In The News

Belfast missionary passes away in Brazil

Belfast missionary passes away in Brazil

The death has taken place in Brazil of Belfastman Fred Orr who had worked as a missionary in South America for over 50 years. He was 86.

Mr. Orr had based his missionary work in Manaus, Brazil which is in Amazon region.

The former shipyard worker had been in the country since 1954.

He was originally from the Castlereagh Road area of Belfast, where he was active in the Castlereagh Evangelical Church – now Castlereagh Baptist.

Mr. Orr travelled with his wife Ina to take up a position with the Acre Gospel Mission in Brazil. But tragedy was to strike before the couple reached their destination.

Within days of beginning the journey from Manaus to Boca do Acre (a journey of several thousand miles) Ina Orr fell ill and died. 

Mr. Orr remained in Brazil to begin his work. He remarried fifteen years after his wife’s death. He second wife was Brazilian and they had two children, a son and a daughter.

A former colleague of Mr. Orr described the Belfastman as: “A giant of a man in the Amazon”.

 

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