Sylvia
(Cottingham) and Richard (Renwick) Smyth
Sylvia
was born in Dillon, South Carolina, but spent her early years in
Charlotte and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She started high
school in Ithaca, New York, but finished it in Heidelberg,
Germany, where her father was in the military. She received a
diploma in the Opera Studio there and was in the Special Services
Theater group. She received her B.S. in design from Cornell
University College of Human Ecology, and her MA (summa cum laude)
from Michigan State University.
Richard was born in Trenton, New Jersey and spent his childhood and youth in different New Jersey towns where his father was a pastor. He obtained his BA from Brothers College of Drew University, where he majored in English Literature. He received his MA and Ph.D. from Cornell University in drama and theater. He was the director of the University Theater, where he met Sylvia, whom he married in 1961 when she graduated. He was in New York working in the theater, but then he went to the New Brunswick Theological Seminary, where he obtained a M.Div. with honors. Sylvia became a certified social case worker and worked for the state of New Jersey, and Richard had a three-point church circuit while he was in the seminary. When he graduated, they went through Missionary Orientation at Stony Point, New York.
Bishop Reed commissioned them in a special service in Birmingham, Michigan in 1963, and they sailed for India January 6, 1964. They were probably some of the last missionaries to arrive before India stopped accepting missionaries. A book could be written about their work in India. Richard was the pastor of Centenary Methodist Church in New Delhi (1964-1984), the editor of the Methodist Church's newspaper (1972-1981), Director of National Leadership Training for the Methodist Church in India (1968-1972), a member of the Board of Governors or Executive Committee of the following: Leonard Theological Seminary (1965-1971), Ingraham Institute (1968-1975), and NIRPHAD (a society for promoting integrated projects for rural development) (1979-1997). He was founder and director of the Delhi Christian Chorus, member of the Executive Committee and Concerts Committee chairperson of the Delhi Music Society, member of the Executive Committee of the Delhi Symphony Society, a member of Delhi Regional Christian Council (President 1972-1975), a Professor of Preaching at a Jesuit theological seminary (1968-1973), and Director of Human Resources Development of the Asia/Pacific Region of the United Bible Societies from 1984.
Meanwhile Sylvia was also very busy as a member of the Delhi Regional Conference of Women's Work, vice president. She was vice president of all-India WSCS (1972-76), director of training programs for all-India Methodist women's work and ecumenical associations (1968-1972), and the superintendent of Rokeby, a residence for mission workers. She was a consultant for SAMADHAN, a volunteer agency giving support for the mentally disabled and their families. She established its program called "ARTS" (Art, Recreation, Theater and Song). She was a speaker for the Asian Association for the Mentally Handicapped, Consultant and Workshop Presenter for the Near East/South Asia Association of International Schools, consultant to the Government of India to develop curriculum integrating the mentally disabled into the national educational system, a member of the Executive Board of MESH (a volunteer organization providing marketing services for rural and urban development of vocational and craft industries). In 1980 they asked that she establish the Department of Voice Production at the Delhi School of Music and she headed that until departing in 1997. Sylvia was a member of the Delhi Christian Chorus, a member and secretary of the Women's International Club of New Delhi, and member and vice president of the American Women's Club of New Delhi.
With
all this it is difficult to understand how they were able and
brave enough to adopt five children (brothers and sisters). The
children's mother died at childbirth, and the father six months
later. The father willed the children to the church. It was four
years later when the Smyths received the five children who had
all been in different orphanages meantime. They are all now well
educated and married, each having two children, so the Smyths
have ten grandchildren, all living in New Delhi, India. The
Smyths retired as missionaries June 1, 1998, having returned to
the States in June 1997. They were living in Seminole, Florida,
and arrived as residents at Brooks-Howell Home March 16, 1999. We
welcome such pleasant and talented people.