Smith Prayer & Praise - Nov. 17, 2010

We appreciate your prayers for us!

1. We are preparing a marriage dinner at church on Friday evening. We will be sharing about the "Love Bank" principle in marriage. We trust that it will be a good opportunity for marriages to grow and for new couples to hear and respond to the Gospel.
2. Our CAM Mexico Fellowship Conference will be held next week in the state of Veracruz. Please pray that it will indeed be a good time of fellowship with our fellow missionaries here in Mexico, and that we might be spiritually refreshed through the teaching and worship times. Our children look forward to this conference as they get to see all their missionary "cousins" again and participate in a special program for kids.
3. I (Bryan) continue to make progress on my thesis as I finish my Masters' program in leadership. Right now we are interviewing couples in church leadership in our area about the stresses they face in their ministry and how they can be supported and helped. Please pray that things will continue to come together for this thesis/ministry project.
4. Lori's two sisters and part of their families will be visiting us here in Mexico in a couple of weeks. We praise God that we can spend some time with them and would ask you to pray for safety in all the traveling and special times together.

Thanks again for lifting us up in prayer! We highly value your support in this way. Happy Thanksgiving a little early! We hope your time spent with family and friends will be special and meaningful.

Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, and Ben

Smith Prayer & Praise - Nov. 2010

Thanks so much for your prayers! Please use the following picture update to continue praying for us.


We thank God for our missionary team here in Mexico. Here we are
enjoying fellowship with part of the team. Please pray for teammates
Alan and Beth McManus and Bryan's parents, Rolland and JoAnn Smith,
as they cross the border and travel back to Mexico this Saturday, Nov. 6.



We praise God for José Luis and his growth. He preached for the first
time a week ago. He is one of the 4 men Bryan has had the privilege of
training over the last year and a half. Please pray for him and his family
as they continue to grow in their love and service for God.




We thank God for this young couple, Mauricio and Jessica, who have
recently returned to church. Bryan had the honor of dedicating their
new baby, Mateo, to the Lord last Sunday. Please pray that they would
desire to continue to grow along with their four boys.



Lori has been involved in the ladies' ministry in helping to teach. In the
first picture some of the ladies are visiting a sister from church who had
surgery. Please pray for unity and growth among the ladies of the New
Birth Bible Church.



We praise the Lord for a marriage study group that concluded a study
together this past Saturday. The Lord did some really special things in
the group through this time of study. Most of the couples are interested
in starting and leading their own marriage study groups. Please pray
that God would continue to work in the marriages of many here.



We praise God for continued progress in the Square Meters for Christ project. The seller has given us a three month extension to the original contract, so we have through the end of December to continue raising funds for the property. We have paid 35% of the total so far between funds raised in the US and Mexico. Would you consider a special year-end gift toward the project? For more information please visit this link:
http://bryan-smithconnection.blogspot.com/2010/10/square-meters-for-christ-property.html


Thanks again for your prayers and support for us! You are a valued part of our team as we make disciples in Central Mexico!

Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, & Ben

Smith Prayer & Praise - October 2010

Dear Partners in Prayer,

We so appreciate your ministry to us in prayer. Please take a moment to pray for these specific needs:

- Please pray for two legal paperwork processes that are currently under way: our religious worker visas and the official church registration with the Mexican government. Pray that all the paperwork would go through with no further delays if God would so choose.
- Please pray for Margarita, a sister in Christ that we have had the privilege of discipling over the last several years. She is beginning a course in missions, and is very interested in serving the Lord in any way that He would choose for her. Pray that she would continue to be faithful in following God's leading and that she would continue to grow in her faith.
- We praise God for our family. Please continue to pray for Lori as she home-schools Kendra, Tara, and Ben. Please continue to keep our spiritual growth, our health, and our safety in your prayers.
- We praise God for our mission team here in Mexico, and would ask you to pray for our fellow missionary families. I (Bryan) am currently team leader, but will be handing this task off to a fellow team member in January.
- Please continue to pray for God's provision for the Square Meters church property project. We continue to trust God to provide for the full amount needed in His perfect timing. The owner of the property continues to work with us, and is open to giving us an extension of time to pay, for which we are thankful. Please pray for the details of the extension to the contract to be worked out well. If you are interested in more details about the project or how you can contribute toward it please follow this link: http://www.smithconnection.com/2010/10/square_meters_for_christ_prope.html

A SPECIAL NOTE:

The Puebla Bible Seminary is CAM's theological training institution in Mexico. It is also the seminary that I am working on getting my Masters' degree from. I am currently working on my Thesis and hope to finish it by next summer. The seminary would like to communicate with you. Would you like to receive e-updates from the Puebla Bible Seminary? If so, please let me know and I will pass your e-mail address on to them.

Thanks again for you partnership with us!
Bryan & Lori

Square Meters for Christ Property Project

Square Meters for Christ

The New Birth Bible Church and Community Center here in Querétaro, Mexico is purchasing the property which we had previously rented for a year and a half. We praise the Lord for His provision for this opportunity. The corner property is 378 m² and includes a large open roofed area which we have been using for the sanctuary. It also includes a house and two apartments. The property is ideal in many ways for the church to continue to grow and reach out into the surrounding communities. We praise God that the church here has been working creatively and giving sacrificially toward this purchase. The owner is a believer, and has given us a very fair price.


The property seen from the corner

So how can you help?

~ Give a gift:

Each square meter has a cost of $350. An account has been set up with CAM International to receive tax deductible gifts toward this project. Would you pray about this and consider helping us with one or more square meters? This is an opportunity to invest in a wonderful gift for Christ’s glory to be proclaimed in Querétaro and around the world!

There are two ways for you to make this gift:

- Make a secure online donation with credit/debit card or paypal:

Go to www.caminternational.org - Click the “Give” tab and select “donate online.” Select “Special Project” and enter the number 063608

- Send a check by mail:

Send your check made out to CAM International and earmarked for “Project #063608 New Birth Bible Church Property”

Send to:
CAM International
8625 La Prada Dr.
Dallas, TX 75228

~ Become a “champion” for this project:

Would you be willing to help us promote this project in your circles of influence? We would be glad to provide you with some brochures which you can use to promote the project. Simply e-mail us and let us know how many you would like, and where to send them.

~ Pray!

Please help us by praying for God’s provision as funds are raised both in the US and here in Mexico. We know that God “is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Thank you!

Home again

Just a quick note to thank you for your prayers and let you know we made it safe and sound back home to Queretaro a little while ago. We had a very smooth border crossing and no problems on the road. Our new puppy did really well traveling. The kids did good too - they enjoyed the trip, but are also really glad to be home again. We found everything in good order here at home.

Thanks again for your prayers!
Bryan, for all of us

Smithconnection Pictures - August 2010

Greetings from Laredo, TX! As promised, here are a few recent pictures from our trip this summer. The most recent highlight: a new addition to our family - Tanner Eugene, a Jack Russell. See the pictures here: http://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/USTripSummer2010?feat=directlink

US Trip - Summer 2010

Please be in prayer for us as we cross the border tomorrow (Monday) morning, and as we get settled back into our normal routine in the coming days.

Thanks!
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, & Ben (and Tanner!)

Smith Prayer & Praise - August 2010

Thanks so much for your prayers for us. Here are a couple of recent praises and prayer requests:

- We praise God for the safety He has given to us in our travels. We are making our way back South now, and plan to be back home in Mexico by August 23. Please continue to pray for our safety in our travels, especially on August 23 as we cross the border and travel in Mexico. We plan to caravan with a fellow missionary from Mexico.
- We praise God for a great time of seeing family, friends, supporters, and supporting churches. It has been a whirlwind trip, but very good and refreshing as well.
- Please pray that God would continue to provide what is needed for the Square Meters property project. We had many good opportunities during our trip to share our vision for the church/community center property, and we are trusting God to provide for it in His timing.
- Please pray for us as we get back to Mexico and get back into life and ministry there next week, including Lori starting the new homeschooling year with our children. We are looking forward to all that God will do in our lives and the lives that He continues to bring into our path.

We'll post some pictures to our website soon and let you know when we do.

Thanks again for your faithful prayers!
Bryan, for Lori and the kids