Christmas Greetings
Please follow the link below for a December Picture Update:
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dda64d1288d51a6819e6796ab&id=8d0ee8a074
Please follow the link below for a December Picture Update:
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dda64d1288d51a6819e6796ab&id=8d0ee8a074
Please follow the link below to start the tour:
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dda64d1288d51a6819e6796ab&id=c97c24ebbb
We praise God for our faithful prayer team! Please keep praying. God is working here in Mexico.
- We praise God for his work in the hearts of five people who trusted in Christ this past Sunday at the end of a message that Bryan gave on 1 Corinthians 13. One of the couples who trusted in Christ first came to church on our Independence Day celebration September 18. We have begun follow-up with each of these new babies in Christ. Please pray that the seed that was planted would continue to grow and give fruit in each of their lives.
- It was exciting to hear Mario & Anabel say that they really missed our times of Bible study on Saturday afternoons. We had taken a short break from our discipleship time with them, and they were definitely ready to continue. Please continue to pray for those we meet with regularly and are in the process of discipling - Rut, Lupita, Marycarmen, Pedro, Jorge & Teresa, and Mario & Anabel.
- Please continue to pray for the planning and carrying out of the following events, and that they might be used for God's glory in the lives of those involved:
October 15 - Biblical Grandparenting Conference for the churches in our Bajio region
November 18-21 - Church Leader Retreat for 5 families in our Bajio region
November 23-26 - CAM Mexico Fellowship Conference for our fellow CAM missionaries here in Mexico
Follow this link to see some recent family and ministry pictures:
Making Disciples in Central Mexico,
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, & Ben
Here are a few current prayer items:
1. PRAISE GOD for the salvation of Mario and Anabel! Bryan, and one of his disciples, Cesar, have been studying the Bible with them and they trusted in Christ this past Saturday, May 21. For those who have been following their story, they are neighbors of the church property. It is their daughter, Isa, who trusted in Christ at our VBS last year and got baptized last month. Her parent's interest was sparked by her testimony and baptism. PLEASE PRAY for their new life and growth in Christ as we continue to study with them.
2. PRAISE GOD for His provision for some good focused time for Bryan to work on his masters' thesis the last two weeks. Some great headway has been made. PLEASE PRAY for him as he wraps up his thesis process. Lord willing he will graduate on June 4, and have about two months to completely finish the thesis project.
3. PRAISE GOD for His continued provision for the Square Meters for Christ church property project. We still have a good ways to go on our fund-raising, about half of the total, but the Lord is continuing to provide. PLEASE PRAY for the Lord to provide the financing necessary. The owner needs the church to pay him the total amount due at this time, so the church is working on taking out a mortgage which can be paid off as soon as possible without penalty.
4. PRAISE GOD for the four leaders who recently graduated from a two-year leadership training program that Bryan facilitated. PLEASE PRAY that God will continue to use them for His honor and glory in the New Birth Bible Church of Queretaro. Follow this link for some photos of the graduation: https://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/LeadershipTrainingGraduation?feat=directlink
Thanks for you prayers for us! God is working!
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, and Ben
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
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
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| US Trip - Summer 2010 |
Thanks!
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, & Ben (and Tanner!)
Thanks so much for your faithful prayers! We have not been as faithful with our prayer updates! Please take a little time to read through and pray over our photo prayer update.
These World Cup Tracts are currently being handed out all over Mexico and other parts of Latin America as the world gears up for the soccer tournament. The tracts give the World Cup schedule as well as a brief plan of salvation and offer a free Bible study. Our team ordered around 12,000 of these for our Bajio region of Mexico. Praise God that a few weeks ago we got the information of a man that had received a tract and is interested in a Bible study. We visited Jose to drop off a study, and have been in contact with him about getting together to study the Bible. Just today we gave a young couple a tract and started a conversation with them. We hope this may lead to another evangelistic Bible study as well, although they live in a small town outside of Queretaro. Please pray that these tracts might continue to have an impact here and all over Latin America.

MK Spiritual Emphasis Camp
In April our three kids enjoyed a few days at camp with some of their fellow MK's. It was Ben's first year to attend as a first-grader. While they were at camp we had a chance to get away for a few days and celebrate our 15th anniversary a little early. Please pray that our family would continually grow in our love for God.

Children's Day celebration at church

Children's Day celebration at church - Luis & Miriam did a great job
with an Ephesians 6 Armor of God presentation

Mother's Day service at church

José Luis, Cesar, and Gerardo organized the Mother's Day service
and sang to the mothers with the help of the youth group
We praise God for what He is doing in the New Birth Bible Church. We recently had services celebrating the children for Children's Day and the mothers for Mother's Day. Part of the excitement for us was that we did not have much to do with planning either one of these special services! Please pray for the leadership of the church as we are moving toward naming elders and deacons, and continue to organize the church leadership.

Cesar updating the square meter chart at church
Foosball for square meters!
We continue to raise funds for the property purchase project. Right now we are at 26% of what we would like to raise in the US, and at 32% of what we would like to raise in Mexico. This means that as of today we have purchased 101 m² and have 277 m² to go. One of the creative ways that the church here is raising funds is through a foosball table. The youth group raised funds in order to purchase the table, and all proceeds from the table are going toward the property purchase. Please pray that all the funds would be provided in time to make the last payment in September. Would you consider helping us with a square meter, or whatever God lays on your heart? If you are interested in helping us in this way, please see the Square Meters for Christ article below.

Time for cake!

Quest training event with our team

Ben (right) had his friends Silas and Tucker Hower over for a few nights
We have so appreciated our CAM missionary team. We get together about every two weeks to pray, encourage one another, and fellowship. We recently celebrated Ben's seventh birthday together. We are made up of four families - 13 kids. We also recently enjoyed some training together at the camp. The topics were Finding a Balance Between Family and Ministry and Cross-cultural Conflict Resolution. Our team seemed to benefit greatly from our time together. Bryan is currently leading the team, and preparing the next team leader who will take over in 2011. Please pray that our team would continue to be unified and grow together.

We recently started a marriage study with five other couples using Gary Smalley's Making Love Last Forever study in Spanish. We have met twice, and it is exciting to hear and see what God is doing in each couple. This is a great study that God used to help us make some changes in our marriage about five years ago. One of the couples have not put their faith in Jesus yet and we are praying they will see their need for a Savior. Another one of the couple's, Jose Luis and Estrella, and from our church and are interested in taking the study in order to share it with some other couples. Please pray that this study would be used for God's glory to see his work accomplished in these couples.
Thanks so much for taking the time to pray and support us in this venture together for God's glory!
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, & Ben
Square Meters for Christ
The New Birth Bible Church and Community Center here in Queretaro, Mexico is purchasing the property which we have been renting for the last 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, and about a year to pay the balance.
The property viewed 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 Queretaro 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!
Your prayers for us are much needed and appreciated! Please take a moment to pray as you read this pictorial prayer update:
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The 2010 New Birth Bible Church mission logo
The New Birth Bible church mission/goal for 2010 comes from Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go ye therefore…” During the month of January our focus for teaching has been on evangelism and discipleship, concluding yesterday with an evangelism workshop. After the service those who wanted to went across the street to a community park and shared their faith. We praise God that two people responded to the Gospel by trusting in Christ as their Savior! One of them is a man who does maintenance at the park, and the other a 14 year old boy who lives near the park. We praise God for a great start to the year in this way. Please pray as we follow up on these decisions.
Our family with friends Isela, Diana, and Ivan
We praise God for Isela and her children who visited us yesterday evening (Her daughter Gaby is not pictured above. She was in school and not able to come). We had the privilege of leading them to the Lord about four years ago. Even though they now attend another church they are active in their faith and Isela is making disciples of her own. We concur with John, “[we] have no greater joy than this, to hear of [our] children walking in the truth.” (3 John 4)
The chart we have up at church shows the
progress for the property purchase
Bryan giving the owner of the property a partial
payment in December.
We praise God for a good start to the Square Meters for Christ property purchase project in the months of December and January. We have reached 18% of what we would like to raise in the US, and 25% of what we would like to raise in here Mexico. Each square in the above chart represents one square meter. Please pray that we will be able to reach our goals and be able to pay for the property completely by this September. If you are interested in helping us with this project please scroll down and see the Square Meters for Christ article below.
Mauricio, Luis, José Luis, Bob, Cesar, and Bryan –
6 of the 7 church leaders at New Birth
We are excited about the church leadership that God currently has in place at the New Birth Bible Church. Bryan has greatly enjoyed being involved in training three of the above pictured men, Luis, José Luis, and Cesar, plus Gerardo who is not pictured. We praise God that the leadership team continues to grow in unity and is working well together. “To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.” (Ephesians 3:21)
Celebrating a “Happy Birthday Jesus” party with
Grandma and Grandpa Smith on Dec. 25
Fishing with Grandpa Wenger – our
only catch for the day!
Playing piano with Grandma Wenger
We praise God for the special family times that we were able to enjoy over the Holidays. We had the joy of having both sets of grandparents here over that time! We also praise God for His protection and provision for our family. Please pray for our van which has been giving us a few problems recently. We would love for it to last us a few more years yet.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this update and pray for us. Please give us your feedback: what do you think of this format for our prayer updates? Should we do it again?
By the way, we enjoyed getting e-mails and cards from many over the Holidays! We especially enjoy receiving updated family pictures. Thank you! Please keep reading below if you are interested in helping with the Square Meters for Christ project.
Being and Making Disciples in Central Mexico,
Bryan, Lori, Kendra, Tara, & Ben
Square Meters for Christ
The New Birth Bible Church and Community Center here in Queretaro, Mexico is purchasing the property which we have been renting for the last 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, and about a year to pay the balance.
The property viewed 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 Queretaro 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!
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.
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| 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.
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| Spring 2009 Photo Update |
Click on the thumbnail to go to our Picasa photo site, or watch the slideshow below.
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| Winter 08/09 |
Click on the thumbnail to go to our Picasa photo site, or see the slideshow below.
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| Photo Highlights - Fall 2008 |
Here are some photo highlights. Click on the image below to see them on our Picasa site, or see the slideshow here on this site.
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| Photo Highlights - Early Summer |
Go to the following link to see some photos, or see a small version of the slideshow below:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/PhotoHighlightsSpring2008
See some highlights from the last couple of months by clicking on the following link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/Winter0708Highlights
Or see a slide show below:
Thanks so much for your prayers concerning the radio and TV spots. Things went well, and it appears that we will have a weekly opportunity to share a verse from the book of Proverbs! We gave a Bible away to a caller on the TV show, and later found out that others had called in wanting a Bible as well. This may be another way to make contacts and open doors – give away Bibles to callers including an invitation for a Bible study in the front cover. We’ll keep you posted on how this develops. We will also send or post pictures of our new church meeting place soon.
With much appreciation,
Bryan & Lori
Here is a link for some recent family and ministry photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/Fall2007
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| Fall 2007 |
If you prefer, you can see a smaller version of the slide show right here on our site:
Here is a special update:
Click on one of the links below to see some August/September family and ministry pictures. Or you can view a small version of the slideshow right here on our website.
http://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/AugustSeptember2007
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| August/Sep |
Click on one of the links below to see our before and after house pictures. Or view a small version of the slideshow right here on our website.
http://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/BeforeAfterHousePictures
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| Before & After House Pictures |
Please click either the picture or the link below to see some recent photos. We will try to post some "after" pictures of our house in the next week or so. God Bless!
http://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/JulyAugust2007
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| July/Augus |
Praise God we found a house! Click below for more details:
*Follow either of the links below to see some pictures from our lives and ministry from June 2007
*If you have seen our pictures on this site before you will notice that we are trying a new format with the Picasa Web Album. You will notice that there are several options as to how you can view the pictures. Please leave some feedback here to let us know what you think of this new format. Thanks!
http://picasaweb.google.com/bryanandlori/June2007
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| June 2007 |
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Kendra & Tara all ready for school! It was Dr. Seuss dress-up day, and the girls went as Daisy-Head Mayzie.
*Use the link below to view more family and ministry pictures
*Click on the thumbnails for a larger version of the image
*Click below for more family and ministry pictures
*Click on the thumbnails for a larger version of the image
Click below for more pictures from our life and ministry from the month of August
Click on the thumbnails for a larger image
*Click on the thumbnails for a larger image
CLICK BELOW FOR MORE PICTURES
*Click on the thumbnails for a larger image
