Dear Co-Laborers in Christ,  

Melissa, a 12 year old Awana club member, trusted Jesus as her Savior!!!  Our daughter Rebekah invited her friend Melissa to our French Awana Bible club.  Melissa has been attending the Bible club for several weeks.  She had completed the entrance booklet, le Zone de Départ, which focuses on explaining the Gospel and memorizing Bible verses on God’s plan of salvation.  At the end she had to explain to me in her own words what it means to make Jesus your Savior by faith.  With some guidance she was able to understand what this meant.  However understanding it and believing it are two different things.  She was not quite ready to receive Christ as Savior.  However, she continued to come and to study her Awana handbook. 

Then, a few weeks ago, as her dad dropped Melissa off for Awana club, he called me aside to let me know that they just got the news earlier that day that Melissa’s aunt (her mother’s sister) was killed in a car accident.  However, Melissa felt she wanted to come to Awana club.  During handbook time, she had many questions about heaven and salvation.  I was able to answer her questions and explain salvation again.  Then recently, during handbook time, Melissa was on Discovery 2.4, where salvation is explained again, and a question was asked of her, “Have you made the Lord Jesus Christ your Savior?”  She answered, “Yes!”  The next question asks, “Who talked to you about the Lord Jesus?”  She answered, Pastor Smith and Rebekah.  She said that it was though talking to Rebekah and I and learning Bible principles and verses in Awana that she realized she needed to be saved.  She said she prayed by herself and asked Jesus to forgive her of her sins and to come into her life and to save her.  Amen!  Pray for Melissa and her new life in Christ.  Pray also for her family.  I don’t think they are saved.  I talked with her mother, Myra and gave her a gospel booklet dealing with trials and grief.  She was very thankful and receptive.    

We have a new family that has been attending our church faithfully.  Désiré and Fatoumada have three children, Marcia, Marcus and Samuel.  Natalie, Fatoumada’s cousin lives with them also.  They recently moved here from Togo , Africa .  They speak French, their official language, as well as their local language, Ewe.  Désiré also speaks English.  Désiré and Fatoumada are both Accountants.  They moved here because Fatoumada has a diplomatic position as an accountant at the Togo Embassy in Ottawa , ON , just across the river from Gatineau , Quebec where we are.  Désiré recently received permission from the government to work in this country.  Please pray that Désiré could find a position soon.  Also, they do not have drivers licences yet.  I go to Ottawa each week to bring them to our services.  Pray that the Lord will help them as they adjust to this new country.  They are already helping in the ministry here.  Désiré and Fatoumada were saved in Lome , Togo , through independent Baptist missionaries.  It was very important to them after moving here to become quickly established in a French-speaking independent Baptist Church of like faith.  We are the only one in this two city area for a population of  nearly 1.5 million.  

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for our family and for this ministry, which enables us to reach souls with the Gospel.

                                                Co-Laborers together with you in the Great Commission,

                                                         David & Debby, Sarah, Rebekah & Joshua Smith

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