Here is the latest from Queretaro. Thanks for praying!
PRAISE:
- Bryan was able to conclude the two year leadership training program with the four men from the New Birth Bible Church here in Queretaro. We will hold a small graduation ceremony during part of the church service this coming Sunday, May 15. We praise God for these men and their families and for how He is using them to build up His church here in Queretaro.
- We are in celebration mode this time of year in Mexico. Last week we held a special service in celebration of Children's Day - the kids enjoyed a special program while the adults were taught some Biblical principles for parenting by a fellow missionary and friend, Brock Hower. We concluded our time together with a Christian clown show and a cake. Yesterday we had a special Mother's Day service. We praise God for the 24 mothers who were in attendance. The men and youth surprised the mothers with a breakfast of tamales. During the breakfast they were serenaded with some special Mother's Day songs. We then had an interactive teaching time geared toward the moms. We praise God for these special times as a body of believers. (See a link for pictures below)
- Our children are completing their school year here at home. Kendra is finishing 6th grade, Tara 4th, and Ben 2nd. Ben is also enjoying learning and growing in Taekwondo. He is also into spinning tops - a current fad here in Mexico - and building with Legos. The girls are enjoying some dancing lessons and the both love reading. They all love our dog, Tanner, and help care for him. They recently enjoyed an MK spiritual emphasis camp. (See links for pictures below)
PRAYER:
- Bryan needs to dedicate some concentrated time on completing his thesis. It is progressing well, but sometimes it is hard to get some good focused time with everything else going on. The goal is to finish the thesis by the end of July. Please pray for some good, concentrated time to be able to be dedicated.
- We would ask for your continued prayers for the church property purchase project. We are currently at the halfway mark and trust that the Lord will continue to provide for the project to be completed. In the mean time the church is in the process of taking out a mortgage to in order to finish paying the owner. If you are interested in more details you can either write to us or visit the following link: http://www.smithconnection.com/2010/10/square_meters_for_christ_prope.html
- Please continue to pray for our new Bible studies. Mario and Anabel continue to study faithfully and seem to be very close to trusting in Christ as their Saviour. Luis Enrique still seems to be far off, but we know God can touch his heart. Pedro continues to be very committed to grow in his faith. Lucina also continues to attend church and Lori is following up with her. We praise God that other church families are also reaching out to friends and relatives and we are seeing growth.
PICTURES:
- You can see some pictures from the Children's and Mother's Day events at the following link: https://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/ChildrenSMotherSDay?feat=directlink
- You can view some pictures from the MK spiritual emphasis camp here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/SECAmealco2011?feat=directlink
- You can see some recent pictures of the kids here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/KendraTaraBenMay2011?feat=directlink
Thanks for being an important part of our team!
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, & Ben
Monday, May 9, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Smith Prayer & Praise - April 11, 2011
We praise God for...
...a baptismal service held yesterday, April 10. We praise God for the 11 believers who got baptized from the New Birth Bible Church, including our son, Ben. Four others from other churches that joined us were baptized as well. It was special for Ben to be able to be baptized by his dad, and by both his Grandpa Wenger and Grandpa Smith. We praise God for those who were baptized and trust that they will continue to grow in their faith. You can read more about the day and see some pictures at the following link: https://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/2011Baptisms?feat=directlink
...a visit from Lori´s parents. We have greatly enjoyed having them here in Mexico with us for a few days.
...an MK spiritual emphasis camp that our family will be involved with starting on Wednesday, and through Saturday. Our kids are looking forward to being with some of their friends, and Lori and I will be helping with the camp. My (Bryan's) parents will be involved as resident grandparents for the camp!
Please pray for...
...a Bible church in the nearby city of Celaya that is going through some difficult times of division. I have been asked to help them sort through the situation, and have tried to help. It has been sad to see how the enemy is attacking the church. Please pray that the problem may be resolved and that those causing division will either leave or submit to the church leadership.
...continued opportunities that we have to study God's Word with believers and unbelievers. Pray that God would continue to work in hearts and open eyes. It was exciting to see Issa, the little church neighbor girl, be baptized and have her parents, Mario and Anabel, attend the service. They have been attending church regularly now, and are studying the Bible with us. Please continue to pray for Luis Enrique, Pedro, and Lucina as God works in their lives.
...a marriage study group that we have the opportunity to be leading along with José Luis and Estrella. Pray that God would continue to work in marriages and families here for His honor and glory.
Thanks so much for standing with us through your prayers as we make disciples in Central Mexico!
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara. and Ben
...a baptismal service held yesterday, April 10. We praise God for the 11 believers who got baptized from the New Birth Bible Church, including our son, Ben. Four others from other churches that joined us were baptized as well. It was special for Ben to be able to be baptized by his dad, and by both his Grandpa Wenger and Grandpa Smith. We praise God for those who were baptized and trust that they will continue to grow in their faith. You can read more about the day and see some pictures at the following link: https://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/2011Baptisms?feat=directlink
...a visit from Lori´s parents. We have greatly enjoyed having them here in Mexico with us for a few days.
...an MK spiritual emphasis camp that our family will be involved with starting on Wednesday, and through Saturday. Our kids are looking forward to being with some of their friends, and Lori and I will be helping with the camp. My (Bryan's) parents will be involved as resident grandparents for the camp!
Please pray for...
...a Bible church in the nearby city of Celaya that is going through some difficult times of division. I have been asked to help them sort through the situation, and have tried to help. It has been sad to see how the enemy is attacking the church. Please pray that the problem may be resolved and that those causing division will either leave or submit to the church leadership.
...continued opportunities that we have to study God's Word with believers and unbelievers. Pray that God would continue to work in hearts and open eyes. It was exciting to see Issa, the little church neighbor girl, be baptized and have her parents, Mario and Anabel, attend the service. They have been attending church regularly now, and are studying the Bible with us. Please continue to pray for Luis Enrique, Pedro, and Lucina as God works in their lives.
...a marriage study group that we have the opportunity to be leading along with José Luis and Estrella. Pray that God would continue to work in marriages and families here for His honor and glory.
Thanks so much for standing with us through your prayers as we make disciples in Central Mexico!
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara. and Ben
Friday, March 11, 2011
Smith Prayer & Praise - March 2011
Please keep us in your prayers as the Lord opens doors of opportunity for us here in Mexico:
1. You may remember Isa - an eight-year-old girl who lives in an apartment next to the church who attended our VBS last summer and has been faithfully attending church by herself. We are holding a baptismal service on April 10, and she signed up to be baptized. We have been trying to reach out to her parents, and they have been a little slow in responding so far, but this seems to be a perfect opportunity to bring the Gospel to them. We have a meeting set with them for this weekend to explain what baptism entails and get their permission for their daughter to be baptized. When we set the meeting up her father sounded very positive about it and said that they have seen many good changes in their daughter! Please pray that Isa's parents will come to Christ through this opportunity.
2. Please be in prayer for Luis Enrique, a man that God brought to us in an interesting way. He had been in communication with one of our national co-workers, Mauricio, who owns a medical network company, and had asked him if he had anybody in his network who does hypnosis. Mauricio said he did not, and asked him what he was dealing with. He mentioned the problems he was dealing with, and Mauricio asked him if he had ever considered biblical counseling and gave him our number. We have had the opportunity to meet with him twice now, and he seems very interested, although he is quite intellectual and skeptical. We know God can soften his heart. Will you please pray to that end?
3. As many of our fellow missionaries have had to leave this region due to various circumstances we find that we are increasingly being contacted about different needs and issues and a variety of ministry opportunities. Please pray that we would have wisdom in knowing when and how to help in each situation, and that we might not stretch ourselves too thin.
4. Please be in prayer for Bryan's masters' ministry/thesis project on providing holistic help to couples in church leadership. Good progress is being made. The thesis will cover and propose many more opportunities than we will be able to personally pursue, but this ministry excites us.
5. Please be in prayer for the Square Meters for Christ property project. At about 48% of the total needed we have almost reached the half-way point. The owner has been patient with us, and very helpful in giving us time to keep paying little by little. We praise God that there have been good offerings here at the church in Queretaro the last two months. Would you ask the Lord how He might use you in this opportunity? Here is a link to more information about the project on our website: http://www.smithconnection.com/2010/10/square_meters_for_christ_prope.html
Thanks for taking the opportunity to pray for us. God is working!
Bryan & Lori and family
1. You may remember Isa - an eight-year-old girl who lives in an apartment next to the church who attended our VBS last summer and has been faithfully attending church by herself. We are holding a baptismal service on April 10, and she signed up to be baptized. We have been trying to reach out to her parents, and they have been a little slow in responding so far, but this seems to be a perfect opportunity to bring the Gospel to them. We have a meeting set with them for this weekend to explain what baptism entails and get their permission for their daughter to be baptized. When we set the meeting up her father sounded very positive about it and said that they have seen many good changes in their daughter! Please pray that Isa's parents will come to Christ through this opportunity.
2. Please be in prayer for Luis Enrique, a man that God brought to us in an interesting way. He had been in communication with one of our national co-workers, Mauricio, who owns a medical network company, and had asked him if he had anybody in his network who does hypnosis. Mauricio said he did not, and asked him what he was dealing with. He mentioned the problems he was dealing with, and Mauricio asked him if he had ever considered biblical counseling and gave him our number. We have had the opportunity to meet with him twice now, and he seems very interested, although he is quite intellectual and skeptical. We know God can soften his heart. Will you please pray to that end?
3. As many of our fellow missionaries have had to leave this region due to various circumstances we find that we are increasingly being contacted about different needs and issues and a variety of ministry opportunities. Please pray that we would have wisdom in knowing when and how to help in each situation, and that we might not stretch ourselves too thin.
4. Please be in prayer for Bryan's masters' ministry/thesis project on providing holistic help to couples in church leadership. Good progress is being made. The thesis will cover and propose many more opportunities than we will be able to personally pursue, but this ministry excites us.
5. Please be in prayer for the Square Meters for Christ property project. At about 48% of the total needed we have almost reached the half-way point. The owner has been patient with us, and very helpful in giving us time to keep paying little by little. We praise God that there have been good offerings here at the church in Queretaro the last two months. Would you ask the Lord how He might use you in this opportunity? Here is a link to more information about the project on our website: http://www.smithconnection.com/2010/10/square_meters_for_christ_prope.html
Thanks for taking the opportunity to pray for us. God is working!
Bryan & Lori and family
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Smith Prayer & Praise - February 24, 2011
Thanks so much for your prayers! Here are a few current prayer items:
1. Please pray for Eva and Jonathan, mother and son. They are believers from the church here in Queretaro with whom we have recently been doing a study on communicating biblically. Just this morning we helped Eva take Jonathan to a drug rehab center where he will be receiving help for the next several months. Please pray for Jonathan to be able to allow God to take control of his life, for Eva as she struggles through this as a mother, and for us as we try to help them both with God's love and Word.
2. Please pray for a marriage study group that we are starting this Saturday, Feb. 26, with three couples from church. Another couple from church is leading a second study group. They were part of a study group we lead last year, and we praise God that they are now ready to lead a group. Pray that marriages and families will be impacted for God's glory.
3. Please pray for the Square Meters for Christ church property project - that God would continue to provide the funds needed in His perfect timing in order to complete the purchase of the property.
4. Please pray for Bryan's thesis/ministry project process - Lord willing he will finish his Masters' degree in July of this year. The topic of the thesis is caring for couples in church leadership in a holistic way. We pray that it might be used for God's glory.
Thanks again for partnering with us through prayer!
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, and Ben
1. Please pray for Eva and Jonathan, mother and son. They are believers from the church here in Queretaro with whom we have recently been doing a study on communicating biblically. Just this morning we helped Eva take Jonathan to a drug rehab center where he will be receiving help for the next several months. Please pray for Jonathan to be able to allow God to take control of his life, for Eva as she struggles through this as a mother, and for us as we try to help them both with God's love and Word.
2. Please pray for a marriage study group that we are starting this Saturday, Feb. 26, with three couples from church. Another couple from church is leading a second study group. They were part of a study group we lead last year, and we praise God that they are now ready to lead a group. Pray that marriages and families will be impacted for God's glory.
3. Please pray for the Square Meters for Christ church property project - that God would continue to provide the funds needed in His perfect timing in order to complete the purchase of the property.
4. Please pray for Bryan's thesis/ministry project process - Lord willing he will finish his Masters' degree in July of this year. The topic of the thesis is caring for couples in church leadership in a holistic way. We pray that it might be used for God's glory.
Thanks again for partnering with us through prayer!
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, and Ben
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thanks for praying!
Thanks so much for your prayers for us today. We praise God that we were able to leave our children with some fellow missionaries here in Queretaro and travel to Mexico City to spend some time with Margarita and her family. We had a clear opportunity to present the Gospel with those present at the wake, and Margarita gave a wonderful testimony to her family and friends as well. Many seeds were planted, and we trust and pray that Margarita will have an opportunity to water and eventually harvest some of those seeds.
On the way home to Queretaro from Mexico City (about a two and a half hour drive) we came within seconds of having a head-on collision and/or being crushed by a semi that veered into the median guardrail as we passed on the other side of the highway. We literally saw the truck barreling toward us, and the Lord gave Bryan the presence of mind to swerve right as debris hit our van. Thank you Lord! We are safe and sound and our van doesn't appear to be damaged. We often take our safety driving here for granted, but we were reminded again of how important your prayers for us are.
This experience gives new meaning to the way we unknowingly signed our e-mail this morning:
"In His Service and Care"
Bryan and Lori
On the way home to Queretaro from Mexico City (about a two and a half hour drive) we came within seconds of having a head-on collision and/or being crushed by a semi that veered into the median guardrail as we passed on the other side of the highway. We literally saw the truck barreling toward us, and the Lord gave Bryan the presence of mind to swerve right as debris hit our van. Thank you Lord! We are safe and sound and our van doesn't appear to be damaged. We often take our safety driving here for granted, but we were reminded again of how important your prayers for us are.
This experience gives new meaning to the way we unknowingly signed our e-mail this morning:
"In His Service and Care"
Bryan and Lori
Smith Special Prayer Update - February 4, 2011
Please be in prayer for Margarita as her father went to be with the Lord last night. (See the excerpt from our last prayer update below) We praise God that he had the opportunity to trust Christ as his Savior, and is now in His presence. Lori and I are headed in to Mexico City today to be with Margarita and her family. Please pray for opportunities for Margarita and us to share God's comfort through the Gospel message and that her other family members would come to Christ through this difficult time. Thanks for your prayers! We'll keep you updated.
In His Service and Care,
Bryan & Lori
An excerpt from our last prayer update:
"Her father was just recently hospitalized and not given much hope for recovery from heart and lung illness. Margarita decided that it was time for her to move to Mexico City temporarily to help care for her parents and reach out to her family with the Gospel. We praise God with her that her father trusted in Christ shortly after she arrived last week! He is now ready to meet his Savior when the time comes. Please pray for the rest of her family to come to Christ and for her to have strength in following God's leading in her life."
In His Service and Care,
Bryan & Lori
An excerpt from our last prayer update:
"Her father was just recently hospitalized and not given much hope for recovery from heart and lung illness. Margarita decided that it was time for her to move to Mexico City temporarily to help care for her parents and reach out to her family with the Gospel. We praise God with her that her father trusted in Christ shortly after she arrived last week! He is now ready to meet his Savior when the time comes. Please pray for the rest of her family to come to Christ and for her to have strength in following God's leading in her life."
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Smith Prayer and Praise - January 2011
Happy New Year! We trust that 2011 will be a year of blessing and growth in Christ for you. As we start another year we praise God that you are part of our prayer team. It is such a blessing to know many are praying as the Gospel goes forward here in Mexico. Here are a few prayer items to get you started in the new year:
1. Please praise God with us for Margarita. She has been taking a course in missions over the last few months, and felt the Lord strongly leading her to consider her family in Mexico City as her mission field. Her father was just recently hospitalized and not given much hope for recovery from heart and lung illness. Margarita decided that it was time for her to move to Mexico City temporarily to help care for her parents and reach out to her family with the Gospel. We praise God with her that her father trusted in Christ shortly after she arrived last week! He is now ready to meet his Savior when the time comes. Please pray for the rest of her family to come to Christ and for her to have strength in following God's leading in her life.
2. Please pray for opportunities with our neighbors. Over the holidays we went to each neighbor and gave them a Daily Bread 2011 calendar and an invitation to study the Bible with us. One of our goals for this year is to start at least three new evangelistic Bible studies. One of the calendars went to a family that lives next door to our church building. A little girl, Isa, (pictured below) attended our VBS this summer and has come to church by herself very faithfully ever since. We would love to start a Bible study with her parents.
3. We praise God for the progress that was made during December in the Square Meters for Christ project. A little over $9,200 came into the project between gifts here in Mexico and the US. We now stand at about 45% of the total needed. We praise God that the man we are buying from continues to be gracious in extending our time to pay the total. For more details on the project visit this link: http://www.smithconnection.com/2010/10/square_meters_for_christ_prope.html
4. Please pray for the New Birth Bible Church in 2011. The focus at church this year is “Until we all arrive…” based on Ephesians 4:13. The goal is maturity in Christ. We are looking forward to a year of growth for each believer and trust that God will work in each heart.
Thanks for taking the time to be involved with us through prayer. We would love to hear from you. Please let us know how we can be praying for you.
Making Disciples in Queretaro,
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, and Ben
1. Please praise God with us for Margarita. She has been taking a course in missions over the last few months, and felt the Lord strongly leading her to consider her family in Mexico City as her mission field. Her father was just recently hospitalized and not given much hope for recovery from heart and lung illness. Margarita decided that it was time for her to move to Mexico City temporarily to help care for her parents and reach out to her family with the Gospel. We praise God with her that her father trusted in Christ shortly after she arrived last week! He is now ready to meet his Savior when the time comes. Please pray for the rest of her family to come to Christ and for her to have strength in following God's leading in her life.
2. Please pray for opportunities with our neighbors. Over the holidays we went to each neighbor and gave them a Daily Bread 2011 calendar and an invitation to study the Bible with us. One of our goals for this year is to start at least three new evangelistic Bible studies. One of the calendars went to a family that lives next door to our church building. A little girl, Isa, (pictured below) attended our VBS this summer and has come to church by herself very faithfully ever since. We would love to start a Bible study with her parents.
3. We praise God for the progress that was made during December in the Square Meters for Christ project. A little over $9,200 came into the project between gifts here in Mexico and the US. We now stand at about 45% of the total needed. We praise God that the man we are buying from continues to be gracious in extending our time to pay the total. For more details on the project visit this link: http://www.smithconnection.com/2010/10/square_meters_for_christ_prope.html
4. Please pray for the New Birth Bible Church in 2011. The focus at church this year is “Until we all arrive…” based on Ephesians 4:13. The goal is maturity in Christ. We are looking forward to a year of growth for each believer and trust that God will work in each heart.
Thanks for taking the time to be involved with us through prayer. We would love to hear from you. Please let us know how we can be praying for you.
Making Disciples in Queretaro,
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, and Ben
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