It is our distinct privilege to publicly honor our missionaries who have reached certain significant milestones in their ministry. During the 2024 May Fellowship meeting, the following were awarded:

30-year award

David and Tonya Liles (Peru)

David and Tonya Liles were approved as missionaries to Peru in 1994 and arrived in Lima in 1996. Both of them are second generation missionaries, children of BBFI Missionaries, Ken and Carrie Liles, and Oliver and Gloria Williams.

From the establishment and leadership of church plants and seminaries, spending countless hours teaching and counseling individuals and in marriage and family conferences, camps, and retreats, to producing and distributing resources to teachers and students, they would explicitly like to thank the Lord for having called them and used them to expand His Kingdom in Peru for the past 30 years, and for the pastors and churches who have placed their trust in them and faithfully supported the work. All that has been accomplished is only by God’s grace.

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50-year award

Lonnie Jr. and Martha Smith (Mexico)

Lonnie Jr. and Martha Smith were approved as Baptist Bible Fellowship missionaries to Mexico on May 1, 1974.

Even before graduating from Baptist Bible College, Lonnie Jr. (son of Lonnie Sr. and Margie who were also BBFI missionaries) and Martha Smith were assisting in church starts in Mexico through summer missionary intern programs. During their early years on the field as career missionaries, they participated in the distribution of 100,000 Bibles, saw hundreds of professions of faith and people surrender to ministry. Many churches have been started that have now started other churches, with their “Timothy’s” now preaching across Mexico and California.