This is the story of the unexpected dreamer, Dr. Glenn Hickey, a counter-intuitive missionary to Brazil from Mt Ida, Arkansas who made his life into a series of faith adventures. He was intensely nerdy in using technology to serve his mission, a quiet preacher, and travel-holic. His life was a pioneering journey of how to reach your human-spirit potential by accessing the inner child's creativity, energy and joy.
He aspired and was blessed in many areas, including Barbershop quartet harmony, New Testament Greek mastery, and international ham radio guru-dom. He focused his mission on Recife, Brazil between 1964 and 1978. He became a "native" in Portuguese fluency and cultural identity, deeply influencing both Brazilian nationals and his missionary colleagues with a gentle spirit and leadership gifts.
A lifelong road cyclist, He covered thousands of miles in Europe, Brazil, and the U.S., always stopping to visit seriously with locals and connect meaningfully with folks from other cultures and faiths. A talented barbershop baritone, he moved audiences frequently with the original Ouachita Baptist University Quartet and later with his soprano life partner Dorothy Hickey.
He gelled his Ham Radio communication passion with the Partners of the Americas, setting up many citizen-exchanges between the states of Pernambuco, Brazil and Georgia, U.S.A., culminating with an invitation to head a delegation to the White House by President Jimmy and First Lady Rosalynn Carter.
He was a progressive force for women in ministry, children in the process of poverty, hunger relief in Arkansas, and the Partners of the Americas. Calling diverse churches to be inspired for missions they could only accomplish together, he was a inspirational diplomat in a time of deep division among Southern Baptists in Arkansas.
A brave preacher and teacher who could blend academic mastery of the biblical Greek texts with captivating storytelling, he was not afraid to think and speak out of the box on how to interpret the bible, human relationships, Christian mission, and patriotism. Specializing in the parables of Jesus, he could apply biblical texts to modern life with humor, insight and disarming gentleness. Dr. Glenn Hickey's life was a shout out to all who think real Missionaries have given up fun, adventure, and discovery. He said yes, the missionary life is available to all who want abundant, creative joy!
