Jesus invited all to receive comfort and care. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He showed care and compassion, along with love and acceptance, to the poor, to children, to widows and to all people in distress. At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus said, “the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD” (Luke 4:18-19).
Just like Jesus, Tommy and Poppi loves little children! Eighty-five percent of new believers would occur in the “4-14 Window” – a child’s ten year critical developmental period from age four to fourteen. Investment of our time, talent, treasury and trust in our children and youth will produce eternal lasting fruit for the Kingdom of Christ.
The Smiths have established outreaches to reach and serve needy children. Their vision is to break the cycle of poverty, thus providing “a future and a hope” for these children. Their ministry approach to children serves each child’s head (education), heart (spiritual formation) and stomach (physical wellness).
At ten locations weekly, Poppi’s Kitchen food outreach provide hot, nutritious, homemade meals to approximately six hundred needy urban slum and village children.
Every year, the Smiths provide “Christmas” to some two thousand underprivileged children through a series of Christmas Celebration outreaches. At these events, needy children hear about the gospel, receive prayer, enjoy dinner, and take home snacks and a present to remind them of the love of Jesus Christ.