Robert and Cirena Smith
ETHNOS 360 – PHILIPPINES
Robert and Cirena are PCC members sent to the Philippines in 2003. They have served in various roles on Palawan and in Manila. Recently they have been involved in providing security for missionaries in remote locations, caring for their spiritual needs, and providing leadership at Faith Academy, a nearby Christian school for children of missionaries. Like many foreign workers, they were caught this year either trying to leave the US for countries of service, or leaving those countries for scheduled home assignment…
For a while, we weren’t sure our pre-planned home-assignment would happen as scheduled. Back in February we purchased tickets in anticipation of our daughter graduating high school and starting college somewhere in the US. (She is presently at Grand Canyon University). And then the pandemic happened. Thankfully, though, we were surprised in June when we received an email from the airline confirming our departure in June, though we were somewhat apprehensive to leave at such a difficult time, especially knowing this would leave our co-workers shorthanded. However, one thing that we learned early on from this pandemic is that there was much we could do working from home. Looking ahead to 2021, beyond continuing to reconnect with our stateside friends, we also hope to attend leadership seminars offered by Ethnos 360 next year. These may include Peer-to-Peer Debrief training, assisting with training for future missionaries at the Ethnos360 Training Center, and participation in Enrichment 2021, all scheduled for 2020 but cancelled. While much is still unknown, our hope is to return to the Philippines by September. This would be an extended Home Assignment, allowed by Ethnos360 due to the pandemic.
Missionaries are trained to be flexible, yet nobody likes to live in the unknown. Pray that countries would experience a level of good health that would allow for careful travel to and from, for missionaries and others. And especially during this Christmas season, pray for those workers who labor in far-off countries for the sake of the Gospel, yet still experience homesickness for family, friends, and churches back home.