A Haven in Northern Ireland...

Christie Smith
Nov 18
3 min read

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10

Grateful. That’s what I feel as I look back on this retreat. I arrived with open hands, unsure how God would use me. Yet, as always, He proved Himself faithful. His blessings were abundant, and His work was unmistakable. I truly could not be more grateful for all He did.

It was such a gift to meet missionary women from around the world—sisters from South Korea, Britain, Brazil, Israel, the U.S., and many other nations. They serve in places like Turkey, Austria, Belgium, the U.K., Ukraine, Jordan, Spain, Croatia, Romania, North Africa, Scotland, France, Georgia, Hungary, Haiti, Ethiopia, Italy, and Northern Ireland with many different organizations. Seeing how God weaves together so many cultures and backgrounds to reach people in unique ways reminds me that His creativity knows no borders.

What struck me most was the honesty among the women. Though many of these women had never met, walls fell quickly. They listened, shared, and supported one another with a depth that felt like a true gift.

As a spiritual director, I met with seven women one-on-one, listening to both their joys and the places where life felt heavy. Together, we looked for the quiet ways God was moving in their stories, and I prayed that anything I shared would reflect His wisdom, not my own. Many were longing to see where He was in the midst of their pain—whether a woman unsure if she could afford to stay in the country where she believed God had called her, another facing the confusion of her husband’s request for a divorce, or a mother worried about caring for her child who may have schizophrenia. My hope is that each woman left knowing that God is walking beside her every step. For we are His handiwork, even when we can’t make sense of the hardships we face (Ephesians 2:10).

------------

After such a powerful trip, I find myself longing to see God move through more retreats like this. I’m especially praying to attend Azmera’s upcoming Haven Retreat in Senegal on February 7th, where a woman from my home church, Fellowship Denver Church, serves as a missionary and hopes to be there. It feels like such a God-given connection.

Alongside my love for missionaries, I also feel a strong calling to support individuals living with disabilities. I’m part of a small group seeking God’s presence in life-altering challenges, with women who have spinal cord injuries and another, like me, with a traumatic brain injury. My heart longs to serve this community more deeply, and the group leader and I have even begun discussing the possibility of hosting a retreat in the future.

------------

Invitation. With both callings—supporting missionaries and serving those with disabilities—I sense God leading me to pursue this ministry full-time.

So, I’m inviting you to partner with me. Together, we can strengthen missionaries around the world and remind those living with disabilities that Christ’s love for them is unwavering. I would be honored to have you join me in this ministry.

To partner with me, visit paraclete.net/associate/christie-smith and click Donate. Whether you give ongoing support or a one-time gift, I’m deeply grateful. I look forward to seeing how God works through this ministry.

If you prefer to mail a donation:

Paraclete Mission Group

PO Box 2091Houston, TX 77252-2091

Please write my name at the bottom of the check so the funds are directed correctly.

------------

Below are the pictures I took while on the trip...

Castlewellan Castle (where we stayed), and Castlewellan/Newcastle (nearby towns)