Meet Loyce Smith

I have been blessed by being surrounded by some very influential women in my life.  Since this blog is “by and for Christian women” I thought I would share some of the wonderful women that have impacted me in some way.  Over the next few months you will meet some of the people that I consider to be “heroes.” 

They are not particularly remarkable women.  They are ordinary women that serve an extraordinary God.  Oh, they may have some special skills, talents or abilities that have enabled them to do certain things.  But, for the most part, they are just like you and me.  They are wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, and friends.  Most importantly they are daughters of the King and they seek to serve Him.

Let me first introduce you to Loyce Smith.  Loyce and her husband David are currently serving God in Majuro, the Republic of the Marshall Islands.  I’ve known Loyce and David for several years.  Although we attended the same church for quite some time, I really got to know them a little better when we went on a mission trip together to St. Thomas, USVI.  We went there to do a VBS and it was there that I first noticed Loyce’s love for and rapport with children.

My husband and I were honored to have David and Loyce in our home a few weeks ago.  They shared some of the wonderful work that they are doing in Majuro.

First, learn a little about them.  They have been married for 29 years and have two sons.  They just welcomed their first granddaughter.  By God’s providence and through a series of events and decisions, David and Loyce made their way to Majuro in July 2008.  Their long held dream to serve God on a full-time basis was about to be realized.

I had never heard of Majuro before David and Loyce planned to work there.

Majuro, a coral atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, is the capital city of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.  Majuro is approximately 6600 miles from their home in Tennessee.  Loyce and David had officially moved to the other side of the world.  Not only are they physically on the other side of the world, but in many other ways as well.  Here are some facts about Majuro:

• Majuro is a matrilineal society which means that lineage is traced through maternal ancestors.  Land is passed down to the oldest daughter through the mother.  However, in Majuro, everything on the land, including trees, plants, building, etc. belongs to the man.

• Unemployment is about 30%.  There is no industry there other than copra, or the processing of coconut oil.  There are some jobs in the service industry such as hotels, retail stores and taxi service.  Others work in government jobs.

• The Marshallese diet consists primarily of rice.  They have little access to fresh fruits or vegetables.  As a result, about 80% of hospital patients have diabetes related illnesses.  There are 80-90 amputations per year due to diabetes.

• Women are often the victims of spousal, physical, sexual and emotional abuse.  Young girls are having babies on a regular basis.

The cultural differences are interesting to me, but what is more intriguing to me is the work that Loyce and David are doing there. 

When they arrived, the church there had only two faithful members.  A little more than two years later, there are 65-70 people regularly attending their worship service.  I asked how they went from two to 65 in such a short time.  The answer was simple.  Love. 

Loyce and David began by loving the children.  One of the first things Loyce wanted to do when they arrived in Majuro was to plan a VBS.  They had record attendance and from that point on had to have multiple children's classes at their weekly Sunday school.  Through their love for the children and the relationships they developed with them, doors were opened and opportunities arose for them to reach out to the adults as well.

They do all the things that missionaries do.  They invite and transport people to their services, they have classes and Bible studies outside of the normal church service, they do Vacation Bible School, they go out into the community and knock on doors.   They are sharing the Gospel, and obviously the people are responding.  In fact, soon after they arrived in the US, they learned that two women had obeyed the gospel.  They are anxious to get back and celebrate with those two precious souls!  What resonated with me most though, was that one of their goals is to create a sense of family.

Loyce and David are not only sharing the Gospel, but they are living it every day in the way they serve the people. They have weekly classes for the teens as well as for the ladies.  Loyce has taught the ladies to sew.  They are very skillfully making their own skirts.  They have taught the people about good nutrition and helped them incorporate it into their lives.  Through these practical acts of love and service, they have cultivated a family among those that worship together each week.

Isn’t that what the love of Christ is all about?  Sharing the good news of Jesus with others and then living in fellowship with those that share in the joy of faith and hope in Him. Although there are some vast cultural differences, at some level people are not so different.  We all need Jesus and we all desire a loving relationship with Him and with others.  Loyce and David may be on the other side of the world, but they are sharing something that is universal.  

I’m sure these few words don’t quite do Loyce justice.  What I ultimately want to share with you is that Loyce is a faithful child of God living in obedience to Him.  I was very encouraged when she and David decided to go to Majuro.  I am so thankful for faithful Christians like them that choose to leave home and family in order to expand the borders of God’s Kingdom.

There are challenges to living in a foreign land.  Loyce describes Majuro as, “dirty, crowded, noisy and hot.” There is a language barrier that is difficult to overcome.  There is some level of desperation and hopelessness among the people.  But, with all of that, there is the love of Jesus and the desire to share that love with the Marshallese people. 

I asked Loyce if there was anything she specifically wanted to share.  Here is what she said, “People tell me they admire what we are doing but I don’t feel I am special because of it.  God has truly blessed us, to Him be the glory.”

Amen.  To Him be the glory!  

Please join me in prayer as Loyce and David prepare to return to Majuro.  Pray for their safety as they travel and for the hearts of the people that they serve.

If you are interested in supporting Loyce and David in their work or finding out more about the work in Majuro, you may contact them at davloysmith@gmail.com.  They also love to receive “snail mail.”  Please send them a card of encouragement to PO Box 1167, Majuro, MH 96960.  Postage is the same as letters mailed within the U.S.

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”    ~Romans 10:14-15