This is a story of God’s calling and leadership. The story of dreams being lived by the grace of our God, in the everyday life of quite ordinary people.
By Darrell and Kay Smith

BACKGROUND

The Gospel Vision Foundation began as a dream in the early to mid-1970s. Both of us were saved as children and had for the most part been active in church all of our married lives.

But in 1968 God began a work in our lives, that is still, a work in progress.

I was thirty-one in 1968 and as a Pharmacist, working with my wife as book-keeper, had a very successful five store chain of Pharmacies. The long hours it took to build my dream had been at the expense of church and worship. But God was preparing to change all of that.

As a result of God’s changes, both Kay and I had a new focus for our lives. It had taken a dramatic whirlwind of revelations by God, and decisions by us, to bring us to the point of being willing to follow Jesus in becoming fishers of men- at whatever the personal cost. However, the price seemed cheap as we swam in the ocean of His matchless grace.

The Gospel Vision Foundation was formally established in 1995. The formalization was done simply to provide a vehicle to carry out the work which Kay and I had been doing for years, in a more effective and hopefully on a much larger scale.

HOW IT BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE

In early 1970 we started an evangelistic
outreach in San Angelo using the name GOSCO, (Gods Company). We did not apply for any special tax privileges, since the scope and budget was very small we simply funded it ourselves.

We put a free Christian book center in Lakeview Drugs, our only remaining Pharmacy. We gave books to all who would agree to read them. We also began to give Gospel tracts to all who would take them, and included one in every letter or statement we mailed.

It was exciting to watch God change people and as we grew in grace, so did the opportunities.

We started a college and career ministry which grew rapidly as God drew young people to him. Many of these are in full time Christian work today.

Then the need for a Singles Sunday School Department was recognized and Kay and I began another adventure in seeing lives changed by God.

As a Deacon, Sunday School teacher and a Gideon, the opportunities for preaching increased.

THE DOOR TO FOREIGN MISSIONS OPENS

In 1981 Dr. Jerold McBride, our pastor, asked me to be a part of an evangelist mission to Brazil. For Kay and I this was the first of several such trips to Brazil. It was also the beginning of a new and much broader vision of the opportunities to share Christ that lay open before us.

In 1982 Kay and I bought one church building in Fortaleza, Brazil. We have helped financially in the building of several others in Brazil and Mexico.

These opportunities along with the overwhelming need of the people, cause us to consider what might be done-if---.

On subsequent missions to Fortaleza, Campinas, and Rio, Brazil, we saw children from 3 years of age up, living in the streets, and actually sleeping between parked cars.

They had no help and no hope.

It was on a return flight from Rio, having just witnessed again the need, and wondering how to help, I found myself seated next to a Mennonite farmer from south of Brasilia. He began to tell me of the fertile and inexpensive lands available there.

That man was not seated across the aisle from be by accident.

In talking to him on the 8 hour flight the thought first came to me that if land could be acquired in the interior which would produce food and cash crops, then the children from the streets of Rio and their parents could be offered an alternative life.

I began to talk with the pastors and people in Brazil to see if this was in fact a workable plan. Their suggestions all centered around an agricultural base which offered housing and Christian training as well a vocational training for both children and the adult members of their family. It should be established as an interdenominational Christian setting.

The initial funding would have to be provided by some outside group, but the working organization will be totally made up of Brazilian nationals, and hopefully the work would be self-supporting after a few years.

Then, about 2 years or so later, there was news coverage on CNN showing the bodies of several children from about 8 years of age up to early teens. They had been executed by killers hired by some of the merchants in Rio to keep them from begging or stealing from the tourists. This convicted me once again of the need for the type Christian farm and vocational schools that we envision.

We wish we could tell you that the Mission Farm program was well underway.

We wish we could show you picture of rescued children and families.

But we can’t.

However, we can still show you pictures of the great needs.

And these needs were one of the catalyst that God used to cause Kay and I to begin to think of ways we could truly make a difference by serving God in areas we had never before dreamed of.

This is still one of our primary goals. ( see mission statement )

We are a small organization with big dreams. God has been so gracious in allowing us to have a part in global missions.

Our prayer and our honest belief is that God will draw others to this volunteer ministry.

And in so doing will allow The Gospel Vision Foundation to reach those goals He has placed in our hearts.

THE BUSINESS MEN’S BIBLE CLASS

In August of 1988 God opened another door of service.

I was asked to become the teacher of The Business Men’s Bible Class.

The class is an interdenominational worship service. It is also the oldest continuous religious broadcast in Texas. It has been aired over a KGKL radio since 1932. With average attendance of 100 people and a wide area coverage of West Texas, the BMBC has a tremendous ministry.

God’s call to this ministry was a major step, that has since led to my ordination into the Ministry of The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The loving men and women of BMBC have truly been one

of God’s greatest blessing and source of encouragement to Kay and I over these years.

WE HAD BEEN SHARING CHRIST WITH SOME OF THE WORLD – THEN THE DOOR TO RUSSIA OPENED!

In 1992 we made our first trip to Kerch, Ukraine. The former Soviet Union had begun to disintegrate in 1990 and now the doors of opportunity swung wide open.

KERCH IS A CITY OF 150,000 IN THE CRIMEA AREA OF UKRAINE

In 1991 DR Taylor Henley asked me to serve as one of the founding directors of Missions Our Mission. I served with Dr. Taylor Henley and his wife Eva in this capacity until Taylor’s death in 2000.

Since 1991 Missions our Mission has conducted many evangelistic missions in Ukraine. Recorded professions of faith in Christ exceed 100,000 during that period. In addition we have been instrumental in humanitarian shipments of aid and the construction of 30 new churches and buildings in the Crimean area.

Our first mission to Ukraine led Kay and I to the city of Kerch, located on the far eastern end of the Crimean peninsula. Kerch is a city of about 150,000 people. Upon returning to the USA we sent a container of food goods to the people there in an attempt to help the church people.

The project met with moderate success and both we and the people of the church in Kerch, learned invaluable lessons in international shipments.

In 1992 we met Pavel, an oncologist in Kerch. He is now head of the Oncology department for that region. Over the years we have become good friends with this caring Doctor. I met with him again in July of 1999. In discussing with him the Gospel Vision Foundation, he again pled with me to try and obtain chemotherapy medications for him. He gave me a list of those most needed.

SO MANY DIE FROM LACK OF MEDICATIONS

I visited the hospital and made rounds with Pavel on several different occasions over the years. Often as we would leave a room he would comment that patient x would most likely live if he could only obtain some Onchovin, or patient Y would respond to 5-FU. When asked what was the prognosis without the medications, he spoke in terms of months.

As a pharmacist I believed that with a tax-exempt organization, much needed medications can be obtained either as donations or at a greatly discounted price. I promised God, Pavel, and myself that I will do all that I possibly do to get the medication for the people.

THUS ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE GOSPEL VISION FOUNDATION IS TO SUPPLY MEDICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL GOODS TO UKRAINE. (see Mission Statement)

Valerii Sideronko, a local bank president in Kerch, with whom we had become friends, spoke with me about a program to help strengthen the Christian community economically.

His concerns for his countrymen was truly touching.

Since this is one of the things I feel it very necessary to do,

I agreed with the need, then listened.

He said that he would like to see some business started which met the following criteria:

1- Low capital requirement

2- Fast return of original investment

3- Low tech ( or as he put it, one which does not require a rocket scientist to run)

4- Meets a real need of the people

5- Can be easily duplicated in other areas.

GIVE A MAN A FISH AND YOU FEED HIM FOR A DAY.  TEACH HIM TO FISH AND YOU FEED HIM, AND OTHERS, FOR A LIFETIME.

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TRAINING FUTURE LEADERS

A few days later I spoke with several of the city officials, to reacquaint them with the purpose of our being there. I mentioned that Igor and Michael, young pastors in the area, want to start a Christian training center for the whole area.

We discussed the possibility of classes on the Bible as well as some limited vocational training in computers and commerce.

The mayor asked me that if we were willing to teach English and basic capitalistic economic principals too. I agreed that would be a great help for the people.

The mayor then responded that if we do, the city will furnish the building in a downtown central area, and he would personally see to it that any red tape would be cut.

I believe that if businessmen retired or otherwise, would volunteer to spend two weeks to a month or more teaching various aspects of business principals we can accomplish this goal.

THAT IS HOW TEACHING PEOPLE TO FISH BECAME A GOAL OF THE GOSPEL VISION FOUNDATION.

Igor Verstak, the unpaid pastor of the church in Kerch works 12 to 15 hours a day as an automobile mechanic in order to provide his family a meager living.

Michael Kulikov, also a pastor and music leader works as a carpenter to provide for his family. Both men work so many hours that it is impossible for them to minister in the church.

I had known both of these men well and worked with them. When I mentioned to them the possibility of being able to supply some funds to help them, each one told me privately to give the money to the other one, that he was the most deserving and could do more for the Lord.

IT BECAME APPARENT THAT SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PASTORS WAS A MUST IF THEY WERE TO BE ABLE TO MINISTER PROPERLY.

In 1997 we broke our budget and hired these, our first two pastors, to work for The Gospel Vision Foundation, in full time ministry to the church.

Since that time our staff of pastors has grown to 13( as of January 2000).

This ministry of evangelism and enablement is currently utilizing most of the cash resources of the Foundation.

However the results of the work of these dedicated men is helping to change the lives of thousands of people.

WWW.GOSPELVISION.ORG

As we began to plan for the year 2000 and beyond it became clear that the Internet presents the greatest opportunity of my lifetime, to reach the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

In October 1999 the idea was conceptualized.

What you see now is an ongoing evolution of ideas, and programs to strengthen and encourage Christians as well as a vehicle to reach the world for Christ.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ ABOUT OUR HISTORY.

WOULD YOU PLEASE PRAY ABOUT WHAT THE LORD WOULD HAVE YOU DO TOWARD HELPING US WRITE, AS PAUL HARVEY WOULD SAY.... ‘THE REST OF THE STORY.’