By Emily Ligon, JMI Trip Participant
As our dinghy rolled across the wakes of the Tefé River toward The Splendor, I kept thinking: I cannot believe I’m here right now. When the Lord first placed a mission-calling on my heart, I never imagined it would bring me to the Amazon of all places—but I am so grateful it did.
Allow me to catch you up quickly.
Throughout middle and high school, I had the opportunity to head out on mission trips each summer with my youth group. Those weeks hold some of my favorite memories—I can still hear the laughter, picture cut-throat card games, and feel the youthful spirits on fire for Christ.
But somewhere between college and entering “real adult life,” mission work quietly drifted into the background. I became consumed with academics, climbing the corporate ladder, and all the self-serving endeavors the world has to offer. Before I knew it, nearly eight years had passed since I had served on a mission trip.
When this realization dawned on me in the fall of 2025, I knew it wasn’t accidental—the Lord was inviting me back into something I had deeply missed: serving His people wholeheartedly and distraction-free.
Still, part of me wanted to negotiate: Are You sure You need a full week of my time off? Aren’t a few volunteer hours here and there enough? (Ironically, I’d come home feeling a full week wasn’t nearly long enough, but I’m getting ahead of myself.)
Not even two weeks later, I was sitting in church when a young man spoke during announcements about his experience in Brazil with JMI earlier that year. He shared that our church would be heading back in the spring of 2026. Sometimes the Lord answers our prayers so loud and clear that you simply cannot ignore it. So much for negotiating… Before I even made it through the doors of the informational meeting, I knew I was going on that trip.
And a few months later, there I was on the banks of the Amazon River.
There’s something beautiful about walking into an experience like this with open palms. I truly had no idea why the Lord had called me to the Amazon or what He wanted to teach me there. So, my heart posture for the week was simple: God, I’m here. Use me to love Your people and show me something new about Your character.
As it turns out, simply “being there” mattered more than I ever expected.
Some of the most impactful moments were with villagers who shared how easy it is to feel forgotten when living in a remote part of the world. Many could not believe people had traveled so far just to visit them. Again and again, I was reminded how powerful it is to simply show up.
Packed between meeting the very real and very urgent physical needs of these communities were countless small conversations filled with hope, as we reminded villagers that there is a God who sees and knows them deeply.
I use the word “reminded” intentionally. What I love about JMI is its long-term commitment to supporting jungle pastors. Long before my church ever stepped foot in Brazil, local leaders were faithfully serving these villages year-round—bringing the Good News wherever the river runs. My church was not arriving as “saviors.” We were coming alongside to support brothers and sisters already doing incredible Kingdom work.
I think this is one of the clearest pictures of the global Church: believers from different nations, cultures, and backgrounds partnering together to serve the same God.
Watching my own church family serve, pray boldly, share testimonies, and offer encouragement made the experience even more meaningful.
So rarely in life do we get the opportunity to be fully removed from our environment, routine, and comfort zone to just focus on loving God’s people. Free from life’s day-to-day distractions, it can be easier to see God working. But it is so important to realize the same exact God is also moving at home.
Brokenness exists everywhere. In the States, we are no less in need of hope, healing, and the Gospel. Going to the Amazon has given me a renewed spirit to serve my own community with greater intention.
And when an entire church team returns with this revitalized passion, deeper unity, and a greater vision for the global Church, that impact spreads far beyond one week on the mission field. It strengthens congregations, deepens relationships, blesses communities, and inspires more people to say “yes” to wherever God may be calling them next.
So, if you are reading this and feel even the slightest tug on your heart, lean in. Serving in the Amazon is life-changing. But don’t take my word for it—go experience it for yourself!
Don’t let trivial fears of heat, bugs, sleeping in a hammock, fundraising, etc., hold you back from what the Lord may have in store. He graciously invites each and every one of us to be part of His work to advance the Kingdom, and some of the most valuable moments of my life have happened on the other side of discomfort.
And if you are part of a church considering partnership trips to the Amazon, I cannot recommend it enough. Not only will you have the opportunity to support local pastors and serve remote communities, but your team will experience God in new ways that will transform your church at home.
To learn more about serving in the Amazon with JMI, visit: https://justiceandmercy.org/go/
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