(Shawn, Nicol, and Todd, Christmas 1979)"All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. 'Isn't this Joseph's son?' they asked." Luke 4:22 (NIV) I will never forget our first Christmas that we celebrated at Nkara-Ewa in December 1979. Evergreen trees do not grow in Congo, so Dad came up with the ingenious idea of sticking cut palm fronds from the nearest palm … [Read more...] about The Obscure for the Obscure
My missionary kid experience
My Daddy’s Gift
(Yours truly at age seven--you gotta love the "Little House on the Prairie" dresses that Nicol and I were wearing!)"For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift—not from works, so that no one can boast."Ephesians 2:8-9 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)My parents, Jim and Nancy Smith, have been in full-time ministry together since their wedding day on … [Read more...] about My Daddy’s Gift
A True Offering
"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)My children have learned the order of our Sunday church service by heart. The offering comes just a few minutes before our pastor delivers his sermon. The piano and organ play a beautiful piece of worship music. The congregation sits … [Read more...] about A True Offering
One Hundred Dollars
"Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?" James 2:5The year before we moved to Tennessee, I homeschooled my children. Part of their reading curriculum involved a short little book called The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes. I read the book when I … [Read more...] about One Hundred Dollars
Some Questions For You
"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar." Psalm 139:1-2 (NIV)This is going to be an unusual post. I have mulled this thought over and over again during the last few years because I see such a huge trend in my generation of people my age leaving the faith of their childhoods or adolescent years for good. … [Read more...] about Some Questions For You
A Critical Choice
(My beloved friend, Pastor Gary Kapinga, with his wife, Jean, and children)"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14:34It was September 2001, just ten days after the attack by terrorists on our country. My parents had previously planned a trip for four Congolese staff members of Laban Ministries International (LMI) to visit the United States. These … [Read more...] about A Critical Choice
