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November 1, 2008
Dear Praying Friends and Supporting Churches,
Matthew 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
We want to thank each and every one of you that are still praying for God to get us to Germany and the Germanic speaking people of Europe. This month has been a bit slower with meetings which seem harder to get as we head into winter and the holiday season. I am very happy that the exchange rate has been going back down lately and that really helps our support as well. As of today the exchange rate is 1.26 USD = 1 EURO in Germany. That seems bad but it was at 1.62 USD = 1 EURO in Germany, so again we are very thankful for that and just praying that we can get to the field soon!
We sincerely pray and ask you that do not support us financially to consider our ministry to Germany once again. And for those that do support us to pray for more to take us on for full-time support. As I look into the future and prayerfully consider the time we are in (the winter months), I can already see a great change in the churches that we have been going to as far as love offerings and promised support. With our economy “so bad off” (EVEN THOUGH AMERICA STILL MANAGED TO SPEND NEARLY OVER 5 BILLION ON HALLOWEN), many churches I am calling, though good bible believing churches, are not wanting to have us in. My schedule is getting harder and harder to fill and that means the harder and harder it is to raise the rest of our 25% of support.
We have been at 75% now for around 3 to 3-1/2 months but have saw churches have to drop us for financial reasons and a few take us on and so we hover at 75%. As I see January becoming hard to fill, I realize that I need to stay close to Kacie during the last part of February due to her last month of pregnancy. We would sincerely love to get to the field this next summer but that means that the support has to be raised through these winter months to be able during the spring to pack and do all necessary paperwork and make plans to leave the country. Thus, I ask and pray that you would consider the LOST souls in Europe that have never heard a clear presentation of the gospel, the ones that never have heard about the death the burial and the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ, and never have heard the “ye must be born again” and that “whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.” O PLEASE, dear praying friends and supporting churches, consider the necessity of the messenger of Bethlehem in Ruth chapter one that went and told Naomi and Ruth about the BREAD OF LIFE. With out that messenger…. how would Ruth have ever got to Boaz…? WHO WILL GO FOR US… HERE AM I SEND ME!!! Please pray that God would touch the heart of the churches we have and are going to be at that they might have a part in getting the gospel to Germany!
It is great to announce that we are going to have a LITTLE BOY, by the good grace of God! Kacie is doing good and at 22 weeks now. Naomi is growing and just about completely potty trained and starting to say more German words as she plays with her German computer toy we bought her back in May.
We were able to stop by and see our family for a few days on our way to Ohio this past month and I was able to witness to my brother-in-law, Devin, with whom I have asked prayer for. I told him about teaching my sister's Bible study on the rapture and the tribulation, he asked me about the tribulation and the anti-Christ. WHAT AN OPEN DOOR! I told him for over 30 minutes about the trib and the reason someone would miss the rapture of the church. I told him clearly how to be saved and opened the bible with him and showed him several passages. After it all I asked if he wanted to be saved and UNFORTUNATLY denied, with tears in his eyes he decided to wait. PLEASE pray for his salvation! I believe there is some sin in his life (drinking and buddies) that he does not want to give up.
Our prayer request this month is my mother Ronda (doing bad again), my cousin Ronnie, Todd and Devin for salvation. Our deputation – that I would be full of the Holy Ghost of God and be a blessing to the churches as well as them see the need for me to get to Germany, Raise our support and please pray for Kacie and the Baby boy for health and delivery!
Looking for that blessed hope,
Mark, Kacie and Naomi Smith