Upcoming Benefit Concert for Laban Ministries Int

On Thursday, Nov 3, at 7 p.m. we are gathering at the Gilead Baptist Church in Taylor MI to lift high the Name that is above every name; that name of Jesus. Thirty-three years ago, my husband and I left for what was then called Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the heart of Africa.

I went kicking and screaming inside, petrified of what God might require of me. And you know what, God understood, and he sort of winked at my basket-case state. The first two years I cried everyday from culture shock, loneliness, inability to communicate, fear, and unmet expectations. Oh to grace, how great a debtor. . . The amazing grace of God kept my husband there (the land of his birth and death for both parents), kept our kids there, and kept me there. That's the miracle of those first two years.

That's the victory cry of my soul--I stayed!!! By His Grace and His Grace alone.

I was pregnant on a mission campus with no other missionaries, but his grace kept me staying one day at a time.

Other veteran missionary ladies told me they had their baby in the back of the truck. No worries. Wha?????? I could barely breathe at this news, but. . . I stayed. And I did not have my baby in the back of a truck, thank you very much, but at a medical mission station with the best of care.

God gave us a 9 lb baby boy which I was not able to feed the way I wanted to and had to give him full cream milk with no refrigeration available and only the use of a wood stove to sterilize his bottles, but. . . I stayed. AND HE LIVED WITH NO ADVERSE REACTION TO FULL CREAM MILK CALLED KLIM!

I could barely speak a sentence and certainly did not understand what the nationals were saying to me, but I stayed. The roaring silence of not hearing anyone else in the bush outside my family speak English brought me to a halt emotionally, but. . . I stayed. In time I learned the language and understood when spoken to and loved the breakthrough.

We were without radio, telephone service, or an airport close by to evacuate us had any major health issues arisen, but. . . I stayed, and the Lord healed us without the intervention of a doctor that first year of these lacks. After all, He is Who He says He is--the Great Physician!

I had no malls to shop in, no Jif peanut butter, no chocolate, (yikes); my kids had no gramma or grampa to spoil them, and my mobility stopped at breakneck speed, but. . . I stayed, and God poured out His Spirit and told me He was enough. . . AND HE WAS!!

The stubborn kerosene frig and us just didn't get along. Jim spent hours trying to get it to work for years. It never did that first term, and most days we drank only room temp water in 90 degree weather. No ice cubes or ice cream. No cold cokes. No cold water, but. . . I stayed and saw our level of appreciation sky rocket when those things were once more enjoyed. God loves a thankful heart. He taught us sooooo much about being thankful, praise His Name.

No TV, no movies except World's Apart, no lights, and no running water, but our coping mechanisms seemingly rose from the dead. Lack of these distractions was the very thing that pushed us toward each other in those lonely years. Hours together with no interruptions but a baby's cries became an refuge and created great family life. I kept staying. . .

I stayed until I no longer felt like an alien on Mars

Until I learned the language

Until I realized I was no longer on my way to the Funny Farm

Until the culture shock abated

Until I realized all the things that really mattered in life, I had

Until I saw the Hand of God enough times to let me know I could stay as long as He wanted me to. . .

In Africa

Because He was and is enough.

If I can be a missionary, anyone can.



Since those days, the Lord has done amazing things in Congo, and we want to let you in on some of them.

Please come and join us. Let us meet you and tell you a little more about the wonderful people we work with in Africa.

Come and hear our son, Jack's, amazing, passionate voice.

Come and be a part of the link of rescuers, rescuing souls from Hell through the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We cannot do what we do without you.

Those of you who are already behind this work prayerfully and financially, please allow us to thank you and hug you.

Oh to grace, how great a debtor. . . Thank you Jesus. Without you I am absolutely nothing. I love you so.







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I'm back!

Hi everyone!

It feels so good to be here writing to you again. The long absence has been due a brand new website being built and then a mess up with the email and password. A graphically gifted man donated hours of thought and time into redesigning the website and combined his talents and thoughts with those of our youngest son, Jack Smith, and this is what they came up with www.labanminisries.org.

I intend to get back to blogging very soon. In the meantime, please pray for a court date that is coming up on October 25, 2011 in Congo where we serve the Lord as missionaries. It is over a property dispute. More on that later.

Have missed you.


Nancy Smith