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Dear Praying Friends and Supporting Churches,
Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
As the old saying goes, “You can't do right and get away with it”. It really seemed to fit our last month on deputation! We have traveled this month from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri, and on in to Iowa. With many meetings and “many adversaries” the prayers of the saints have been a help and encouragement to us this month in knowing some of you are still holding the ropes for us. WE cannot thank you enough!!!
Our first trouble this month was on our way to Ohio form Georgia. We made it as far as South Carolina before sixth gear busted in my transmission. We were towed to a Dodge dealer ship to find out that it was going to cost over $7,000. We also had our camper towed to a local state park to stay while we were getting our truck fixed. Since we didn't have $7,000 I called around and found a rebuilt transmission for $3,000 but it was in Virginia. While we were stuck a few days at the park with no way of going anywhere, I got up early on Wednesday morning and sat by the lake reading my Bible when I heard some people yelling for help, It was a man and his wife in their early 60's that had flipped over in the boat and getting very weak from treading water. My phone was dead so I ran and jumped in and was able to flip the boat back over and paddle it back to shore, while they hung on. That evening with no truck to go to church my wife and I went on visitation within the campground and invited people to come to our camp sight for Wednesday night prayer service. We had two men show up and the older couple that I helped save that morning. So I took up prayer requests, prayed, and preached a 15 minute sermon on “Why I Glory in the Cross.” Come to find out the man and woman were of the Church of Scotland and were lost as can be. They said to me, “We have never heard a preacher quite like you before.” Praise the Lord that the boat tipped over; for I am sure they being of the Church of Scotland would not normally go to a Bible believing Baptist prayer meeting in a campground on a normal occasion! Glory to God!
We ended up towing our truck to Virginia to get it fixed ($700.00) and my mother came and got us. She let me borrow her car to get to the next few meetings in Ohio and Michigan. Once back in Virginia to pick up our truck she ran like a charm (after a total bill with towing $4,500)! I left that night to go pick up our camper (which was still in SC). I got there hooked up my camper and headed straight back to VA to get Kacie and Naomi. I filled up on Diesel and hit the road, only to get about 18 miles up the road (6+6+6) to have my transmission go out for the SECOND time. Being 10:45 p.m. and not many options I had to get both truck and trailer towed back to VA (another $1,100).
While my truck was getting fixed a second time (thank the Lord under warranty) we again borrowed my mothers car to go back to Ohio to preach my first tent revival and have some meetings in the area. After preaching Thursday night I started hurting and by Saturday I was in much pain. After the meeting that night I went to the Hospital in Canton, Ohio to find out it was my appendix and found out I had to have it removed on Sunday (another $2,000.00 just for surgery), my first Sunday I had missed church in a very long while. We could only lean on God in a time such as this. He is truly our refuge and our help in time of need.
After a week of healing we headed back to Virginia to pack up our camper head to Kentucky for a quick visit and then onto Memphis for a midway stop between Missouri. There we were able to show a trip overview to our supporting church there and enjoy some fellowship.
On our way from Memphis to our next meeting in Missouri we hit some bumpy roads. In another mishap the spare tire from our truck came loose from the bottom of the truck bouncing up and hitting our sewer holding tanks on our camper, took them completely off and spilt sewer all over the road. Unfortunately we had to leave our camper behind unfixed and head to Iowa. There we had a wonderful meeting and good time. We were able to street preach and pass out tracts at a 4th of July festival. I was able to talk with a girl named Chelsea for a little while and just as she was about to take the step into eternal life Satan sent security to remove me from the public park. I was able to leave her with a tract and gave her the word of God verbally before they escorted me out of the Public park, so please pray it works effectually in her and she gets born again.
The trip from Iowa back to Missouri could not be finalized without a hindrance somewhere. We stopped to get diesel at a rinky-dink gas station and with some confusion we were cost three hours of our time by filling up with the wrong fuel, having to drain the tank. I'm glad God's good though as he sent a man from the church we had visited and left our camper at with his brother who was in need of some guidance in life.
We are now safely with our camper and truck at Masters Ranch, a boys home we have visited before. We thank you for your prayers for them. Evans has gotten saved and has had a change take place in him. There are many new boys but the ones from before have showed great growth as well as three boys who have just left for a mission trip to Malawi, Africa. Please continue to pray for this boys ranch. They need it as Satan does not want to see young boys serving Jesus Christ.
Again we cannot show our appreciation in mere words but we do thank you for your prayers and ask prayer this month specifically for: my mother Ronda's restored fellowship with Jesus Christ, God's hand to guide us in our travels with his protection, quick raising of support to get to the lost souls of the Germanic people of Europe, as well as a very important unspoken we need prayer for in our lives. May our Lord and Savior bless you for you generosity towards us.
Looking for that blessed hope,
Mark, Kacie, and Naomi Smith