Born in a remote town along the Amazon River in Brazil, Lucas grew up familiar with heartbreak.
His alcoholic father died when Lucas was just a boy, leaving him in the care of a mother deeply trapped in religious superstition. He tried desperately to resist as his older brothers pressured him to sell drugs with them. And he felt his heart break as he watched his older sister come home night after night with new boyfriends, several of whom she became pregnant from.
Lucas reached out for help as his world crumbled. And ABWE missionaries were there to reach back.
Thanks to its aviation ministry, ABWE established a stronghold for the gospel throughout isolated villages along the Amazon River in the 1960s. Working in tandem with ABWE’s Amazon Baptist Hospital — a faith-based medical center reachable only by boat or seaplane — ABWE missionaries were able to show families like Lucas’ a love which they had been seeking, but never able to find.
Through discipleship from several ABWE missionaries, Lucas found this love in Jesus Christ. Not only did he find it, but he fell in love with sharing it.
Lucas is now one of the strongest youth leaders at ABWE’ church plant, Faith Baptist Church, where he helps lead more than 70 young adults into a deeper relationship with their savior.
Lucas’ is just one story of how ABWE aviation missionaries are bringing the hope of Christ to the regions that need him most.
