Carrie is the daughter of Elizabeth and David Smith. She is serving with Latin American Mission (LAM) in the country of Costa Rica.

Elizabeth & David regularly attend Fr. Greg's Wednesday night Bible Study. David has 'filled-in' for Father while on break. David also authored a wonderful devotional book, Journey to the Heart of God - a 52-week journey through the New Testament. 

Carrie Smith is delighted to be serving Jesus in Costa Rica at Centro Cristiano Internacional Heredia, a member of the Global Missions Network of CCI churches. She is working in CCI Heredia's brand new missions office, planning and coordinating all the missions action of the church.

Her duties include conducting an annual missions conference, church planting, supporting churches in marginalized areas, and partnering with members of the congregation that are involved in ministry.

HOW DID CARRIE END UP IN COSTA RICA?
I studied abroad in Costa Rica during the spring semester of my junior year. I knew that during my time there I would need to find a community with which I could fellowship and grow in my relationship with Christ. After I had been in Costa Rica for about a month I went to a Wednesday night Celebration (service). I felt like I fell into the open arms of love. I began to attend as much as I possibly could. As my time there was coming to an end I was starting to form strong connections with people at church.

Two days before I left I had a meeting with my Pastor and he invited me to come back and serve as a missionary with the church! I knew it was a phenomenal opportunity, but I couldn’t say yes right away. I wanted to make sure God really wanted me back there and that it wasn’t just my personal desire.

The confirmation came early in my senior year when I was at a daily prayer meeting:  was praying for a friend regarding a job  when God showed me that He gives us opportunities, as well as gifts and passions. When these things are in line –that is a green light to seize the opportunity He has given! After explaining this to my friends, I realized that this revelation had implications for me too! God was drawing me back to Costa Rica!

WHY GO WITH LAM?
The mission statement of the LAM states "The Latin America Mission is an international community of men and women who, motivated by their love for the Lord Jesus Christ and in obedience to His commands, encourage, assist, and participate with the Latin church in the task of building the church of Jesus Christ in the Latin world and beyond." This is EXACTLY what I believe should exist in order for the Church in Latin America to grow and I am thrilled to be a member of the LAM family! The LAM is partnering me with Centro Cristiano Internacional-Heredia, the church I attended while studying abroad in Costa Rica. It is helping me to enable members of the Costa Rican Church do the missions work that God is calling them to do. The LAM is also helping me with lots of logistical concerns such as insurance and tax status.

• LAM Mission Statement: http://www.lam.org/about/mission_statement.php
• LAM Vision Statement: http://www.lam.org/about/vision_statement.php

Latin America Mission is a unique tool in God's ministry plan for the world. This international community of men and women works to encourage, assist and participate with the Latin Church in building His Church in the Latin world and beyond. All LAM missionaries promote evangelism. All LAM missionaries work under local grassroots ministries. Beyond these two foundations, LAM is known principally for creative innovation in international ministry.

Our service takes many forms: from friendship evangelism to theological education; medical work to youth camps; church planting to children-at-risk work; office management to micro-enterprise development; personal counseling to emergency response. LAM works where the need is greatest, favoring ministries that multiply tasks of evangelism, training and networking. The Mission is interdenominational, biblical, holistic, innovative, empowering and partnership-oriented.

• LAM: http://www.lam.org/
  

FOR CURRENT NEWS ON CARRIE'S WORK IN COSTA RICA, LINK TO HER BLOG: http://smithcj1.blogspot.com/