Missionaries Charlie & JoAnn Smith
As we are finishing our time that God has given us here in the States, we praise God for the multitudes of blessings that He has given us during this extended furlough. When we were praying if it was God’s will for us to go on furlough and report to those of you who support us, we had trepidation sensing this furlough would be distinct from any other. Little did we dream that our eight month planned furlough would turn into a year and a half! We praise God that He gave us the grace to obey His direction as this furlough was quite different. The greatest blessing is that it had many of you praying for us more than any other time in the ministry. I am so thankful for the evening when those of our home church came to the hospital and prayed for God’s will to be accomplished. I believe it was those prayers, as well as countless others, on my behalf that directed God to allow me to recuperate sufficiently to continue in the ministry. “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” Psalm 34:8.
The physical body is doing better, the lab results for the kidneys have improved, but I do need to watch my diet better as I have slipped the last few weeks and gained some weight. JoAnn is doing well. Our daughters and their families are also doing fine, as well.
Since the last prayer letter we have had some good meetings with many decisions. We have traveled much going all the way to British Colombia, Washington, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. It has been a tremendous blessing seeing old friends, meeting new ones, and being blessed to preach in some churches for the first time. We pray that God would unite us with each of the new churches to be co-laborers in reaching and discipling those in Argentina. We have only one more church to give a report and then we shall be returning the van to Baptist Missionary Transportation Ministry in Harrisonville Missouri. Brother Hargis has been a great blessing to us and other missionaries by renting vehicles at a very reasonable cost. We pray God will bless him greatly with newer vehicles and especially that Brother Eric one day will be able to quit his night job so that he can minister to God’s servants in the manner which he dreams. The Lord has given us safety for over 40,000 miles.
We are excited about returning home to Buenos Aires and getting back into our normal routine. JoAnn is busy trying to organize our suitcases so that we can be ready for the customs agents after 14 hours of flying. We leave May 2 at four in the afternoon to arrive in Buenos Aires a little after one in the afternoon that Saturday. Then on Sunday we shall be with Iglesia Bautista Libertad preaching our first message to some very sweet people who I wish you could meet personally.
The people of Iglesia Bautista Libertad are doing well. On both continents it seems as if we are a bunch of
little kids on Christmas morning waiting for mom and dad to give the ok to open our presents. great how God has given us such people in Buenos Aires who have a heart for Him and care for us.
Charlie & JoAnn Smith