A Letter from
Maria's Desk - November 2015
"Like father like son!"
This
was the first thing that came in my mind when I took the picture.
It was a lovely
sunny day outside. End of October and the sun still shining! We
were in the Tileagd Gypsy Village. All the children were
around him, around Jonny!!! They wanted to play, to run, to
have fun!
Nearly 7 years ago
the same "scenario" but different people, different location. All
the kids wanted to be around Mr Hoy, to play, to run, to
have fun. It was in Boga with the Tileagd kids, many of
whom are now married, in high school and in different places.
Looking at the
picture that I took last week and the one in 2008, I was saying to
myself: "o wow, that’s how we are with God!!"
That’s how we should be with God! Do we reflect Him in everything
we do? Like Father, like son (or daughter).
Personally
there are times when I do not do that. There are times when I’m
bad and I’m embarrassed of myself. My only hope is God’s grace and
I know that as long as I still have breath I can ask Him for
forgiveness and start again!
What about you?
How are you doing? I’m sure you are not perfect! But do you
reflect God in everything you do?
This past month
was a hard one. Lots of things on my ‘to do’ list and a lot of
them had serious deadlines! At times I was wandering ‘how will I
manage it’…….and I realised that I won’t! I can’t do anything
without Him!! So I had a choice: do I leave HIM to do as He Wills
or I try to take control of it!? Of course I let Him!
The October
month was a full month of mission trip people visiting us!
Always really nice and encouraging. As I say many times, I’m happy
when I have teams around because they do a lot of my work. If you
do not believe me, come to Romania and I will give you a lot to
do!
You
even can take my job! Well, for a day or two!
With all the
projects things were moving great. I would like to highlight a few
of the things that really stayed with me this past month and
impacted me!
Let’s
start with Tileagd. I know you say here we go again, but my
dear friend, I BELIEVE God has a purpose and a plan with this
place and it’s not done yet!!! The school year started great, but
a lot of pressures of all kinds: financial, time, spiritual and so
on. At one point I had Geta telling me, "Maria I can’t really do
it alone, it’s too much"…..So we had to find a plan fast, we had
to find people……and money!!! The good news is that I found people,
but I still do not find all the money to cover the cost of having
them!
With new laws
regarding the functioning of the nursery, the state asked us to
have a medical nurse. We could not afford one so we had to think
fast what is there we can to do. God gave us a special lady that
is coming 3 days per week for 2/3 hours at a minimal cost. Around
£80/$120 per month. We have her employed, but we took the decision
in faith! I’m sure that God will provide as He always does!
Maybe you could be His instrument this time.
The same we had to
do with the afterschool teacher. We looked for someone for
a while to come and help with the homework but not only that, with
the kids that are in 5th to 8th grade. A few
weeks ago, God sent us a person that is proving right for the
needs that we have!!!! I’m sure that the money will also come to
cover her cost. That is around £130/$195 per month!
And last but not
least, we asked God for someone to take care of the spiritual
needs of the kids in Tileagd…and God heard us. He send us Ligia,
even if our budgets can’t afford to have her full time we are
thankful to God for the 2/3 days a week that she is dedicated to
this project!
I will come with
more news about all this on my next report but you know what I
think? That the phrase that I use at the beginning of this report
‘LIKE FATHER LIKE SON’ is soooooooooo true in the work we do in
Tileagd!!! God is using people and it’s so amazing to see people
allow themselves to be used by God!!
Pray for everything there! We really need your prayers!
Then Salonta.
This past month was a very hard one for me concerning this
project. On 21st we had the Court Case and I honestly
tell you I was so nervous about it. Yes we do live in a corrupt
country and this is not something that we are proud of, but once
again I discovered that with MY GOD NOTHING is impossible.
He turns a trial into a triumph and I’m grateful that he chose us
to be a
part of it.
Thank you dear friends for having us in your prayers.
As far as the work is concerned it looks great!!!! I’m really
happy with everything that we achieved so far and I’m thankful to
ALL the people, no matter who they are that made this possible.
People who support us with money, time, prayers and, recently with
lots of practical work. ALL of you have an important role!
Then Rapa,
to see another dream become reality is really WOW. With God’s help
and many people around the world, we have managed to finish 2
houses and a third one is nearly done. The Hygiene Unit is all
done and operating. A place that once lived in darkness, now has
light! What a great testimony! I was shocked 3 weeks ago when I
had to take a mission team on a Sunday afternoon to visit Rapa. It
was so cold outside and really bad rain. While we were dressed up,
coming from a warm car, a young girl came to say hi to us in her
bare feet! I was speechless and so embarrassed. I had so many
layers of clothes, really good boots and she was without anything!
I do not want to even start imagining what it will look like in
the next few months with the bad weather. Please pray and
support us to be able to do the job needed.
Then Mierlau,
another project that is greatly needed. If you asked me 8
years ago if we needed an "abused shelter" in Smiles my immediate
answer would have been ‘No’. Today I’m shocked to see, hear and be
a part of the huge number of victims that are calling us for
help!! I think that this world is really up-side down and I really
think that God will come soon, but until He does, let us BE
LIKE HIM!!! BE LIKE OUR FATHER!!
I could go on
and on with many examples, updates and so on, but I need to stop
but not before I encourage you to BE THE LIGHT wherever you
are! Be like our heavenly Father. We do not know how long we
have on this earth! As I wrote this report, suddenly on the news
was a big headline about a nightclub in Bucharest that had a fire
and 30 people died and more than 170 injured! They went to party
and they ended up dead or injured. We all wake up in the morning
ok, but by night we do not know what is next. Only God does. So
let’s live our lives doing good realising we don’t know how long
we have.
And
living our lives well not only means to be a
good Christian on the theoretical side, but practically too. If
that means that we have to feed a family in Romania, or to sponsor
a kid to go to school, or a teacher to teach the kids, or a member
of Smiles staff to do the job, that’s great, do it!!!
Last Sunday
when Mr Hoy asked the kids in Tileagd "what are your needs for us
to pray for" one little kid, David is his name, raised his hand
and said, I’M HUNGRY, please pray for that!
So we can’t
just stay and be ok? I certainly can’t and I’m sure you can’t
either!
Thank you for
being God’s hands and feet in this world and especially for all
you do for my people in Romania.
THANK YOU
FOR BEING LIKE OUR FATHER!
Be blessed,
Maria
Maria Hava ,
Director of Operations, Romania
maria@thesmilesfoundation.org