Smith Prayer & Praise - October 2009

We would appreciate your prayers for us over the next few weeks. Please use part of our upcoming schedule to pray for us:

- Oct. 18-21: Lori will be attending a Women of the Harvest Retreat – please pray for safety in her travels as well as for a relaxing and beneficial time with the other missionary ladies
- Oct. 22-Nov. 3: Bryan will be attending a Quest conference in Big Sandy, TX – please pray for safety in his travels, for the family as they stay home in Mexico, and for a time of blessing and growth in this training opportunity
- Nov. 4 and 6: Bryan will be concluding the third of ten books with the four men from the church here that he is discipling/training – it has been an excellent ministry opportunity that Bryan has greatly enjoyed – please pray for continued growth in these four men and their families
- Nov. 7: our church youth group, which we are helping to lead, will be involved in putting on a Life Festival as an evangelistic outreach into the community – this is in light of and in response to the Day of the Dead celebrated along with Halloween here in Mexico from Oct. 31 - Nov. 2 – please pray for many families to attend and hear the Word in their hearts
- Nov. 8: Bryan will be preaching on Daniel chapter 10 at church – the Daniel series has been excellent for the church here. In the new year we plan to go into the book of Revelation. The Lord is coming soon! That afternoon we will be hosting the four families of the men Bryan is training plus our fellow missionaries, the Buhlers, for lunch, a time of fellowship, and some ministry tips from the Buhlers – please pray for continued growth of the church and its leaders
- Nov. 9-12: Bryan will be attending another class in his Masters’ program at the Puebla Bible Seminary – this course will be on Animism and World Religions – please pray for safety in travels, safety of the rest of the family at home, and for a good class and much learning

One more exciting note: The New Birth Bible Church here in Queretaro has signed a contract to purchase the property where we are currently meeting, and has made a down payment on it. We have about a year, interest free, to pay the balance of it to the owner, a Methodist believer. We praise God for this step of faith, and His provision for this meeting and outreach place for the church. We will be seeking to raise funds for this project both here in Mexico and in the U.S. More details to come in the near future, but please be praying for God’s provision for this project.

Being and Making Disciples in Central Mexico,
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, and Ben

Photo Highlights - Summer 2009

Here are some new family and ministry photos. You can either click on the thumbnail below to go to our picasa site, or watch the slideshow here.

Summer 2009

Smith Prayer & Praise - August 2009

Thanks for your prayers. We have not been real faithful in getting requests and praises out recently because we have been in a whirlwind of summer activity, but we do appreciate your continued prayers for us. Here are some praise and prayer items:

PRAISE:

1. For the teams that came to minister here in Querétaro this summer from Pennsylvania, Texas, and Indiana. Each team was a blessing to the ministry here.
2. For the recent remodeling that was done to our church meeting area. It is a new place! We have a new floor and stage, painted walls, a storage room, a new wall, and security bars on the windows. We praise God for His provision for these projects.
3. We praise God for the people that have been touched in recent community outreach – children, teens, and couples have been impacted with the Truth, and we have much follow-up to do.
4. It was a joy to see eight believers baptized in July, including our daughter Tara.

PRAYER:

1. For Lori and our three children, Kendra, Tara, and Ben, as they start homeschooling again next week. Ben will be at home for first grade now after having completed his stint in a Mexican kindergarten. This will be an adjustment for the new school year.
2. For Bryan as he catches up on his Masters’ studies after a busy summer. He would like to go to his next class at the end of August all caught up.
3. For a new Bible study with a couple that we will be starting on Friday. They are interested in knowing more about Jesus and God’s Word, as well as learn more about marriage. Pray that Jorge and Mari Carmen would come to Christ.
4. For God’s provision for the purchase of the church property that we have been renting. The owner is interested in selling the property to the church, and the church is interested in buying if it is the Lord’s will. Please pray for wisdom and provision.

Thanks so much for your prayers! We appreciate your faithfulness in lifting us and the ministry here up to the Lord. Stay tuned for some new pictures soon.

For His Glory in Mexico,

Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, & Ben

Prayer Letter - Spring 2009

Click below for our Spring 2009 prayer letter in either PDF or WORD:

PDF: Download file

WORD: Download file

Some Swine Flu (I mean A-H1N1) Humor

Here are a few fun items circulating about the Swine Flu:



This is a slightly modified $20 peso bill



Did you hear that they found the kid today that is responsible for the swine flu outbreak??



On April 27, besides dealing with the swine flu, Mexico City had a scare with an earthquake

Photo Highlights - Spring 2009

Here are some new family and ministry photos. You can either click on the thumbnail below to go to our picasa site, or watch the slideshow here.

Spring 2009 Photo Update

Special Swine Flu Update - April 2009

Thanks so much for your prayers and concern for us in recent days. Mexico has certainly been in the news a lot! Here are a couple points of general update on the situation and on our family:

- Lori’s Surgery - we thank God for the recent visit of two ladies from our home church in PA. They were a GREAT blessing here as Lori had her surgery and the beginning of her recovery. They made it back to PA safely on Monday. Lori continues to do well and recover more each day.

- Swine Flu – even though the news has been inconsistent and it is hard to know the truth, here are a few facts we think we know:

- There are no officially confirmed cases of the flu here in our state of Queretaro, although we are right next to two states that do have confirmed cases

- The government has closed all schools at all levels in the entire country until May 6 – this includes Ben’s Kindergarten, but not the girls’ home school! :)

- The government has asked that people avoid public gatherings for now, and has closed many museums, parks, convention centers, restaurants, and sports arenas.

- The leadership of our church decided it would be best to suspend all church activities at least until May 6 and focus on praying as families at home for this situation

- The US Department of State has issued a travel alert encouraging Americans to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has encouraged U.S. citizens living in Mexico to take precautions, including having a two-week stockpile of essentials such as food, water, and medicines

We are taking the necessary precautions and trusting in God to keep us safe and healthy in the midst of everything. It has been a blessing that things have slowed down on the church side of ministry so that we can focus on catching up in some other areas, as well as to allow Bryan to continue helping Lori around the house as she continues to recover.

Thanks so much for your prayers for us during this time.

Trusting God,
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, and Ben