About Us

Lincoln and Jenny Smith

Madison, Kyler, Kendi and Isabel

The Smiths

We were married on December 6, 1996. Lincoln has a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Colorado Christian University and he is a master electrician. Jenny graduated from Rockford Master’s Commission in 1994, and she now home schools our 4 children; Madison, Kyler, and Kendi and Isabel.

Our Calling

Jenny has felt a calling to work with children in crisis situations since she herself was just a child.  In 2005 our family made a decision to live intentionally with our lifestyle, ministry, purpose and resources.  We felt led of God to choose a lifestyle that was outside of the norm in order to make the greatest impact in our world. God clearly tells us in scripture to care for orphans in their time of need. (James 1:27)

South Africa 2006-2007

We were accepted as missionaries associates with the Assemblies of God World Missions and in early 2006 our family sold everything and moved to Rustenburg, South Africa to work at a children’s shelter. The shelter cares for at risk children who have been abandoned, lost their parents to the AIDS pandemic, or have been taken away from their parents due to abuse or neglect.

From 2006 to 2007 we helped run the shelter, doing everything from taking children to doctors appointments, to administrating adoptions, to construction and maintenance to running countless errands.

We were also involved in mercy ministries in the squatter camp of Freedom Park on the outskirts of Rustenburg. In Freedom Park we visited patients in the final stages of AIDS, bringing them food and water and praying with them.

In 2007 God closed some doors for us in South Africa and we knew for certain it was time for us to return to the US.  We loved our time working in South Africa and really fell in love with the shelter and the children. We truly felt like God was leading us away from there at that time, but we knew that we would always be involved with South Africa in one way or another.

Back in the US

When we returned to the states I (Lincoln) felt like God wanted us to work stateside to help support the children's shelter where we had worked and missions in general.  I went back to work as an electrician, figuring that I could just make a decent living and we would support missions with our own resources.

Over time we came to the realization that we needed to multiply our efforts. We knew that we could give a little bit of money to missions, or we could invest in a way that would allow others to get the vision and become personally involved in missions.

An Idea

I presented an idea to our pastors at Red Rocks Church.  I told them that we would pay for them to go to South Africa with me if they would be willing to bring back what they learned and present it to the church. Basically we wanted to foster a relationship between Red Rocks Church and the shelter.

In February 2009 we took that trip. They caught the vision more than we could have possibly hoped.

The first day I took the pastors to the squatter camp of Freedom Park where we took food to terminally ill AIDS patients and prayed with them. A few nights later we were all up at 2 in the morning, not able to sleep because of jet lag, talking about Freedom Park.

They told me that all three of them felt that God was leading them to send our family back to Africa.  They said that it was clear that I was made to be in South Africa. Which is cool, because that's exactly how I feel.

Back to South Africa - 2010 

We returned to South Africa in January of 2010.  Right now our primary focus is on a community called Phokeng.  We work hand in hand with the local YWAM missionaries that are involved in outreach to orphans living in child run homes in the town of Phokeng. This ministry involves providing food, housing, and life skills to children who have lost their parents to AIDS, and are currently raising themselves and their younger siblings. We also host teams and individuals from the U.S. that want to work with us in any area of our ministry.

 

The Whole Story

Some of you may want to know the story about why we are returning to South Africa. Well, it really all started when we left South Africa the first time. We loved our time there and really fell in love with the shelter and the children of South Africa. We truly felt like God was leading us away from there at that time, but we knew that we would always be involved with South Africa in one way or another.

When we returned to the states I (Lincoln) felt like God wanted us to work stateside to help support the Lighthouse Children's Shelter and missions in general. We pursued several options that would allow us to work with missions stateside, but nothing was a good fit. So, I went back to work as an electrician, figuring that I could just make a decent living and we would support missions with our own money.

Over time we came to the realization that we needed to multiply our efforts. We knew that we could give a little bit of money to missions, or we could invest in a way that would allow others to get the vision and become personally involved in missions.

So, I presented an idea to our pastors at Red Rocks Church. I told them that we would pay for them to go to South Africa with me if they would be willing to bring back what they learned and present it to the church. At that first meeting I was honest with them that I had an ulterior motive of getting them to support the shelter, either financially, or with regular missions trips. Basically I wanted to foster a relationship between Red Rocks Church and the shelter.

So, in February 2009 we took that trip. They caught the vision more than I could have possibly hoped.

The first day I took the pastors to the squatter camp of Freedom Park where we took food to terminally ill AIDS patients and prayed with them. A few nights later we were all up at 2 in the morning, not able to sleep because of jet lag, talking about Freedom Park. They told me that all three of them felt that God was leading them to send our family back to Africa. Pastor Shawn said that as they were in Freedom Park he kept thinking that he will never be able to help those people, but they can send our family to help them. They said that it was clear that I was made to be there in South Africa. Which is cool, because that's exactly how I feel. I enjoy my job as an electrician, but I don't feel like it is my purpose.

So, for now Red Rocks Church is going to do their best to support our family, but we will still be raising support for additional expenses and a ministry budget. If you would like to support us, send us an email (JennyLincoln@hotmail.com) letting us know you are interested and we'll contact you with where to send support.

Lincoln's Red Rocks Message

Lincoln recently spoke at our church, Red Rocks Church. Here is a link to his message. This link will take you to the sermons page, click on the word "Africa" on the menu on the right. The title of Lincoln's message is Lighthouse, click on the TV to view the message or click on the record to listen to it.

There are 2 other sermons in the "Africa" series on this page as well. These are from the 2 pastors that Lincoln took with him on his most recent trip to South Africa.

About Us

We were married in 1996. Lincoln has a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Colorado Christian University and he is a master electrician. Jenny graduated from Rockford Master’s Commission in 1994, and she now homeschools their children. We currently have 3 kids, Madison is 9, Kyler is 6, and Kendi is 2. Our fourth child is due in August.  (Since the writing of this post, Isabel was born on August 6th.)
 

In early 2006 we moved our family to Rustenburg, South Africa to work at the Lighthouse Children’s Shelter. The Shelter cares for at risk children who have either lost their parents to the AIDS pandemic, or have been taken away from their parents due to abuse or neglect. From 2006 to 2007 we helped run the shelter, doing everything from taking children to doctors appointments, to administrating adoptions, to construction and maintenance.

We were also involved in mercy ministries in the squatter camp of Freedom Park on the outskirts of Rustenburg. In Freedom Park we visited patients in the final stages of AIDS, bringing them food and water and praying with them.

When we return in January 2010, we will continue to work at the shelter and will be focusing on the following areas of ministry. We will continue with mercy ministries and discipleship at Freedom Park. We will work hand in hand with the local YWAM missionaries that are involved in outreach to child run homes in the town of Phokeng. This ministry will involve providing food, housing, and life skills to children who have lost their parents to AIDS, and are currently raising themselves and their younger siblings. We will also host teams and individuals from the U.S. that want to work with us in any of the areas of our ministry.