And round and round and round.... while Teddy says "Choo Choo train" an average of 23 times a mile.
We are so blessed to have this time to travel and say goodbye to friends and family.
Thursday June 9th, 2022
It has been wonderful spending time as a family and with family. This was a family hiking trip at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky!
Family Update
Teddy and Emma Jane have been champs even while we're traveling so much. Emma Jane is 6 months old now. She loves sleeping in her car seat, is consistently only getting up once at night now, finally willing to take a bottle, and rolling onto her back and tummy! Teddy is still obsessed with "choo choo trains", loves running and spinning, is learning to swim, and adores Emma Jane more than anything else. They are so cute together - playing peek-a-boo and hugging and giggling at each other! We praise the Lord that they are both super healthy.
Vicki Lynn and I have been excited to see many of you recently. We've also felt the effects of traveling a lot, which we are combating with intentional Sabbath time and quality family time. We got to go on an all-day date without the kids to King's Island and rode roller coasters together all day, courtesy of our parents!
The Solomon Islands
We've been excited to meet a few more of our colleagues in the Solomons - some in Dallas at Noah's graduation and some virtually. Please pray that we will be good teammates and a blessing to all of our colleagues.
We are excited that our director in the Solomons is currently surveying a specific potential assignment for us. So far it seems like a great fit for us and the community. Please pray for God's guidance, wisdom, and blessing on this potential assignment.
The effects of Covid are both wearing off and lingering in the Solomons, as they are here and other places. Please pray that (travel) restrictions will continue to lessen so that we can have a cheaper, smoother move to the Solomons, but ultimately so that the work of Bible translation can go on efficiently.
Ministry Update
Noah is auditing an Oral Bible Translation class since the language we will likely be working with in the Solomons has not been written yet, and translation will begin with oral drafting.
Instead of the previously planned intense medical training for Vicki Lynn, one of our colleagues who is a registered nurse will train us remotely before we go and in person once we arrive in the Solomons to prepare us for medical care in a village setting. We believe this is an example of God's guidance and provision as an answer to prayer.
We are so blessed to have great partners! Our church in NC has thrown us a goodbye shower to say goodbye to us and gift us items that we specifically need for our move to the Solomons. Our churches in KY and GA are doing the same. We are grateful for such heartfelt expressions of support and the chance to say goodbye to so many of you. We are moving out of our home on July 11th and will have said all of our goodbyes and essentially be packed to board a plane by then. Please pray that our training in July and August in JAARS, NC goes well and that the Lord provides an optimal departure timeline (we're hoping in September).
Toccoa :
You've been invited to the Smith Family's going away party. Invite here!
Kentucky:
We will be on stage at Main Street Baptist Church in Alexandria KY on June 12th followed by a shower to help pack our bags
Wycliffe often offers webinars about different topics involved in Bible translation. This month they have one that we think will be very fitting for y'all to see as it has to do with the class Noah will take this summer!
How Can They Believe if They Haven’t Heard? A Discussion About Oral Bible Translation
When: Tuesday, June 14 at 8 p.m. ET
When Prasad heard God’s Word in his own language, he realized God loved him unconditionally. Vamathi’s husband stopped his abuse and turned to Jesus. Rakesh abandoned a life of crime to follow Christ. Come hear incredible stories about the impact of oral Bible translation on communities around the globe.
To donate by mail, send a check written to
Wycliffe Bible Translators
and include a separate note saying
"Preference for the ministry of Noah & Vicki Smith, Account #200063"
Wycliffe Bible Translators
PO Box 628200
Orlando, FL 32862-8200
