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A "NORTHERN
LIGHTS" MAGAZINE ARTICLE
(from Issue #503)
Keeping the
Neighbours Curious
 One
night there's a large touring bus from Colorado parked in front of their
bungalow, the next day a van from Manitoba in their driveway. Recently
there's been a Jeep with Maryland license plates.
 Since
1988, when Roy & Betty Smith moved to their home in the west end of
the city of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, they've served as NCEM
Headquarters hosts, with their basement suite as the Mission's official
"guest house."
The list of who overnights
there and their reasons is long. They've averaged over 400 overnight
visits a year for 20 years -- made by over 1,100 individuals.
Among them are regulars --
missionaries in for dental, medical and shopping. There are also new
missionary applicants at Headquarters for interviews ... short-term
outreach teams on their way north ... Key-Way-Tin Bible Institute students
passing through ... construction teams working on Headquarters' facilities
... Tribal Trails (TV) program guests ... Mission Board members and field
directors in for meetings ... "and sometimes just 'a friend of a
friend' needing a place to stay," add Roy and Betty.
The hours can be very
irregular, with guests arriving any time of day or night -- with more or
less people than predicted. It involves a lot of behind-the-scenes tasks
for the Smiths: keeping the cupboards and fridge stocked, cooking,
cleaning, and arranging meals and accommodations in other staff homes for
guests staying several days.
It's practical work, but it's
a spiritual ministry, too. The Smiths welcome guests, not just to the
guest suite, but into their own home as well, accommodating overflow
guests upstairs, and always taking time to visit around the supper or
breakfast table, and in their living room.
"Just hearing
missionaries tell of people being saved on their stations and growing in
the Lord is a big enough blessing," say Roy and Betty. "And many
of our First Nations guests have encouraged us, too."
Managing the guest house
certainly isn't all the Smiths do. Roy served as NCEM Secretary-Treasurer
for 14 years and, though both of them are now officially retirement age,
he continues to work at the Headquarters Office every morning. Betty works
at least once a week at the mail/receipting desk. Office cleaning is
another behind-the-scenes task they've faithfully done in past years.
And right in their
neighbourhood they've found opportunities to serve, too, lending a hand,
sharing their faith, praying and counselling ... and, when asked, trying
to explain the many vehicles from far away places in their driveway.
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