By Lindsay McCaul Mattingly, Worship Leader on the Study +Serve Trip
I’ve been back from the 2025 Women’s Study + Serve Amazon Trip for a little over a week now, and my heart is still in awe of all God did this year. This was my third summer joining Kelly, Angela, and a whole bunch of Jesus-loving ladies from across America (and beyond!) traveling to the Amazon—ladies of all ages, denominations, and walks of life, filled with anticipation for whatever God might have in store. We had college students, college professors, daughters, moms, aunts, and grandmas introducing themselves on the flight from Fort Lauderdale down to Manaus, Brazil. By the end of the week, friendships that would last a lifetime had been forged in bug spray and God’s great kindness.
I’ve tried to describe how special this annual trip is to family and friends who haven’t been (yet), and the long and short of it is: you just need to come with us. It’s a spiritual retreat, a theological feast of a Bible conference, and an eye-opening, life-changing missions trip all wrapped into one incredible week. Where else are you going to sleep on a hammock on a beautiful three-story boat, put on an afternoon VBS in a remote jungle village for some of the most precious kids you’ve ever seen, and dig into the Word of God with two of Christendom’s finest Bible teachers?! There’s nothing like it.
I’ve told my husband that each day on the S+S trip feels like the fastest, longest day ever. Ha! I know that makes zero sense, but somehow God packs SO MUCH into each hour that the days absolutely fly by, and before you know it, we’re back in cozy hammocks, being lulled to sleep by the hum of the boat’s engine (talk about the ultimate white noise machine).
There is absolutely nothing like worshipping our Creator while floating down the largest river on the planet.
Our days begin with my absolute favorite coffee in the world up on the top deck of the beautiful Splendor, taking in the majesty of a sunrise over the mighty Amazon River, complete with *pink* dolphins playfully splashing around in the water. After a feast of a breakfast (I have no idea how our powerhouse kitchen crew prepares so many mouth-watering options three times a day, but nobody’s going home hungry, that’s for sure), we start our morning with worship. Angela Thomas Pharr says the veil between heaven and earth feels thinnest in the Amazon, and I am convinced she’s right. There is absolutely nothing like worshipping our Creator while floating down the largest river on the planet, standing in awe of His power, and responding by lifting up a grateful chorus of praise. This year, I had the privilege of leading our times of worship with Tamila on flute, Debora on cello, and Lucas on cajon – I mean, come on! We were so blessed by their gifts and hearts for the Lord. The sound of those beautiful instruments, with a boat full of daughters and sons (our translators, JMA staff, and jungle guides) of the Living God joining with all creation in a cry of worship echoing out over the water, is a sound I’ll never forget.
We spend a good chunk of our mornings on the top deck of the Splendor, digging into the Word with the brilliant Kelly Minter. Kelly has a unique anointing to help people see and grasp the fullness of God’s heart for and pursuit of His beloved people throughout Scripture. (She also has been given a double portion of blessing in the miraculous form of gorgeous hair in 3,000% humidity, but I’m not envious or anything.) This year, Kelly led us through the book of Exodus and the Passover, reminding us that freedom is God’s idea…what a truth to rest and rejoice in! After morning teaching time, we break into small groups, which is one of my favorite parts of the S+S trips. There’s something about processing so immediately after being fed the Word – the conversations and confessions that follow are evidence of the Lord moving and drawing us closer to Him. What a gift to share and hear testimonies of how God set women free on our boat this year through the chain-breaking truth found in His Word.
I love that throughout the week we’re given the opportunity to see firsthand what the phenomenal Justice & Mercy Amazon team does year round, how they are the tireless hands and feet of Jesus there in the jungle making disciples; supporting, training, and encouraging pastors; building schools; bringing medical supplies; and loving the often overlooked and forgotten. The impact they are making up and down the river for the Kingdom of God and the good of that region is absolutely incredible. On the boat and at the John Paculabo Training Center, we have the privilege of hearing from one or two of the pastors with whom JMA partners. These men and women’s stories of God’s faithfulness and provision never fail to stir up my faith and spur me on to take up my cross in the unshakable joy they so beautifully model. It’s an honor of a lifetime to get to meet these heroes of the faith.
After lunch and a bit of free time, we gather to prepare for the specific ministries we’ll be serving in that day’s village. Our small groups divide into three groups, heading out to put on an afternoon Vacation Bible School for the local kids, walking to different houses in the village to pray for people, and gathering with local women to pamper them and discuss the life-changing love of Jesus. Every year, we ask the Lord for divine appointments during our hours in the villages, and every year, we get to witness how much our Heavenly Father delights in answering that request.
I’m so thankful now, three years in, to have formed some relationships in a few of these villages! Last year, I had the privilege of praying with a precious woman named Shehelany after Kelly proclaimed the Gospel one afternoon during an impromptu church service that a local pastor had asked us to lead. I’ve thought of and prayed for Shehelany many times over the past year, so this year, when we visited her village, I looked for her during our women’s ministry gathering. I kept listening for her name and searching faces, but couldn’t find her, and I was feeling disappointed not to get to see her and hear an update on how she was doing. Later in the afternoon, right as we were getting ready to get back on the boat, my friend Carly from our S+S team mentioned visiting a woman by the same beautiful name at a house on her small group’s prayer visit, and I jumped when Carly said that Shehelany mentioned she was planning to walk over near where we were gathered. Sure enough, we found our sweet new friend, and I got to hug her and tell her how often God had brought her to mind over the past 12 months. I’m so thankful our Father allowed me to see my sister in Christ again! Please pray for Shehelany if you have a moment; pray for encouragement in her walk with Jesus, for strengthening of her faith, and for solid friendships with other believers in that area. She is so precious.
After our ministry time in the village, we return to our floating home for the week, shower, and relax a bit. We then eat another delicious meal for dinner and head back upstairs for our evening teaching time with Angela Thomas Pharr. Angela is a true gift. Her warm, hilarious, and disarming teaching style is the perfect way to wind down and quiet our souls after a full day. This year, she walked us through Ephesians 6 and exhorted us to stand strong in our blood-bought freedom by daily arming ourselves with the full armor of God. It was a timely reminder, and I know our crew won’t soon forget to “get dressed” each morning!!
After evening worship and teaching, a few evenings through the week will find us jumping on smaller speedboats before bedtime, heading out for a night cruise to search for sloths and caymans with experienced jungle guides helping us spot some of the awesome wildlife the Amazon holds. You never know what you’re going to find, and the jungle guides are as knowledgeable as they are fun! The bright stars in the night sky over the river are breathtaking and will have you wide-eyed at how incredibly small and yet how wildly loved we are by the Creator of the universe.
Study + Serve is SO much more than a trip; it’s an opportunity to change lives, starting with your own!
I had no idea what I was in for a few years ago when Kelly first asked me to accompany her to Brazil and lead worship on a big boat. There’s no way I could have known that the Amazon was going to become one of my favorite places on the globe, but in the Lord’s great kindness, I will never be the same. If you’ve felt a gentle (or not-so-gentle) nudge in your heart to join us next year, please consider this a personal invitation from our entire team, and an open ear for any questions you may have. Study + Serve is SO much more than a trip; it’s an opportunity to change lives, starting with your own! We’d love to have you join us on this awesome kingdom mission. Let’s get you down to the Amazon!!
Come with us on the Women’s Study + Serve Amazon Trip in 2026!
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