SPECIAL FORCES UPDATE

Dear friends and family,

This is just a quick note to update everyone on the Smith family and our current ministry with the military.

As many of you are aware, I transferred from the 82^nd Airborne Division to the Special Forces back in March of this year. My time and ministry with the 82^nd was truly a blessing for our whole family. Many friends and relationships made over the 2 years that will last forever. We saw many souls saved and many lives changed for God’s glory through our ministry. But in the military, things change often and I was asked to go and serve with the 7^th Special Forces Group (Airborne) currently stationed right here at Ft. Bragg, NC.

As I write this update, I am in the city of Bogota, Colombia. Each of the 5 active duty Special Forces Groups have a different part of the world as their AO (Area of Operation); 7^th Group has South America and thus my reason for being here. As a Chaplain, once you change to a new unit, it is almost like you start all over. You typically do not know anyone in the new battalion and they don’t know much about you except by rumor – hopefully good!

So the past few months have been all about building relationships and getting to know the new flock that God has given me responsibility to minister to. With one of our companies deployed here to Colombia and other parts of South America, part of my ministry is to go and insert myself into their operations so as to build credibility and open up doors for counseling and even hold field services for them when the opportunity avails itself.

I had just that opportunity this past Sunday. It was a slower day for about 30 of the men and some physical training for the day involved a rigorous two - hour game of “touch” football. (Special Forces definition of “touch” is not what I had envisioned) I was invited to play with them and so with some Divine help and a little Red Bull, I hung in there till the end escaping any major injuries and even managing to put up a few touchdowns. Following the game as everyone was sitting around hydrating, I called everyone together and for the next 30 minutes held a field service for the men. I challenged them from the illustration that Jesus gave following the Sermon on the Mount on building a foundation on rock or sand. I helped them see that in the Operation we call Life, how important it is for them to have a foundation on THE Rock which is Jesus Christ and not on the typical things where they place value.

Many of the soldiers understand all to well the storms of life that come to their family and even to them personally as a result of the job. However, many depend and rely on their own abilities to get through those tough times and they are torn apart when they cant fix it themselves. The storm these men face can be anything from combat injuries, friends killed in combat, spouses leaving them after many years of marriage, financial ruin, and maybe career problems. I helped them see that when Jesus is their firm foundation then there is strength to get through any storm.

When we finished the service, I prayed for each of them and then we all went to the Colombian version of McDonald’s, compliments of the Chaplain. God really used this opportunity as I had many of the soldiers coming up to me and asking to get with me later about some personal things. Others were grateful that I came from the states to be with them in a difficult area.

I will return soon back to the states for a short time and then I will be deploying to Afghanistan for a couple months to be with another one of our companies who are fighting a tough war right now. We have had several injuries already; the latest soldier lost both of his legs in an IED. Again, going over to be with them is what I am called to do and to be with them during the tough times as well as the easy times.

As far as the rest of the family, they are soldiering on very well themselves. Maureen is as always a great help and encouragement for me as well as reaching out to the women of our new unit. She has a special gift in being that soft spoken voice and smile of encouragement to all she meets. Her Latin cultural heritage has been a big plus as well since a large portion of our battalion spouses are from Latin countries. The language for 7^th Group is Spanish so my thinking is that they took me only because I was married to her – she was who they really wanted…since I speak no Spanish!

The kids are growing up at an incredible pace. They are all teenagers and a wonderful addition to our ministry. They are excellent at reaching out to other military kids and building friendships in a quick way. They are back to school and doing very well academically and in great anticipation of the new soccer season to begin this next week. All three have a gift in music and use it quite often in church and with family gatherings. We will be taking a break from music lessons for a bit – at least formally – due to some financial needs this next year, but I trust that God will continue to bless them in their gifts of music as they seek to honor Him.

Again, so much to say but short on time as I have counseling scheduled here soon. God bless each of you for your continued prayers for our family. Please don’t ever assume that it is taken for granted or not needed. The Devil never quits his attacks and sometimes they are a heavy barrage. WE will be at Ft. Bragg for only a few more months, as all of 7^th Group will be moving to Ft. Walton Beach Florida next year. We are scheduled to move down in the February timeframe, we will keep you updated as this solidifies.

We love you and hope to be able to tell each of you this in person one day soon!

In His Service,

Chaplain Mike Smith and Family

FINAL STRETCH

Well folks, I would say that the end is in sight...but I cannot see the end because of the heavy coursework still to be accomplished!

Five classes/projects are remaining to meet the requirements set forth by the U.S. military in order to go on active duty as a chaplain. It has been crazy trying to complete a 4-year degree in under 3 years and if I had to plan things over again, I would plan differently! However, with God we know that all things are possible (as long as it is His will) if we forge ahead in His strength and not our own. I must confess that this academic journey has found me several times grunting... and snorting...my way through classes. However, it is in the moment of total frustration that I find God's grace is sufficient for me, and He was simply waiting for me to figure that out! Wow, things would be easier if I could remember that more often than I forget it.

As many of you are aware, I am transitioning from the Navy Chaplain Corps to the Army Chaplain Corps. The reasons are many but the foremost being the desire to minister with the "boots on the ground". As a Marine, my experiences were primarily with ground combat troops and in addition special operations. My desire is to be with those whom I "understand" and can relate to. The doors of opportunity can be greatly increased when common ground is seen from the start. The Army has several opportunities being offered to me that would capitalize on my past experiences and use them uniquely in ministry. I must admit that I am excited about these possibilities and look forward to realizing God's exact plan for our very near future.

Many ask where we might be stationed initially and the easy answer is "I dunno". We are assigned permanent duty stations based on the needs of the military. I will begin active duty with further military training at Ft. Jackson in Columbia, SC in January, 2008 but this will only be for a few short months. After this our family will be moved to our permanent duty station for the next three years. I will not find this out until at my military training following the new year. We are selfishly hoping that it is still in the south - we've been in Florida too long I guess.

I hope you all like the changes we are making to the website. Compliments to my brother, Matt, the web-dude. He has sacrificed much and as the rest of my family is a vital part of our ministry.

My next entry will give an update on the additional ministry opportunities that God has given our family to include the great response to the military tracts. Thanks for the prayers and don't quit yet!

Chaps

Africa 2006

From September 30-October 8, 2006, Maureen and I were privileged to go on a medical mission’s trip to Ghana, West Africa. What an experience! Mo and I have been on several mission’s trips over the years but this one was drastically different than anything we had previously experienced.

To begin with, God showered financial blessings upon us by providing the full expenses for our trip - not just for me, as was the original plan, but for both of us. (What a blessing it is to serve the Lord on a foreign field with your spouse.) The total expense for our trip was approximately $4200 dollars! Right up to the last minute, I just assumed God did not want me on this trip. The truth was that He wanted to continue to show His love by letting me get to the point where I knew I could not make it happen - and then HE could provide without me getting in the way - so that HE gets all the glory! Needless to say, we were thrilled at the opportunity when the call came that God had used some very special people to provide the funds for our trip.

Unlike previous mission’s trips out of country, everything went smooth on the travel there and back. Whether Customs, Immigration, or airline security; there is always something that happens to either slow down the process or exhaust the strength of the travelers. We did not have one problem, not even a lost piece of luggage! Praise God for He was clearing the way for an experience that few in America will ever see.

The medical trips are structured in a way to provide as much free medical care in a specifically chosen village as possible in a given day or two at the most. Over the course of our time in country, we traveled to three different remote villages in Ghana. These villages had been chosen because of their great need, the receptiveness of the Gospel, and the desire of the national pastor, Pastor Dapaah, to start Independent, Fundamental Baptist churches in those strategic locations.

The daily organization also went without a hitch. Getting all of the supplies, four doctors, two dentists, five nurses, three evangelists, and about ten seminary students/interpreters to the “job site” was an accomplishment in and of itself. It would take approximately thirty minutes to set the clinic up and then we started sending the hundreds maybe thousands of patients through. The patient would first register, then be escorted to the doctor or dentist or eye professional. Upon receiving their care and medication they were escorted to the rooms with the evangelists. Each individual that went through the clinic would sit down, no more than a small handful at a time, and here a simple Gospel presentation before leaving. When the villagers spoke fair English we would not need an interpreter. Otherwise the many language dialects necessitated one of the fine seminary students to assist.

Since my wife and I have no professional medical training, we were the evangelist and cook respectively. Mo was one of two cooks that provided all sustenance for the team for the week. In addition those two ladies were intricately involved in the clinic operation as well. Mo was the “pit boss”. Her job was to maintain structure and organization of the people moving through the different stations of the clinic. She was awesome and I was so proud of her hard work for the Lord! I had the distinct blessing of simply “reaping the harvest” all week. UNBELIEVABLE! The people were so open and ready to hear the truth. They were tired of the false and demonic ways of the medicine men or witch doctors. With childlike faith I watched as these men, women and children eagerly accepted the free gift of Salvation. Their eyes showed the joy of being the recipient of such unconditional love from our Savior. There wasn’t any debating of the innerancy of Scripture, or the muddied down sects of Christianity that are so rampant here in America. I sat with a Bible and led person after person into the loving hands of the Father - all day long! Can there be a better job? By the end of the day, all were exhausted. But by the end of the week, the hard work from the medical professionals as well as the spiritual professionals had paid its dividends. Over 1700 patients were seen in that short time period, which is remarkable. Out of that 1700, were many infants and children, but still 1403 African nationals made a profession of faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior! You may say, “that’s not possible” or “you were stacking the numbers”. May I take you to the book of Acts where several times it is pointed out how thousands and many multitudes were coming to Christ in a day! Our humble team experienced that type of miracle in Ghana. It cannot adequately be explained only experienced. After we left Africa, the pastor and the seminary students took all of the contact information for each individual and went into those villages to start churches. The ones who were saved will bring their friends and family to the new church and the numbers for Christ will only increase. I am reminded that it is our job to plant and water the seed, it is God’s love that brings the fruit or increase - but we were given the great and rare privilege of reaping the harvest of souls in a field that is truly ripe. May God continue to provide an open field and laborers into the harvest of Ghana, West Africa.

Thank you for your prayers and support for my family, and may we continue to answer the call to fight the good fight of faith until His return.

You can view our photos of this trip by clicking here here