About the Smiths
Place of Birth:
Luther: Portsmouth, VA November 9, 1948
Martha: Newport News, VA September 17, 1953
Childhood:
Luther: Lived in Portsmouth, VA, until 1967 when he started attending Baptist Bible College.
Martha: At age of 4, moved to Portsmouth, VA, and lived there until marriage in 1971.
Anniversary: August 29, 1971
Education:
Luther:
1967: Graduated from Deep Creek High School in Chesapeake, VA
1967-70: Graduated from Baptist Bible College—Missions
1970-73: Mission Intern at Broadway Baptist Church, Hopewell, VA
1973-77: Graduated from Baptist Bible College—B.A. Degree in Theology and 3 years of Elementary
Education
Martha:
1971: Graduated from Woodrow Wilson High, Portsmouth, VA
1973-77: Graduated from Baptist Bible College—Missions and 3 years of Elementary
Education
Conversion and Surrender to Missions:
Luther: I was raised in a Christian home and was brought up in the church. At the age of 8, I was saved in my home. I was greatly burdened for missions through various missionaries coming to our church, Central Baptist, in Portsmouth, VA, Rev. U.G. Robertson, pastor. I was burdened for the field of Papua New Guinea through my roommate, Mike Moseley, a missionary kid fresh from the field, while attending Baptist Bible College. By the time of graduation in 1970, I surrendered my life to the field of Papua New Guinea.
Martha: I was saved at the age of 12 at Central Baptist Church, Portsmouth, VA, Rev. U.G. Robertson, pastor. This was the first time to hear the Gospel story and to hear that Jesus loved me and had died for me. As a teenager I surrendered to full time service of any kind. After meeting Luther in 1970, I realized that I was willing to go to the mission field of Papua New Guinea with him as his help meet. We were married on August 29, 1971.
Arrival in Papua New Guinea: February, 1980
Children:
Joanna Elizabeth July 26, 1977 Springfield, MO
Paul Wesley April 4, 1982 Lae, Papua New Guinea
Luke Andrew August 25, 1983 Portsmouth, VA
All of our children grew up on the mission field but are now married with families of their own. Joanna, Paul and Luke reside in NC. We have 10 grandchildren.