Missionary Information

The Cooperative Republic of Guyana, about the size of Idaho, lies on the northern coast of South America, sandwiched between Venezuela on the west and Suriname on the east. Brazil is Guyana’s southern neighbor. Tropical forests cover 80% of Guyana. An extensive network of north-south rivers drains Guyana’s highlands and flows to the sea. Politically, Guyana is the only nation state of the Commonwealth of Nations on the mainland of South America. Culturally, Guyana is Caribbean rather than Latin American, and it is considered part of the West Indies. The United Pentecostal Church of Guyana began as a mission of the UPC of Jamaica in 1976 with the appointment of Devon Dawson. It came under the auspices of the UPCI in 1982. It has 1,396 constituents, 15 churches and preaching points, and 26 licensed national ministers.

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Bio: Steve and Cheri Smith were pastoring in Illinois when they felt God’s call to serve in Guyana, South America. They served first as AIMers for a year and a half before receiving their appointment as full-time missionaries in 2002. Presently they have been working in Guyana for the past six years between AIM service, deputation, and are now into their second year of this term. Smith serves as the superintendent of the work and as the Bible school president. He and his wife both teach in the Bible school. She serves as the national Sunday School director, and they pastor two churches, including the headquarters church in the capital city of Georgetown. Their three children Alexia, Steven, and Cameron, are all involved in the work and enjoy serving the Lord in Guyana. He states, “We’re so blessed to be missionaries in beautiful Guyana, the ‘Land of Many Waters’.”