 “A New Heart and New Spirit”
“I
will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you
your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in
you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel
36:26
In 1997 Stephen Smith and his young
twelve-year-old son went on their first international mission trip to Bolivia,
South America. That trip came about from a desire for a dad to let his son
experience a third world nation … to see poverty … to appreciate being in the
United States … hoping and praying that God might direct the young son and stir
his heart into the mission field.
What happened in Bolivia is how Focus On
Missions began.
 During the two-week expedition throughout
the country with missionaries – Don and Marilyn Wilson – the father and son duo
met missionaries and heard testimonies of faith, of commitment, of a desire to
serve Jesus, a passion to share Christ. The team traveled deep into the jungle,
visited work in urban area’s, flew in missionary “bush planes”, stayed in
missionary housing, slept in tents, ate native food, worshipped in grass huts,
rode in busses with livestock in the aisles … basically experiencing the
everyday life and culture of Bolivia.
Two days were spent at a boarding school
for missionary kids called Tambo. This school is operated by New Tribes
Missions and staffed by missionaries. Two of those missionaries were Dave and
Florence Hatch – they managed and operated the school farm, which supplied most
of the food for the school and missionaries in the jungle region of Bolivia.
One early morning Dave shared his testimony with Steve … that is where the verse
in Ezekiel, “a new heart and a new Spirit,” became the flagship verse for
Stephen Smith.
 Dave’s testimony was a simple testimony of
faith and obedience. How he and Florence were ranchers in Colorado … how God
called them to leave their ranch and their family and move to Tambo. Dave
shared of joy, happiness, a life fulfilled from being obedient and trusting in
the Lord.
That morning … sitting on a porch swing at
the Tambo farmhouse … not long after sunrise … after Dave completed most of the
farm chores … waiting on breakfast and the rest of the team to rise from bed …
Dave began to share his testimony. What a beautiful sight … two men … one man
sharing how God dealt with him … the other man riveted to his seat and listening
to every word and hearing a great man of faith pour out his heart.
When Dave and Florence surrendered to the
Lord and began to prepare to move from Colorado to Bolivia – they put their
ranch on the market. The ranch did not sell. That did not deter the Hatches.
After other attempts of selling the property – they were led to go to the local
bank – turn their ranch back to the bank and move to Bolivia. To Stephen Smith
this was unheard of … this would have meant failure to him … how could you do
that … but Dave kept sharing how God provided … how faithful God is … how joyful
their lives are serving Him and being obedient.
As the Bolivia visit continued … every
missionary shared similar testimonies … faith and obedience … joy, happiness and
a life fulfilled. As missionaries would share Stephen and his young son would
sit and listen … fastened on every word … they had never heard stories like this
before … they had never met people like this before.
In the United States – in Arnold, Missouri
– Stephen was a business owner. He was a professional photographer in his
community. Was active in his home church at First Baptist Arnold, Missouri –
was a member and president of the local Rotary club – was busy in the civic
community. This man was driven by “success” … but his life and the stories and
testimonies from Bolivia were very much different.
As the trip concluded … as dad and son sat
on the plane in Santa Cruz waiting to leave for home … the Holy Spirit spoke to
Stephen. As he sat in his seat he had a moment of revelation … the Holy Spirit
simply asked him “are you going to go home and share of your visit and act as if
you have been on some exotic – adventuresome trip deep into the jungles or
are you going to go home, reorganize and reprioritize your life, are you going
to use your resources and are you going to be obedient and help the missionaries
in Bolivia.” Basically the question was … go home and forget all this or go
home and be obedient and faithful to the Lord and make a difference.
 Since that time … Stephen has been back to
Bolivia numerous times. Has helped produce deputation video’s for missionaries
throughout the country. His family opened their home for three years for a
Bolivian boy to go to college. There truly was a “new heart and new Spirit.”
As time passed since that first trip many
friends and family wanted to accompany Stephen on other trips. Not everyone was
able to go to Bolivia … others would ask Stephen to lead closer trips … as a
result he was introduced to an organization called Way Of The Cross which
introduced he and his family to northern Mexico. God continued opening doors
through contacts of new friends and missionaries … as a result doors opened in
Russia, Nicaragua, Taiwan, Montana and the “utter most parts of the earth.”
On each trip that Stephen would go on … as
God would move in his life … he used a “new” tool called “email.” He would
email friends and family of opportunities, testimonies from the mission field …
other people started asking to be included on the “from the field emails” … then
others started wanting to go to Mexico and to help in sending supplies … it just
kept “snowballing” … no one was making it happen … it was just happening.
Part of the “just happening” included new
Focus Team members. God was placing individuals on the Focus team. The first
to join the team was Jim Nicolls. Jim “reluctantly” went with Stephen on a trip
to Mexico to help on a construction project … the result was “a new heart and a
new Spirit” … Jim Crews was another one who reluctantly went on a Christmas Trip
the and result was the same … Mike Detzel was on the same Christmas trip and
came home and surrendered his smoking habit to the Lord and has joined on other
trips to Taiwan … Keith Rickman experienced God’s leadership while in mission
and has since became very instrumental in the inner city of St Louis and is
leading out in Southeast Missouri … Steve Glenn has experienced God on mission
in Taiwan, Mexico, Montana and Moscow, Russia … one team member, Wayde Howell,
left a 22 year career as a Missouri State Trooper to go back to school and on to
seminary … other team members, Jack & Sheri Thomas, have experienced similar
callings to continue in missions. As God continues opening doors and “enlarging
the territories” of Focus On Missions … He also keeps sending people who have “a
new heart and a new Spirit” to be leadership for Focus On Missions.
As a result of people being involved, God
blessing and leading it was necessary to form a 501c3 Corporation. Finances had
to be accounted for … it was realized those participating in missions could
receive a tax benefit … it was becoming more complicated. As a result … Focus
On Missions was born.
One very important – “new heart and new
Spirit” testimony – are the parents of Stephen Smith. You must understand … his
parents loved him very much … they were “proud” of their son and business
accomplishments. But this “new heart and new Spirit” were too much for them.
They began to quiz Stephens wife, their grandchildren, his friends, his business
associates … they thought their son was having a “mid-life crisis.” They tried
to be supportive … but their support was shallow … they simply tolerated their
new son.
And then …
A visiting missionary was traveling through
St. Louis and Stephen needed a place of lodging for this lady. He called upon
his parents to “house” the traveling – visiting missionary. After three days of
hearing testimonies, of listening to stories of faith, hearing of miraculous
healings … Stephens parents experienced a “new heart and a new Spirit.”
In concluding the testimony of the birth of
Focus On Missions … it is only by God’s blessing and leadership that Focus was
born. It was never a desire or dream … God simply orchestrated this ministry.
The verse in Ezekiel continues being the
“flagship” verse of Focus On Missions … but another verse has become the
“challenge” verse … found in Habakkuk 1:5, “Look at the nations and watch – and
be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would
not believe, even if you were told.”
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