A Letter from Maria's Desk...
"HELP
is on the way!!!"
Are
there times when you wonder
WHERE IS GOD?
You wonder if HE sees your problems, if HE sees you struggling?
This past month there were many times when I did!
September 2013 for me, was a month that I will never forget!
It started
AMAZINGLY!!!
I experienced what many people experience when they go on a
mission trip. For me, it was the first one to be on in another
country. My joy was bigger because I had Cornel with me. I saw
places that I had only seen on TV or in pictures. I met amazing
people that will always be in my heart! One such example is a man
we called
Mike (his
African name was a little more complicated! ).
His servant heart, his
attitude and his personality were all a great lesson for me.
A true man
of God. I pray that one day I will go back, but until then I’m
thankful to God that He gives me the opportunity to serve HIM in
this part of the World – ROMANIA!
On my way back to Romania I received a phone call -
Maria, our grandmother
died!!!! A
sad moment! Sad that I will not see her on this earth ever again,
but happy that one day I will see her in heaven! So, because God
heard my prayers (I wanted to be in the country for her funeral) I
drove immediately from the airport having returned from Africa,
all the way to Susca, so as to be together with my family! I was
really happy that I could see my sister too and this was the first
time since she left Romania that we could be ALL in the same
place!
Please
continue to pray for my family and thank you soooo much for all
the encouragement that you give me.
Coming back to Oradea, the pressures of the 2 weeks away started
to appear one by one. I’m thankful to God that HE kept Smiles in
one piece, and I’m also thankful to my colleagues Adi, Simona
and Corina as well as Dave Clark and many, many others who did a
great job. WELL DONE GUYS!!!
On my first day back, I had to run in order to be present at the
opening of the
new school academic
year in Tileagd.
I am over the moon that this was possible! God’s grace and
goodness gave us another year. After a lot of work, lots of
meetings, lots of frustrations, arguments and pressure, lots of
budget cuts, the State took our teachers under their
responsibility. For Smiles, this means a new beginning. A new
structure, new people, new programs. Indeed a very challenging
time, but if I’m honest with you, at the same time, very exciting!
Sadly, some of the people are no longer with us.
Lady Clara Ungureanu
is one of
them. I am thankful to God for everything that she did for us
these past nine years.
Geta Maghiar,
took the role of administrating the facility and activities,
making sure day to day things are well covered. Geta has worked
with us in Smiles from day one, opening day of the first school on
September 15th 2003. This year was her 10th
anniversary and I am so proud to have her around!
So you might wonder what is now going on in Tileagd? Well, LOTS OF
THINGS!!!!
Having the pressure off from budget with the teachers now paid by
the State, does not means that everything is perfect for us! Even
though the State agreed that the kids can stay in the Smiles
Community Complex, we The Smiles Foundation, have to cover all the
expenses with the heating, electricity, security, cleaning and
admin staff.
Of course, all of this
cost money! So I ask and encourage you to NOT GIVE UP in
supporting the Tileagd project!!
I’m really happy for this new beginning!
I have lots
of dreams and hopes for the future. I really think that with GOD’S
HELP and with your support, things in Tileagd will be different.
Now we are focused on the
after school programme
with the kids
– and I really dream of changing some of the class rooms – 3 of
them – into a more friendly environment. They have their Bible
studies and their youth clubs.
So I would love to
have the room equipped
with sofa, TV, games,
making a great place where the kids will love to spend their time.
To do this will cost us around £1000 ($1,500). Not too much for
such a difference. If you can help, please let me know.
Because we need to feed the children –
I also dream of having
the food cost covered month by month.
It was sad for me during the summer to see the kids not having
proper food. Now I’m happy that they are back in school, so able
to get good food every day. I can’t believe that so close to me
there are people that most days have no food to eat! It breaks my
heart!! So if you would like to help me feed the 100+ kids that
are coming day by day to School and the After-School program -
PLEASE DO SO! It cost me only £3 ($4.50) per week to feed one
child!
Because we need to have a passenger van in Tileagd for the
different activities, I dream of having a minibus! We used to have
one but due to the budget cuts we had to give it up. Now we have a
borrowed one... so it is not ours! We borrowed it from the Family
Care Project! But, if we have £2,500 ($3,750) we would be able to
buy a second
hand vehicle that is only for the Tileagd project!
Because we need to teach the children the importance of God and
how to be good people in this world, we need STAFF! It breaks my
heart that for the last 3 years I did not manage to do any salary
increase for the staff in Tileagd. They do not receive a huge
salary and yet they remained loyal. I really believe in miracles
and I really believe that with God’s help, hopefully by December,
I can be in the position that I can do this! If you want to help
and sponsor, be assured ANY amount is welcome. Just send your gift
of support for the Tileagd Project.
If you want to
designate to Food, Staff, Vehicle –then simply state that with
your gift. I will be so thankful and so will all the children of
Tileagd.
I’m happy about Tileagd and I believe in this NEW BEGINNING.
I can’t wait
to have you visiting this place and let me know what you feel!
Soooooo I’M WAITING FOR YOU! If you want to write to me with your
thoughts and support, please do:
maria@thesmilesfoundation.org
You might wonder if I do anything else besides Tileagd? Well I do!
Salonta and
the JFL
project takes a lot of my time and energy. But the good news is
that the first
phase is nearly done! I’m thankful to God for this
and indeed every time when I did not know where to go, which
direction, God s help was on the way!
On October 1st
we have the state team coming to do the inspection at JFL! Please
pray for us and a positive result.
So I’m off to Salonta now!
But not before
I tell you dear friend to not forget that GOD’S
HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!
ALL THE TIME! Just ask for it! I remember when I was a kid, my dad
often told me that "God has a phone number too! You just need to
dial the number and talk to Him because He is never busy"! So
I used to pick up the phone and dial 5015. (Psalm 50 verse 15)
I pray that you will do the same! Until the next update I leave
you with the song that I started the report this month-
Help is on
the way by Michael W. Smith
Maria
Maria Hava
,
Director of Operations, Romania
