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Dennis and Lucy Smith, founders
of Manos de Dios, have been married twenty-four years and have two
adult children.
Background, Dennis Smith age 62.
I am from a southern family, reared in the inner city of Detroit
Michigan. Baptized at the age of 13 but in my mid teens fell away
from the Lord. Eight years as a Detroit Police Officer only pushed
me further away from Jesus. I knew moving from Detroit to Tucson
Arizona in 1978 was a big move but I had no idea what was in store
for me in the coming years.
In 1984 I met Lucy. She gave me a bible and told me she would be
praying for me as I traveled through some difficult times. She also
suggested I should start praying and reading scripture. As I did,
my problems did not go away but they were much easier to handle.
The rest is history. We were married in 1986, I recommitted my life
to Jesus and have been blessed ever since.
Currently; I don’t know if mission work is what I expected
because I did not know what to expect. I did not know any missionaries
and had no formal training for the missionary field. What I do know
is that the Lord does take ordinary people and uses them in His
extraordinary ways. I think that is what He is doing with me.
Being a missionary and serving has become a little harder over
the past few years but is something I can handle with the assistance
of the Holy Spirit. Changing directions, being weary of violence,
praying more, and having to be more flexible are just a few of the
adjustments I have made in my missionary walk. There are other challenges
I am facing and I will meet and overcome them with the help of Jesus.
Sometimes it is a difficult walk, but it is one that I desire
to do and I am blessed to be able to do it.
Background, Lucy Smith, age 52.
I was raised in a wonderful Christian family in Tucson, Arizona.
My family has always loved Mexico and I remember traveling in Mexico
with my grandfather and parents when I was a young girl. I gave
my life to Jesus in Jr. High School. I married at age 20 and had
one daughter, Megan, in 1983. While going through an ugly divorce,
I appreciated my parent's unconditional love and acceptance. They
have always been a model of walking in faith with the Lord.
Dennis and I met when I was teaching his IBM aerobics class. We
fell in love and because he loved God and Megan...we were married
in 1986. IBM moved us around the country and we finally landed in
Prescott, AZ and started our own business there. After a few years,
my mom and dad needed help as my mom's health was declining and
we moved home to Tucson. After searching for many years for a church
home, we found Pantano Christian Church. I re-dedicated my life
to total service to my Lord and was baptized by immersion at Pantano
Church September 27, 2003. We found our calling in mission work
in Mexico and were mentored by those in Pantano Church that had
hearts for the mission field.
I love the people of Mexico. I love their language and find them
to be very beautiful people. I count my friends in Sonora, Mexico
as some of my closest sisters and brothers in Christ. It is a difficult
time to live in Mexico. The poverty and violence add to the oppression
of the government, making it very challenging to survive and thrive.
Jesus is the hope that all need and is the answer that so many are
looking for in Mexico (and around the world!). “The best thing
we can offer the poor is their identity in Christ.” Manos
de Dios is living this out by building relationships, encouraging,
and praying with and for the precious people of Mexico. Prayer is
becoming a bigger and bigger part of our ministry. As things get
more difficult, we turn more and more to God. He is the only Light,
the only Hope. Another of my favorite quotes is “Prayer is
not what we do before the work, it is the work” (Rhonda Haughey,
author of Desperate for His Presence). My heart is in Mexico all
the time, even though we still spend some time in Tucson!
As a couple ...
We are a great example of “opposites attract”. God
is showing us how to use the very different gifts and talents we
have to serve Him and to work in unity! Dennis has the gifts of
giving, service and hospitably. He is very compassionate and great
with children. He also has the gift of teaching. In the past there
has been a lot of interest in building projects in Mexico with teams
from the USA. Dennis loved working with these teams as they built
and provided shelter for needy families. With the increased fear
of the violence in Mexico and the downturn economically in the USA,
the opportunity to have teams come down to Mexico has all but dissolved.
Dennis has sought God for His leading and is growing his gift of
teaching by preparing messages for the men’s rehab center.
He continues to love on the children and provide much needed relief
items to the prison, churches and the men’s and women’s
rehab centers. Lucy has the gift of encouragement and also is a
teacher. She has been growing her gift of intercession and spends
much time praying with and for many in Mexico. She teaches and encourages
women and children and continues to work on becoming fluent in Spanish.
Manos de Dios is a about “Transformation, God’s Way!”
We are joining with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Mexico
praying for their country with the prayer of 2 Chronicles 7:14 “if
my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and
pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will
I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their
land.”
So, what do we do?
Pray…with and for the people of Mexico.
This includes prayer walking, prayer gatherings, and joining with
praying churches.
Serve…build/repair homes and churches;
provide relief items (blankets, food, medical supplies); help in
community projects
Teach/Disciple…share the love of
Jesus with all we are in relationship with; teach what we have learned
and experienced about God and His way of living in group and individual
settings.
Encourage pastors…with friendship,
sharing of resources, prayer, vision casting
Bring conferences…for training, encouraging
of pastors, church leaders, individuals on topics including blessings,
marriage, finances.
Manos de Dios missions includes, but is not limited to, working
with and through local pastors and being personally involved with
the people in the community to identify where assistance is needed.
We evaluate the request/needs and if satisfying those needs will
not enable the recipients, we rely on God to help us accomplish
the tasks He has sat in front of us. Some of the projects we are
and have been involved in are;
• Providing blankets for prisoners and people in the community.
• Providing vehicles for pastors and ministries; (including
a church bus!)
• Building houses for needy families and pastors.
• Assist with evangelical outreach programs and Vacation Bible
Schools.
• Undergird Prison Ministry. Sponsoring a yearly Christmas
Posada, and provide clothing and shoes as needed, and medical assistance.
• Provide Bibles and musical instruments for churches and
rehabilitation centers.
• Providing office equipment and computers for church offices
and the Men’s and Women’s Rehabilitation Centers.
Manos de Dios is constantly seeking God for HIS VISION. We are
praying for guidance for the future in areas including: caring for
street kids (orphans); 24/7 House of Prayer; assisting seniors (widows)
and more…Please join us in praying for God’s direction.
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