart about serving the precious people of the river communities. Her parents and local church prayed for almost two years before blessing and sending Juliana to serve full time with Project AmaZon in January of 2008.

Since then, Juliana has dedicated herself to the healh ministries here at PAZ, serving as a nurse and helping organize health trips. She continues to be involved with cell groups and discipleship. Her desire is to reach each individual, ofering spiritual, physical and emotional health that opens the doors for a wonderful encounter with the Lord Jesus.

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]]> Grant and Regina Cail Health & Administration img/cail Grant and Regina Cail Grant grew up in Benin, West Africa until the age of 14, when his missionary family returned to the United States. Prior to joining PAZ in August, 2002, he lived in Waxhaw, North Carolina, where he worked as a nurse in a Level 1 Trauma Center Hospital. His home church is Calvary Church, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Regina was born in São José dos Campos, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, and has worked with the mission since 1981. Before coming to Santarém, she worked as a short-term missionary in Goiás. Regina attended Capernwray Bible School in the United States and studied agricultural engineering in Santarém.

Grant and Regina Cail

During his time in Santarém, Grant was primarily involved with PAZ's health program, working alongside Brazilian and North American health professionals to provide free health care to poor river communities. The mission health trips are used as an evangelistic tool to open the doors to the Gospel in unreached communities.

Regina was part of the original team that planted the Liberdade Church in Santarém, one of Paz's largest city churches. She has filled many important positions with the mission over the years, working in administration and providing the mission directors with counsel regarding legal and documentation issues.

The Cails moved to the PAZ base in Manaus to encourage and strengthen the local church there, and to help reach Brazilians who live in the interior of the state of Amazonas. Their goal is to launch a PAZ health program at the Manaus base. With few paved roads, slow river boat travel, and the largest state in the Amazon Basin to cover, the logistics and challenges are great.

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]]> John Eisenmann Church Planting Logistics img/eisenmann John Eisenmann John Eisenmann accepted God’s calling on his life to full time missions and will be joining PAZ at the Santarém base in 2009. Born and raised in Cissna Park, IL, John was taught the importance of God’s work all around the world. His family has been involved with PAZ for over a decade through short term trips and support, so it was no surprise that after receiving God’s saving grace in February of 2006, John desired to build on that relationship and venture down to Brazil. Leading two construction/medical teams and visiting once alone provided the opportunity for God to confirm John’s desire to participate in international missions with PAZ.

John Eisenmann

In January 2009 John ended a three year engineering career with Caterpillar Inc. in Peoria IL to begin preparations for moving to Brazil. Upon arrival John will assume responsibilities related to church building and planting. He will manage the many ongoing church construction projects in the river and jungle villages as well work to maintain relationships with project donors. John will also build a statistical database for the over 500 PAZ churches in Brazil. He anxiously awaits the opportunities to become involved with the local church.

John praises God for the redeeming work done in his life and is humbled to have the opportunity to serve the Lord’s Kingdom in Brazil. He invites everyone to partner with him as God build’s His church in Brazil!

“He saved us…through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:6-7

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]]> Pablo and Colleen Fast Ministry img/fast Pablo and Colleen Fast Pablo and Colleen Fast are based in Manaus, Brazil, and have been with Project AmaZon since September, 1990. Pablo is the son of Wycliffe missionaries and grew up in Yarinacocha, Peru. Colleen, the daughter of a Mennonite pastor, grew up in the Midwest.

Pablo and Colleen Fast

Prior to joining the mission, Pablo and Colleen lived in Peoria, Illinois, where Pablo worked as a nurse in a mental health center and Colleen taught private voice and piano lessons. Their daughter, Natasha Hayden, is married and lives in the U.S. with her husband, Nick, in Kendallville, Indiana. Both are published authors.

Pablo is a pastor at the Central Paz Church in Manaus, supervises several cell groups, and oversees planting new churches on the rivers. Colleen helps Pablo with supervision and discipleship, besides being active on the worship and dance teams.

Their home church in the U.S. is Trinity Mennonite Church in Peoria, Illinois.

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]]> Brent and Connie Gregory Communications, Administration & Team Support img/gregory Brent and Connie Gregory Brent and Connie Gregory joined Project AmaZon in September, 2004. After completing language training in Manaus, Brazil, they moved to the PAZ base in Castanhal. Their responsibilities included communications, support of visiting teams, assistance with projects, and general administrative support to the base. In March of 2009, they moved to PAZ headquarters in Santarém to assist the tremendous work.

Connie, Brent, David and Micah Gregory

Brent and Connie are joined on the mission field by their sons Micah and David. All the Gregorys are actively involved in the MDA vision of cells and discipleship.

The family's sending church is Metro-East Christian Fellowship (MECF), located in O'Fallon, Illinois. MECF trained Brent and Connie in a cell-based ministry model that is virtually identical to the one that PAZ uses.

Before joining PAZ, Brent worked almost 20 years in public water supply, while Connie managed their household and homeschooled the boys. Brent served as an elder at MECF and the couple ministered together as cell group leaders for several years.

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]]> Aaron and Esther Helland PAZ Chicago img/helland Aaron and Esther Helland Aaron grew up on the mission field in Chile, South America and then completed his bachelor's and master's degrees in business at Oral Roberts University. Wanting to be in ministry full time, he then completed a master's in practical theology from Southwestern University in Bethany, OK. While working on his theology master's degree, he worked with a church planting team to plant 14 churches among the Spanish-speaking people in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri.

The Helland Family

Esther is the daughter of PAZ founders Luke and Christine Huber, and grew up in the Amazon Basin. She worked as a missionary in Japan for 2 1/2 years before earning her bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism and then her master's in Teaching English as a Second language from Oral Roberts University.

Aaron, Esther and their three small children are currently planting a multicultural church among the millions of hurting and lost people who live in Chicago. Chicago has over 2 million Hispanics, of which less than 2% are committed followers of Jesus. Aaron and Esther found an inner city filled with broken people, addictions, and violence. In this spiritually hostile environment, they are seeing miracles happen through one on one discipleship. Both Aaron and Esther are very excited as they watch God work in lives and transform relationships and marriages. The motto of the church workers in the Amazon is the same motto in the inner city of Chicago: This is just the beginning of God's work among us!

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]]> Claire Helring Administration & Ministry img/helring Claire Helring Claire Helring knew from a very young age that God was calling her to do something great for Him but it wasn’t until several years later that she would realize what that plan would be. Raised in a Christian home, she was always involved in church and serving the Lord. Her life was forever transformed in her early teen years when she was able to spend almost four years in Pensacola, FL at the Brownsville Revival. It was during this time that her family was called to work with Project Amazon.

At age 15, Claire moved to Brazil with her family. Due to her age, the transition was very difficult. After several months of questioning why her family was in Brazil, God completely changed her heart and gave her a love for Brazil. Her family’s time in Brazil was cut short due to the terminal illness of her grandmother. Claire and her family returned to the US in September of 2001. Over the next several years, Claire would finish high school and go on to get her Bachelors degree in Business Administration at Belmont University. During this time, Claire thought about returning to Brazil to visit.

Claire Helring

The summer of 2006, Claire was seeking the Lord to know His plan for her life. He placed Brazil on her heart. After that moment, she could not forget about Brazil. In May of 2007, one week after her college graduation, Claire set out on an adventure to spend the summer interning with PAZ. It was during this time that God confirmed she was to return as a long term missionary.

Exactly one year after leaving Brazil, in August of 2008, Claire returned long term. Claire’s heart is for young girls and her desire is to pour into their lives through building relationships. She is currently working with short term missionaries, cell groups and various administrative tasks. Claire is very excited for all that the Lord has in store. She is constantly amazed at His faithfulness. Claire would like to encourage anyone who reads this to remember that no matter your age or where you are in life, if the Lord has called you to do something for Him, He will be faithful to do it. (1 Thess. 5:24)

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]]> Jerry Hranka Statistics and Logistics img/hranka Jerry Hranka Jerry Hranka was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Canada where most of his family still resides. He moved to British Columbia 23 years ago and spent most of his time there working in restaurant management.

Before joining Project AmaZon (PAZ), Jerry worked for three years with Journey Home Community Society (JHCS). This Christian-based ministry shares the love of Christ with refugees arriving in the Vancouver area, who come desperately searching for a new life. Jerry, along with other JHCS workers, helped refugees with their immigration process, housing, food and clothing, language instruction, and cultural adaptation.

Jerry Hranka

Jerry visited Brazil and PAZ in 2005, completing a 10-week internship with PAZ. Upon his return to Canada, Jerry felt a strong calling to return to Brazil and after much contemplation and prayer made the decision to join the missionary team on a full-time basis.

Jerry moved to the mission’s main base, in Santarém, Brazil, in November, 2008. He is currently learning Portuguese and will soon take on duties in an administrative capacity. His duties will include assisting in the collection and analyzing of data on existing church plants and growth, and doing strategic planning for future plants. He will also become involved with project development in areas such as new construction projects for churches, training centers and schools. Currently he is involved with his local Brazilian church, participates in a cell group, and is engaged in one-on-one discipleship.

Jerry’s sending church is Willingdon Church, based in Burnaby B.C., where he has been a member for 18 years.

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]]> Jeff and Becky Hrubik Directors of PAZ img/hrubik Jeff and Becky Hrubik Jeff and Becky Hrubik came to Santarém, Brazil as missionaries with Project AmaZon in March, 1982. They worked alongside Becky's brother, PAZ founder Luke Huber, establishing the mission's medical ministries as well as organizing and developing Project AmaZon.

After Luke went home to be with the Lord, Jeff and Becky were made directors of the mission under the covering of Melvin Huber and the PAZ board of directors.

The Hrubik Family

Jeff and Becky oversee the PAZ bases across the Amazon Basin and also provide supervision for the other American and Brazilian missionaries working with PAZ. They teach frequently in the church and at conferences, especially on matters related to marriage and family.

Jeff and Becky have four children — Ruth (husband Nate), Beth (husband Bruno), Paul and Debbie — who love the Lord and have given their lives to His full-time service.

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]]> Paul Hrubik Media (Fortaleza) img/hrubik_paul Paul Hrubik Paul Hrubik, son of PAZ Directors Jeff and Becky Hrubik, was born and raised on the mission field in Santarém, Brazil. All his life he was actively involved in the ministry helping in the river communities with the medical ministry, church construction, and evangelism, and in the city with cell groups and discipleship. In 2002 he graduated from Oral Roberts University with a Bachelors in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language. He then accepted a 6-month internship with Samaritan’s Purse and came back to Brazil where he was trained in the Bio-Sand Water Filters. After the internship, he returned as a full-time missionary with PAZ and helped with the water filter program for 2 years while being involved in cell groups, discipleships, volunteering in the church IT department, church construction, leading mission teams, and other odd jobs.

Paul and his Crew

In the beginning of 2009, Paul was asked to move to the base of Fortaleza to help them get their media department set up and running. He continues to be involved in cell groups and discipleships, and hopes to raise up a group of young adult leaders who will eventually be part of a team to start churches in other parts of Brazil or the world. Paul invites you to contact him to be added to his monthly updates. He is currently raising support to continue full-time missions work with PAZ, so consider partnering with him to see Brazil won for Christ!

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]]> Abe and Andrea Huber Pastoral Ministries, Fortaleza Base Leader img/huber_abe Abe and Andrea Huber After graduating from Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University) in 1981, Abe Huber went to work for Project AmaZon (PAZ) in Santarém, Brazil. There he joined his brother, founder Luke Huber, and other family members on the mission field.

Andrea and Abe with their children, Daniel, David and Priscilla

Since 1983, Abe has served as pastor of the Paz Central Church, the largest Paz church. Since 1989, Abe has also been director of the Santarém regional base, which oversees hundreds of churches. Abe and Andréa were married in 1991 and have three children: Priscilla, David, and Daniel.

In April, 2005, Abe and Andréa, along with 40 other Christian couples and many single people, moved from Santarém to Fortaleza to open PAZ's 10th base and establish a new PAZ church. Abe handed the leadership of the Santarém regional base to Pastor Geraldo and continues to supervise the Santarém regional base and the Boa Vista regional base. Fortaleza, located on the northeast coast of Brazil, has 2.3 million people and is located in one of the least evangelized regions of Brazil.

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]]> Angela Huber Parintins Base Leader img/huber_angela Angela Huber

Angela Huber

Angela is the oldest daughter of missionaries Melvin and Katherine Huber, and grew up on the mission field in Brazil. She studied at Biola University and Capernwray Bible School in Germany and England, respectively. Because of Jesus' last command — to "Go and make disciples of all nations…" — she was led to do postgraduate work in linguistics while serving the Lord in the state of Goiás, Brazil.

Over the years, Angela has been involved in short-term missions in various countries. However, the Amazon has always been and remains her main focus.

She currently lives and works in Parintins, the second largest city in the state of Amazonas. In the heart of the Amazon, God is winning tremendous battles, saving, healing and delivering precious people. Angela considers it an enormous privilege to serve the King of Kings and see Him work!

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]]> Isaiah and Erin Huber Ministry img/huber_isaiah Isaiah and Erin Huber Isaiah Lucas Huber, son of PAZ founders Luke and Christine Huber, was born and raised in the heart of the Amazon. Growing up surrounded by the exciting PAZ vision, it is no wonder that he plans to go back to Brazil along with his wife Erin, carrying on what his dad started.

During high school, Isaiah found himself in Japan, where he met his wife, Erin! There he was blessed to learn a new language and culture. Because of the drastic changes in lifestyle, culture, and mission strategy between the Amazon Basin and Tokyo, Isaiah was able to broaden his perspective of how missions can be done.

Isaiah and Erin Huber

From there, Isaiah continued his training and preparation for missions by joining Youth With A Mission (YWAM). After a year of learning and working with YWAM, based out of Maui, Isaiah earned a BA in Biblical studies from Life Pacific College, with a minor in cross-cultural ministry. During this time he also got his pilot’s license, flying out of Long Beach Airport and Santa Monica Airport. He then moved from the west coast to the east coast and went on to get his MA in teaching English as a foreign language at Columbia International University.

Isaiah began serving with Project AmaZon in late 2007 when he came full circle to live in Santarém, where he grew up. For almost a year, he kept very busy primarily with cell groups, raising up and discipling future Brazilian leaders, and helping to lead and coordinate PAZ church construction projects that constantly spring up all over the Amazon Basin.

Erin was also born to missionary parents, but on an Indian reservation. She and her family moved to Japan as full-time missionaries when Erin was ten years old. After high-school, she got her Bachelor’s degree in nursing from BIOLA University and has been training for missions by working as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Room in Los Angeles.

Currently they are in California, and will be making the transition to be missionaries with PAZ in Fortaleza, Brazil, where Isaiah’s uncle Abe Huber is the pastor of a thriving PAZ church plant. In the meantime, they are raising much needed support as the cost of living is high in Fortaleza, so consider partnering with Isaiah and Erin to see Brazil won for Christ!

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]]> Josiah and Jennifer Huber Ministry img/huber_josiah Josiah and Jennifer Huber Josiah, son of Project AmaZon founders Luke and Christine Huber, was born and raised on the mission field in Santarém, Brazil. At age 16, he traveled to the United States to complete school. He received an Associate of Arts Degree in Ministry in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he met his wife, Jennifer, daughter of Joe and Kay Ringenberg, a family native to New Orleans. After getting married on June 14, 2003, Josiah and Jennifer moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Josiah completed his Bachelor's Degree at Oral Roberts University (ORU). In April, 2005, the couple joined PAZ and soon after moved to Santarém.

Josiah and Jennifer Huber

After obtaining unparalleled experience working with cell groups and raising up leaders in Santarém for almost 3 years, Josiah and Jennifer moved to the small river community of Iruçanga to plant new churches and supervise existing works along the Tapajós River and in some inland jungle communities. Their responsibilities include planning and supervising evangelistic events, small groups, church growth and church construction in the communities, as well as facilitating and encouraging the work of the supervisors under their covering. They are enjoying the exciting adventure of living out God’s calling for their lives in the Amazon!

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]]> Tim and Christine Huber PAZ Japan img/huber_tim Tim and Christine Huber PAZ missionaries Tim and Christine Huber work with PAZ Japan, a missions outreach of PAZ headquarters in the Amazon. Tim started planting churches in Japan in 1987, and Christine joined him in 1997 when they were married.

Tim grew up in southern Brazil, the son of missionaries Melvin and Katherine Huber. Christine's parents, Curtis and Estelle Bunney, were missionaries to the Apache Indians in San Carlos, Arizona, where she grew up. Christine was formerly married to Tim's older brother, PAZ founder Luke Huber, who died in 1994 when his small plane crashed in the Amazon.

The Huber Family (from the left): Jennifer and Josiah, Aaron and Esther Helland and their children, Isaiah, Christine and Tim, Melvin, Andy and Sarah Walgren with their children

Luke and Christine raised four children in the Amazon: Sarah (husband Andy and three children), Esther (husband Aaron and two children), Josiah (wife Jennifer), and Isaiah. All four children are involved in, or preparing for, mission work. The grandchildren are learning they have two Grandpa Hubers, one in Heaven and one in Japan!

Tim worked in church-planting with PAZ in the Amazon for five-and-a-half years before starting the work in Japan.

"Japan is one of the largest unreached people-groups in the world, since only about 0.3 percent of the population are evangelical Christians. PAZ currently has two churches in Japan, with several starts just getting underway. With a strong emphasis on small groups and personal one-to-one discipleship, our goal is to train church-planters to be sent out to different areas of Japan, and also to other countries. In addition to the work in Japan, we are reaching out to Muslims in Indonesia."

Tim and Christine invite you to pray about coming to help PAZ Japan! Most Japanese have never met a Christian before, or read any part of the Bible. Many don't even believe that God exists.

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Visit PAZ Japan's Website

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]]> Scott and Becky Joellenbeck Arms of Love img/joellenbeck Scott and Becky Joellenbeck Scott and Becky Joellenbeck, and their son Trevor, arrived in Brazil in May, 2005. They work at the PAZ base in Belém-Castanhal as directors of the Arms of Love Children's Home. Their daughter Megan is attending Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.

The home offers orphans and abandoned children a true family setting where they can experience the Father heart of God. This ministry has been one of PAZ’s goals for many years. The Joellenbecks have been called to help make this vision a reality.

Scott, Becky with Tyler

In His great desire to rescue and restore children, God miraculously brought together a partnership of three organizations to plan, oversee and support the new children's home. The PAZ Church in Castanhal will provide spiritual guidance for the home. Arms of Love International is a Christian organization that builds and supports children's homes worldwide. The Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Grove City, Ohio, which is the Joellenbeck's sending church, is providing substantial spiritual and financial support.

A beautiful 30-acre rural property with fruit trees and a pond was purchased for the project in fall, 2004. PAZ anticipates building several homes and recreational facilities at the site. The land will simultaneously be developed for agricultural use to help the home become partially self-sustaining.

Visit Scott and Becky's Blog

Visit Scott and Becky's Website

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]]> Edson and Kelly Lee Health & Water Filter Ministries img/lee Edson and Kelly Lee 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.

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]]> Ken and Isaura Orr Health and Water Filter Ministries img/orr Ken and Isaura Orr Ken is the son, grandson and great-grandson of missionaries and is also the third generation of his family to serve God in Brazil. He was even born in Brazil, in the city of Registro, São Paulo in 1972. In 1978 his parents went to Rondônia to plant churches, where he spent a good part of his childhood. When he was 16 and in high school, he moved to Canada. Later, he studied at Prairie Bible College. He also studied computation at the South Alberta Institute of Technology.

From 2000 to 2008, Ken was a missionary under the covering of South America Indian Mission, serving in the Ami Training Center, located in Chapada do Guimarães in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. They train indigenous people to be committed leaders. He helped in the maintenance of computers and later in accounting.

In January of 2008, after getting to know Isaura and Project Amazon through mutual friends, Ken visited Santarém, where he went on a missions trip on the Amazon and Arapiuns Rivers. In April of 2009 he visited a second time, this time to get engaged with Isuara, believing that this was the perfect will of God.

With the support of his church in Canada, Ken joined Project AmaZon and soon after moved to Santarém. In December of 2009 he married Isaura to, together, serve God in the Amazon. Now he currently works with PAZ on the medical team, also helping with water filter ministry.

Ken and Isaura Orr

Isaura is a native of the Brazilian state of Pará. She was born in Santarém in 1967, the daughter of Manoel and Ilza Pereira. Her parents passed away when she was still a child, making her childhood and adolescence very difficult. She gave her life to Jesus in the beginning of 1990, in Rio de Janeiro, where she was living with relatives. She returned to Santarém in ’91 and soon after began attending the local PAZ church.

In 1992 she participated in PAZ’s Bible Seminary, also doing an internship for 4 months on PAZ’s health boat Portador da Luz (“Bringer of Light”). In 1993 she felt a call to full time missionary work and began to help PAZ in the office. Soon after she began to work in health ministries as well as teach local workers. In ’96 She was sent with a medial team to the PAZ base in Belém where she served in several capacities, even pastoring a church!

At the end of 2002 she returned to Santarém to work in the office as the secretary while taking a basic nursing class. Her internship, once again, was onboard the Portador da Luz. During this time, Isaura felt a strong confirmation to her call in medical missions. So in 2005, she enrolled in a local university to gain her nursing degree, and in 2009 graduated!

Now Isuara helps coordinate the Health Ministries at PAZ’s Santarém base. PAZ takes physical and spiritual health to the needy communities in the Amazon Basin and greatly helps in the planting of more churches.

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]]> Ken and Joanne Reutter Accounting & Children's & Youth Ministries img/reutter_ken Ken and Joanne Reutter PAZ missionaries Ken and Joanne Reutter are based in Santarém, Brazil, where Ken works as an accountant and administrator and Joanne works in ministry to children.

Like other PAZ missionaries, Ken and Joanne are involved in cell group ministry and one-on-one discipleship of younger Christians. They have served with PAZ since March, 2002.

Ken and Joanne Reutter

Prior to joining Project Amazon, Ken and Joanne lived in East Peoria, Illinois and attended New Life Christian Church in Morton, Illinois. Ken worked for 30 years in public accounting. Joanne taught in the public schools, homeschooled all of their children, and was a leader in the homeschool support group. They have four natural and three foster children, the youngest of which is in college.

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]]> Nate and Ruth Reutter Media, Worship Ministries & Administration img/reutter_nate Nate and Ruth Reutter Missionaries Nate and Ruth Reutter work at the PAZ base in Santarém, Brazil. Ruth is the daughter of mission co-directors Jeff and Becky Hrubik, and grew up in Brazil. Like much of her family, Ruth knew the call of missions on her life from a young age. Ruth went to the United States for college and in 2002 graduated from Oral Roberts University with a master's degree in Christian counseling.

Nate and Ruth Reutter

Ruth planned on working for a year or two after college before returning to Brazil, but God had other plans! Nate, son of PAZ missionaries Ken and Joanne Reutter, had just graduated from Trinity International University with a degree in church music when the two met. It was love at first sight — for Nate, but not for Ruth! Nate became the worship pastor at the First Evangelical Free Church in Moline, IL. After some coaxing, Ruth's heart warmed to Nate and Nate's heart warmed to missions. The buds of love grew and a year later Nate and Ruth were married.

The couple made their first preparations to serve on the mission field in early 2005 under the blessing of the leadership of First Evangelical Free Church (and later other churches as well). In December of 2006 the couple moved to Santarém.

For all of 2007, Nate studied Portuguese, preparing for future ministry with PAZ in music, worship and media ministries. He is the current PAZ webmaster and digital communications director. He is also very involved in the worship ministries at Central Church in Santaém. Ruth is currently involved in counseling, administration, and is the host of a local Christian television show, Mais Que Vençedores (More Than Conquerors).

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]]> Ken and Leslie Trezise Ministries img/trezise Missionaries Ken and Leslie Trezise are registered nurses who arrived in Brazil in 2006 to be the coordinators for the medical ministry at the Castanhal base. Prior to joining Project AmaZon, Ken worked as a hospital nurse for 13 years. Leslie stayed home with the kids, home schooling them and working at the hospital occasionally.

Now with PAZ, they organize monthly river trips using the health boat, Yeshua, to reach the river communities. These clinics serve to help meet the immediate medical needs of the people and provide an open door into new communities for the Gospel. Their goal is to facilitate church planting among the 3,000 communities that have no evangelical church through providing much-needed medical care. The Trezises are also responsible for the water filter program, overseeing church construction for the river churches, organizing and managing visiting U.S. teams for our two bases, as well as being involved with cell groups and discipleships at the Castanhal base.

Leslie and Ken with children Weston, Abigail, Lila and Megan

Ken and Leslie, who both grew up in the Rochester area of New York State, married in 1992 and have four children: Weston, Abigail, Lila and Megan. Although they miss their family and friends, they are very satisfied and honored to be a part of what God is doing here in the Amazon Basin.

Their home church in the United States is Word of Life Christian Fellowship in Rochester, NY.

Donations to the Trezises can be made through Elim at the following address:

Elim Fellowship
1703 Dalton Rd.
Lima, NY 14485

The checks should be made to Elim and marked for Ken and Leslie's ministry support.

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]]> Jeff and Fritha Turner Ministry img/turner Jeff and Fritha Turner Jeff and Fritha Turner are aspiring missionaries with Project AmaZon. Having already made a few missions trips to Santarem, they fell in love with the people of Brazil as well as PAZ's mission to spread the Message of Christ. Both are Graduates of Fairwood Bible Institute in New Hampshire where they met. Soon after graduation they fell in love and were married in 2006.

Jeff and Fritha Turner

Right now they live in the Tampa Bay area where Fritha is a pediatric nurse in St. Petersburg, FL and Jeff is a sometimes handy man and stay at home dad to their daughter Daniella. God has given them a love for people and a desire to meet their needs. They hope to use that hospitable spirit by joining the guest house ministry. They see a unique opportunity to serve and encourage the Brazilian Church while also sending teams back to the USA and Canada on fire for Christ.

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]]> Terry Zimmerman North American Representative img/zimmerman Terry Zimmerman Missionaries Terry & Sharon Zimmerman along with their two youngest children Brad & Kristin arrived in Santarem, Brazil to work with Project AmaZon in February, 1998. They are also the parents of three older children Bryan, Douglas and Suzanne and grandparents to six grandchildren. After nearly eight years of service in Brazil, Terry and Sharon moved back to the US to represent PAZ as the North American representative and to address the health concerns of Sharon. She passed from this life to glory in February, 2008.

Terry Zimmerman

Terry continues to represent PAZ from his home in Franklin, Tennessee, while Brad attends Regent University studying Global Business and Kristin is completing high school.

Terry is so very thankful for the life enriching experience of serving the Lord in the Amazon with PAZ and the opportunity it has provided in becoming acquainted with so many in the body of Christ across North America. He would heartily welcome the opportunity to share further with any who would contact him.

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