The Smiles Foundation, The Salard Community

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Leeds, England registered UK Charity No.1087961
Kingsport, USA charitable non-profit # 86-0957704
Oradea, Romania registered Charity No.14839712

...making smiles in Romania

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Salard Community – Past, Present & Future

As many of you will know, the Salard Community Project has been mainly about housing, or at least this was our priority focus in 2009. In many ways, it still is, as many people there are still in need for a better shelter, but we did help those who were in the greatest need. In 2010 we intend to get even closer to them but developing a stronger relationship and find ways to help them to start helping themselves, in small things at first and then with more important areas.

We started the New Year with a new agreement with the local authorities. We found the Mayor Office very open to our ideas and we are happy to have them on our side when trying to improve something in the village. Obviously, having some support from the authorities should make our work more successful or at least opens up the possibilities for the future. We agreed with the Mayor’s social worker upon a list of people that are in most need. On this list of 20 people, there are those on the street we already help and some more that are in need for help with food, medicine, social assistance for getting personal documents done and so on.

The challenges we face now are certainly great and varied. We have covered the essential basic needs for many - shelter and food. Now we want to move on and try to work together with them for deeper change and that happens only after years of friendship, mentoring, advice and love. It’s a real challenge, because none of us really can tell what will happen in time. But for sure the Salard Community needs our help but as in all our projects, Smiles doesn’t want only to ‘feed them fish’, but rather ‘teach them how to fish’!

Yesterday, I took a visit to some of the families, especially those I didn’t know so well. Some of them have an urgent need for medical help. There is a lady having a big osteoma to her head and needs an operation. Another family needs long term support for their little girl who is epileptic and also has glaucoma to both eyes. Another man has serious problems with stomach and intestines. They all lack the basic means to keep clean and maintain their living place in a proper condition. I see with my own eyes how great their needs are, but most of all, they need to see the benefits of doing the right thing, having correct priorities, listening to advice and working for their own improvement.

The social worker from the Mayor Office went with me across the village. She is a nice lady, a good professional that tries to solve as many problems as she can and she’s very happy to help us to help their people. I find her open attitude very encouraging and I think the future will bring good progress.

“We want to develop the Salard Community to a more normal environment.” This statement may sound strange, but those who have visited will understand what I mean. The normality is pretty much the ultimate result we can aim for and we are confident that our efforts will eventually make a difference. We just don’t know how soon that will be. At the same time, knowing how surprising God is sometimes, we hope for the best results at all times and it could happen much sooner than we think! Please do pray for us and for the Salard people.

Please support the project, as everything we want to achieve there needs support and join with us in trying to bring their life to what life should indeed be.

Thank you!

Adi Matis Project Manager Smiles 100 Love Club

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    Page last updated on 22/03/2010 02:48:09 PM
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