|
Written by Dan Smith
|
|
August 26, 2011
It's the end of summer already and it's been a busy one! Summer camp this year couldn't have gone any better! The three young people that were saved last year came again and brought friends. We had nine young people from Portalegre this year, for a total of 28 campers and counselors. Lionel and Carol Martin, Beau and Valerie Moore, David Booth, and Scott and Norma Edwards were the other missionaries involved. Ana Paula, Luis Miguel's wife, the new couple in our church, also came and helped again.
Some highlights of the week were:
The first day of camp, Diogo, who was saved last year at camp, was walking with the friend he had brought and David Booth. Diogo explained to Fabio that at the end of camp he would have an opportunity to give his life to Christ, and Fabio needed to start thinking about that. On Wednesday night, Fabio accepted the Lord!
David Booth taught a salvation message on Wednesday night. Five of the kids that came with us wanted to talk to an adult about salvation, and Fabio wanted to dedicate his life (no one had explained that, he just wanted to do it). Ana Paula was able to lead one of the girls to the Lord and was overjoyed for the Lord to use her in that way. Clara, Mariana, Fabio, Isaac, and Constança all gave their hearts to the Lord. Then that night, Inêz, talked to her friends who had brought her and they led her to the Lord!
What a blessing it was to see the young people who accepted the Lord last year come with such an assurance of their faith in the Lord and desire for their friends to also know Him! These are the kids who have not been allowed to come to church yet. It's amazing to see the faithfulness of the Lord in the lives of His children! When we took the kids back to their parents on Saturday, several were asking permission to start coming to Bible studies.
Please continue to pray for these young people and their families!
|
|
|
Written by Dan Smith
|
|
June 14, 2011
Luis Miguel grew up in a very non-religious home. Though he attended a Catholic school, the family had no ties to any religious belief and saw no need for one. When he married Ana Paula, however, her faith in the Lord became a seed in Luis' heart. After a year of faithfully attending with his wife, Luis Miguel also put his faith in the Lord.
We arrived back in Portugal on April 7th, in time to get ready for Luis Miguel's baptism. What a wonderful privilege it was to witness Luis' testimony in front of our church, his unsaved mother, and another unsaved friend. And what a joy to now have a saved couple in the church that are desiring to follow the Lord together.
Summer camp this year is July 11-16. We have rented the group area in a national camp ground again and will have canoeing, games, wonderful music, and several missionaries working with the kids this year. This year the theme is "Lost and Found", Luke 19:10. So far, the young people who were saved last year at camp are planning on coming back this year, and they are trying to encourage other friends to come with them! Please be in prayer with us for these young people and for their families, and for the young people from the other churches involved.
Thank you for your prayers!
Your missionaries to Portugal,
Dan and Rachael Smith and family
|
|
|
Written by Dan Smith
|
|
April 4, 2011
Dear Pastors and Praying Friends,
In two days we board our flight to fly back to Portugal. It’s been a wonderful seven months of visiting with churches, getting reacquainted with our sending church, and seeing family. We‘re excited to get back and return to the work in Portugal, and yet it’s always so difficult to leave those we love here.
We were able to visit with several of you while we were home. There were many we had been with at the beginning of our deputation eight years ago, that we needed to see, and we were so glad to get back to see them. It has been encouraging see the way the Lord is working in and through our supporting churches.
We are sending a copy of our DVD to each of you that we didn’t get to see, and you’ll be first on our list to schedule for next time!
As we return we have some people we would like to ask prayer for:
* Luis Miguel, who was saved in December, has been growing through discipleship classes with Scott, and we’ll be baptizing him soon after we get back. Please pray for his continued growth in the Lord and for visitors to come to his baptismal service.
* Bernardo, Raquel, Sofia, and Diogo, who were all saved at camp. They have not been allowed to come to any other church activities. Please pray for their growth in the Lord and for their parents to soften to the gospel.
* That the Lord would give us boldness as we evangelize where the Lord has placed us and that we will see families saved and serving the Lord.
Thank you for your faithful financial support and for your prayers that help to sustain us.
Your missionaries to Portugal,
Dan and Rachael Smith and family |
|
|
February 2011 Prayer Letter |
|
|
|
|
Written by Dan Smith
|
|
Dear Pastors and Praying friends,
Our furlough has been made up of many long trips to visit many of our supporting churches, with the purpose of giving a report of the work in Portugal and encouraging the churches in their participation in missions. Some times the traveling can be difficult, like going for weeks and never sleeping in the same bed, but more often than not it is what you try to accomplish while traveling that proves to be the most difficult.
Home schooling our children while on the road has not been easy for my wife, Rachael. Every day is a different routine with different scenery and a constant flow of distractions (such as “Name that road kill!”). However we try to take advantage of the teachable moments we are blessed with. For example; there is no better place to talk about geography and the Continental divide than when you are standing on it, or to talk about the pre-Flood world and the Garden of Eden than at the Petrified Forest, while examining giant petrified logs that were alive when Noah built the ark. Even recess can be fun and different, like, “Everyone out of the van and run to the silly Cadillacs stuck in the ground!” Moments like these help build good memories of the long days and nights on the road.
Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support. And thank you to those who sent extra Christmas gifts. We look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for this year! Please continue to pray for our safety on the road and our return to the work in Portugal this coming April.
Your missionaries to Portugal,
Dan and Rachael Smith and family |
|
|
