I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.   Psalm 121.1

David Wayne & Carolyn Smith Aug 1963 - May 1970

Wayne Smith and Family - August 1963

Wayne Smith was born July 19, 1934 in Charleston, West Virginia. He married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn, after graduation. One month after the Supreme Court struck down the "separate but equal" doctrine Wayne was the first white person to reverse-integrate West Virginia State University. He graduated 4 years later with honors at the top of his class. He attended Union Theological seminary in Richmond, Virginia where he received his Masters of Divinity degree. Years later he would be awarded a Doctorate of Humanities from West Virginia State for his efforts towards world peace and understanding between peoples.

In November 1963 Wayne Smith and his family boarded the Delta Line ship "Del Norte", in New Orleans, LA, and began his journey as a Presbyterian missionary to Brazil. In 1964, while learning studying Portuguese in Campinas, he meet the Brazilian Roman Catholic Nuns known as the The Congregation of the Missionaries of Jesus the Crucified. They are a Brazilian order which was founded on May 3, 1928 in the city of Campinas, SP Brazil and one of their talents is using singing as an instrument to further their ministry. The had a popular album out in Portuguese in the early 1960's and Wayne Smith convinced them into producing an English version. The album, "When the Heart Sings" was created with Wayne and the "Singing Nuns" in English and Portuguese. Tantalizing Latin American rhythms were incorporated with lyrics of faith and devotion for the betterment of mankind. He believed that all Christians should know one another better, hoping that knowledge would overcome prejudices and fears which exist between so many who honestly love and seek to serve as best they can, the same Savior.

After learning Portuguese in Campinas he was assigned to a small town on the outskirts of Brasilia named Taguatinga. Here he assumed several churches that Paul Coblentz had planted. These churches were in Taguatinga, Braslandia, and Brasilia. As an evangelist, he preached and ministered to the congregations and worked towards increasing the number of members and establishing new churches. He was a part of the West Brazil mission of the Presbyterian church.

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Birthday Party - Susan Smith's 1st birthday party, Campinas 1964. also pictured - Jeri Harris and kids	The Smith's passport photograph. Taken in August 1963 shortly before departing for Brazil.	Elk Hills Presbyterian Church, WVa. This photograph was taken 2 weeks before departing for Brazil.	Missionarias De Jesus Crucificado - Campinas, Brazil
The Minister and The Nuns - English version	Brazilian Congress while under construction - 1964	1st Brazilian Presidential Prayer Lunch The President, Senators, Deputies, and Wayne Smith	President Artur Costa da Silva and Senator Guido Mondin at the presidential prayer lunch.
Wayne and kids in Campinas on "missionary row" 1964	Wayne and Carolyn with their Portuguese "Professora"	Itiquira Waterfalls Wayne led groups through the jungle to this waterfall north of Brasilia.	Wayne Smith 1995
The Smith's - 1999	Wayne with his grandson Lukas Wayne Smith - 2001

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In 1965 he moved into the capitol of Brasilia and started the "English Church of Brasilia". He also began teaching English as a language inside the Capitol building to senators and congressmen. It was at this time that Wayne became interested in developing Christian leadership by organizing Brazilian political, commercial and professional leaders into groups which met to discuss the relevancy of their faith to the world in which they lived. In 1967 Wayne Smith was instrumental in arranging the first Brazilian presidential prayer breakfast (lunch) along with the International Christian Leadership organization. Among those that attended were the President of the Republic Artur Costa Da Silva, senators Lauro Cruz and Guido Mondin, and deputado Levy Tavares.

Wayne continued his work in Brasilia with an emphasis on Christian leadership with the Brazilian congress until his return to the USA in May 1970. He was an associate pastor at North Avenue Presbyterian church from 1971 until 1975 and senior pastor at Decatur Presbyterian church from 1977 until 1978.

In 1977, while still at Decatur Presbyterian Church, he founded a citizens exchange program named The Friendship Force. President Jimmy Carter launched this organization in the Rose Garden and the First Lady, Rosalynn Carter, was the Honorary Chairperson for over 20 years. In 1992 the organization was nominated for a Nobel peace prize from Wayne's efforts at promoting friendship and world peace. Wayne retired from the Friendship force but continued leading groups on pilgrimages to various parts of the world that brought together peoples of different faiths and political points of view. He forged friendships with boxer Muhammad Ali, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and many others, including former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn.

Wayne passed away at age 69 on June 16, 2004. His entire family was with him during his missionary years in Brazil; wife Carolyn, his sons David, Stephen, Andrew and daughter Susan. He was an avid golfer and on his 55th birthday he shot his only "hole-in-one" while golfing with sons David and Andy. He had many favorite sayings but perhaps the one most often heard was "What you believe, you can achieve". Wayne believed and he achieved. He did so with a deep faith and trust in God.