News from Mexico

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Greetings in the name of our Lord! Our feet hit the ground running when we arrived back in Guadalajara. All the programs and activities are going well and we were very happy to see all the people involved and doing their part. There have been a few professions of faith since we came back and we are awaiting warmer weather for baptisms.

Praise the Lord!
Martha and I have been praying daily for the safety and future of our son, Bryan. We wrote you in our last letter he had been activated for deployment to Afghanistan. When we told our people in Mexico, they joined us in praying for him and many of them began to earnestly pray he would not have to go at all. Well, we are pleased to inform you that on February 17th he was told he will not be going now after all! We praise the Lord for answered prayer.

Missions Conference
In January, Living Word Baptist held their second missions conference. Our home missionaries, Hirving Sein Gonzalez to Oaxaca and Cesar Delgado Coronado to Tlaxcala, were with us. The people responded generously and promised by faith to give $18,000 to missions in 2010! In 2009, they met their goal of $12,500. Besides the two home missionaries mentioned above, they also support the Donovans in Asia and the Robertsons in Costa Rica.

Financial Goal
You may recall from our video the piece of property next door to Living Word Baptist. The church voted to begin to save up towards buying it. The price has come down to about $153,000 and the church already has $25,000 in the bank! Things are looking good! We covet your prayers for this need.

We continue to labor here where God has called us. Things are going well. The ladies' and children's programs, which are led by Martha, are doing good; the young people's groups are very active; discipleship classes are being carried out; and I am preaching the Gospel for our Lord Jesus with power and liberty. All of this is thanks to your support for which we are so grateful.

'Til Jesus Comes,
Lonnie C. Smith, Jr.