Ray Barnett

As a young boy struggling to find his way through the immense poverty, secrecy and war-time suffering that gripped his life in Northern Ireland, Ray Barnett dreamed of a life of adventure and travel like that of his hero: famed missionary-explorer David Livingstone.

As an adult, he has lived that life—leading a human-rights based ministry that has brought hope, healing and humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of people across the globe.

In his riveting autobiography, Don’t Tell Me It Can’t Be Done, Barnett takes readers on a rollercoaster journey through his childhood in the rough, working-class neighborhood of Killowen—a childhood marked by loss, abuse, learning disabilities, rejection, and the crushing discovery that the family who raised him was not his own.

The turning point happens for Barnett when he devotes his life to God as a teen. Driven by his faith, Barnett pursues a career as a human rights minister and sets out to accomplish what seems like the impossible—from securing the release of Hezbollah-held hostages and imprisoned Christians in the former Soviet Union and Africa, to launching the world-renowned African Children’s Choir. Along the way, he also manages to unravel the life-long mystery surrounding his identity.

Barnett, who has committed his life to fostering hope and healing for those in need—regardless of faith, skin color, lifestyle choices or political views—hopes his story will inspire others to do the same.

“My story is a testament of the miracles that can transpire when we put our faith in God and take action—believing if we do everything that’s in our power to do, God will take care of the rest,” notes Barnett.
“There’s so much suffering and need in the world today, and it’s up to each of us to make it happen—one step, one shovelful, one person at a time.”