Robert and Cirena Smith Making Disciples in the Philippines Connecting with Tao in the Philippines
Friends @ MBCC
Tao is Filipino for People. Culture & Language Aquisition thus far has proven to be a great challenge & a great joy. The challenge of course is connecting with tao in a foriegn culture despite not knowing the local language. As the writers of our Culture/Language Acquistion Manual state, “You cannot truly learn a language or gain insights into a culture without meaningful interaction with the members of the community where you share in their lives.” (p.8) The obvious “IN” for me you might say is being married to a Filipina, & while that certainly has it’s benefits, it still is no guarentee that I myself will ever be excepted by the culture in which we now live. That brings me to my knees & it is there I can begin to take joy in watching God make it happen.
Since our arrival in the Philippines we have plugged in with a local Bible Christian Church, MBCC. We are incredibly grateful for the relationships we are developing there. In the few weeks we have been there we have had opportunity to both encourage and be encouraged in the word, we’ve bowed our heads & prayed together on behalf of a needy nation, we’ve enjoyed meals together and even the joy of fellowship on the badminton court on more than one occasion. Again from our CLA Manual writers, “Successful CLA will grow out of interacting within good relationships, and such positive relationships will in turn enhance and facilitate your CLA process and your ministry.” (p.19) These relationships have indeed enhanced my CLA experience & for that I am incredibly grateful.
Playing a friendly game of Sunday afternoon badminton with friends from MBCC.
Back in the Philippines
Back in the PI
We truly appreciate each one of our partners, our home church in California, other friends & family from Albuquerque, NM to Ontario, Canada & everywhere in between. Your partnership is an active part of why we are here and your continued prayers are much coveted.
Warp Speed Ahead!
Following our recent month of travels, things seem to be moving at warp speed. Since July 1st we have travelled nearly 6000 miles, thru 20 different states, one province in Canada, crossed countless bridges & tunnels, including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge / Tunnel; incredible engineering.
During this time we have had the privilege of visiting six churches throughout the USA & Canada. We had wonderful visits with numerous friends & family members all along the way.
What Was Accomplished?
Besides visiting friends, family members, mission partners, & seeking opportunities to share the vision in various churches, we also completed a very important task in the Visa Application process for the Philippines.
Because I was born in Ontario, Canada (take off eh!) I have been needing to obtain a copy of my Birth Certificate which would then need to be Authenticated at the Philippine Consulate in Toronto, Ontario. Our hopes were that this could be done in one day but as it were it took four days & extended our stay in Canada. Of course this cut short some of the time we had planned with other friends & family members but we were grateful for the extra time with friends & family in Canada.
What’s Next?
This is where the warp speed comes in. Having obtained this final piece of the puzzle for a permanent visa to the Philippines, I will now need to travel back to California to turn in all puzzle pieces at the Philippine Consulate in Los Angelas. After everything has been turned in and we are reasonably sure that there is need for nothing else, we will purchase our plane tickets to depart for the Philippines in late August.
As you can see, just getting started in the task that God has called us to requires an amazing amount of engineering. Things don’t always go as planned, delays happen, but God’s grace is ever present. Our work now is still very much in the early stages & we still have numerous bridgesto cross & tunnels to pass thru.
Your prayer for this work is grately appreciated.
1. Praise the Lord that we have purchased our plane tickets to arrive in the Philippines on August 28th.
2. I, Robert, am still waiting for my Philippine visa to be returned so please pray that we will encounter no delays.
3. Praise the Lord that currently we have approx. 70% of our recommended support.
4. Please pray for an additional $270 of monthy support within the next month.
5. Praise God for the great time we have had with friends & family. Pray for our transition to the Philippines.
Taking the Vision on the Road
Over the last six months we have been incredibly blessed as we have had opportunity to reconnect with friends from our home church in San Clemente, California along with many friends from other churches in the area. With our return to the Philippines fast upon us now however, we thought it best to take advantage of the summer months and head out to visit friends & family in other parts of the country to share the vision God has given us.
Mesa, Arizona
Our first stop outside of California was in Mesa, Arizona where we visited with long time friends who we have lost touch with for awhile. Thanks to FACEBOOK we were able to re-connect with dear friend Rachel Bush & in the process with her mom also, Lois Brice. Unfortunately, Lois’ husband, Rev. Bill Brice passed away not long ago & so we missed seeing him. Bill assisted in the marriage proceedings for my my wife & I over 14 years ago. Bill & Lois also stood up with us as sponsors (a Filipino tradition), acting as second parents for our wedding along with three other older couples in the Lord who we could look up to as mentors. As you can imagine, this reunion was a very special time for us as it has been nearly that long since we saw them last.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
From Arizona we made our way to Albuquerque, NM, where we are spending time with family & friends. For the fourth of July we enjoyed spending the day as a family & then lit a few fireworks out on the sidewalk while watching the bigger fireworks through-out the city. We had a wonderful visit to Hoffmantown Church the next morning where pastor Wayne Barber preached an always wonderful message & especially timely for us concering Trusting & Obeying the Lord. That same afternoon we spent the rest of the day at Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque where our son Jay played the drums for a special independence day celebration followed by more fireworks.
What’s next?
From Albuquerque we will travel back to Missouri to visit with friends at NTM’s Missionary Training Center for a couple of days, then on to Chicago to visit with dear friends & supporters. From there we will travel to Ontario, Canada to visit with friends & family. While in Ontario we will give a report & share the word at Ohsweken Baptist Church. From Ontario we will travel to Dover, DE to visit with family & then to Raleigh, NC to visit with a long time friend & others before turning west again to head back to Albuquerque for a few more days.
Your prayers as we travel & share are much appreciated.
Encouraging One Another on the Journey
Sharing the vision God has given can be an incredible journey. On the other hand, it also has it’s own unique set of challenges that sometimes only those that have been through it or are going through it can understand. So when the opportunity arose to spend time with future NTM partners to the Philippines, we were extremely excited.
For the first few days of June we have had the pleasure of hosting future NTM Philippine partners, Lucas & Naomi Lorenz along with their three children; Solomon, Patience, & Eden. Lucas & Naomi were fellow students with us at NTM’s Missionary Training Center in Camdenton, MO.. Like us, they have been busy sharing the vision God has given them for reaching the unreached in the Philippines since graduation.
Currently the Lorenz’s are on a six week road trip, visiting friends & family across the United States. Beginning in early July, we too will start a similiar journey to visit friends & family across the country. These can be very exciting times but they can also be very tiring times.
Please be in prayer for us & our future partners as we are on an exciting journey. Both families would like to be in the Philippines by August but we also fully recognize the need to patiently wait on the Lord. Whatever God’s timing, it has truly been an encouragement to spend time with each another, Encouraging One Another on the Journey. Our parting words as they left were, "See you in the Philippines."
Making Progress
Please join us in praising the Lord for the progress we have seen in partnership development these past few months. Currently we have 62% of our recommended support. Another $700 of monthly support will get us to 75% of the recommended support, which is requested before returning to the Philippines.
We truly thank God for each one that has chosen to partner with us up to this point & for those that God is preparing to partner with us.
Our goal remains to depart for the Philippines by early August and so please be praying for us as we wait on the Lord through this process.
Should the Lord lead you to partner with us financially please feel free to contact us or visit our give page for information as to how you could do this.
Down to the Wire!
Praise God for the progress we have seen as we have shared the vision God has given us for church planting in the Philippines. As of May 1st we are now at 51.5% of our recommended support for the Philippines.
Please pray now as we seek His perfect timing. As recommended by the Philippine Field Leadership, our goal is to have 75% of our support before returning.
Since graduating from NTM’s Missions Training Center, our hope has been that we would return to the Philippines by August of this year.
We have Three Major Drivers:
1. To get our daughter enrolled at the mission school, Faith Academy, when the school year begins in August.
2. For myself, getting started sooner rather than later with language study seems most appropriate given my age.
3. With Cirena speaking two different languages in the Philippines, there is opportunity for her to jump in & help out with the language program & other areas helping new missionaries transition to life in the Philippines.
As you can see, needing to close the gap with another 23.5% of our recommended support and our desire to return to the Philippines by August is getting down to the wire.
A Blessing & A Privilege!
Thanks for praying for us as we continue the process of sharing the vision God has given us for reaching those that have yet to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. During our first couple of months back in California we have focused our time primarily on reconnecting with friends (& making new ones along the way) at Pacific Coast Church, our home church in San Clemente, CA. This has proven to be a great blessing to us in many ways and we are tremendously grateful for the love & support they have shown us.
These last couple of weeks we have had the opportunity to share our ministry with two different churches in So Cal. For the last weekend in March we gave a presentation at Creekside Bible Chapel in San Juan Capistrano. Creekside is pastored by a long time friend Derek Greenhalgh who is committed to expository Bible preaching. Please keep our friends at Creekside Bible Chapel in prayer as this is a young new church with a great heart for missions.
The following Sunday we traveled to Temecula where ministry among the Palawano people in the Philippines was showcased at Rancho Community Church. Ministry among the Palawano was a major part of our work during our previous three years (2003 – 2005) in the Philippines. As the Guest House Hosts’ we hosted two different global impact teams Rancho Community Church and made many new friends in the process. Our time at RCC proved to be a great time of reunion not only with friends from RCC but also with ministry partners in the Philippines, Rich & Lynn Bright, who are currently on home assignment.
Since our graduation from NTM’s Missions Training Center in Missouri we have added eight new financial partners, countless prayer partners, seen others continue to give faithfully, and in the process we have been blessed in more ways than we could have possibly imagined. Sharing the vision God has given us is indeed a blessing and a privilege.
Praise & Prayer
1. Our partnership development is moving along and we continue to see an increase in prayer & finacial support. As of March 31, we have promised approx. 44% of our recommended support for the Philippine Field. We praise God for the open doors & open hearts.
2. Since relocating to So Cal we have had our apt. fully furnished, our vehicle repaired, our teeth worked on, and our taxes done; all by members of our home church. We praise God for the many ways He provides through the body of Christ.
3. Besides the Men’s & Women’s Bible Study we have each been involved in, we have also plugged in to a Couple’s Bible Study on Wedns. night and a Sun. morning Bible Study group called Pinnacle. Praise God for opportunities to connect with PCC, our home church.
4. For Easter Sheila prayed, “God, please let the people know that it’s not about baskets & chocolate, but it’s about You on the cross.” Praise Him that she has adjusted well to our busy lifestyle. She is doing well in school & has received an award for her hard work.
Partnership Development
1. Our partnership development is now well underway and already we have seen an increase in prayer & finacial support. Currently we have promised approx. 32% of our recommended support for the Philippine Field. We praise God for the numerous opportunities & invites we have had to share over the past few weeks.
2. For myself, Robert, please pray that I will remain diligent in everything necessary for effective partnership development. Please pray that I can communicate clearly the vision God has given us and the financial need that goes along with it. Praise the Lord for the opportunity I have had to plug in to the Men’s Bible Study group at our home church that has adopted us as their missionaries.
3. 
Cirena has done an incredible job in her role as hostess during the many home meetings we have had already. I praise the Lord for all of her hard work (cooking & cleaning) in this area & for her joyful heart in the process. Praise the Lord she has had the opportunity to plug in to a Women’s Bible Study group at our home church. These ladies blessed us incredibly by fully furnishing our new apartment.
4. Last but certainly not least, please pray for Sheila Marie. We praise the Lord for the vision God has given her too for reaching those that have yet to hear.
Sheila’s Vision
Nearing the end of our missions training we were told that sharing the vision that God has given us would be a ministry in and of itself. This statement has certainly proven to be true in our lives & we have truly appreciated the opportunities & invites to share over the past few weeks. One of the greatest indicators that we have been on the right track has been seeing our seven-year-old daughter, Sheila Marie, as evidenced by the drawing you see below , catch the vision in a mighty & powerful way.
Sheila Marie drew this picture (click to enlarge) just prior to a recent meeting with a very dear couple from our home church. During that meeting she quietly whispered in my ear, “Excuse me daddy, are we going to show the video?” She was referring to a video that a friend of ours made during our time in the Philippines. She then proceeded, totally unsolicated mind you, to hand our visitors one of our Partner Booklets containing our prayer card along with an NTM Calendar.
Recently we were reading the back-side of one of NTM’s bookmarks that talks about a tribal group desiring to see missionaries come and live among them. Sheila Marie commented, “I’ll go daddy.” In her prayer life on numerous occasions she has prayed for people in the world who have not yet heard and on more than one occasion she has prayed not just for my own language learning ability in the Philippines (much prayer needed) but also for her own, “… so that we can tell the people about Jesus.”
On multiple occasions we have been complimented on how well behaved she has been as we met with partners & prospective partners alike. One evening as we met with three other couples late into the night, rather than fussing she simply put her head down on the table & fell asleep. During another night out with partners to a restaurant she laid her head down on my lap & again fell asleep until it was time to go.
As with any ministry, partnership development can be very tiring at times, but it is great to see that our young daughter is taking everything in stride and doing her part to see those that have yet to hear reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ.