A 'Quiet' Month
From
Maria’s Desk … September 2009
Yes,
surprisingly this is how I feel September was for me! Each of us no
doubt has moments like this in our lives when we stop from the
busyness of it and “hide” in a place where no one can see us – except
God!! That’s the place where you can cry loud without anyone asking
you why!! The place where you can laugh, shout, argue, confess ALL
your problems, worries without being judged! So, how was my quiet
month in the Smiles Foundation??? I tell you now…
September
started for me with the Kids Choir in the UK…The School Tour!!
A busy time and yet somehow, we had time to do fun things! Mr Hoy
seems very good at arranging these times on all our tours!
We had concerts in places that we had never been before and all the
people there made us feel very welcome! On our last day, we had a
concert back in the same place where we started, in Gorsley. We
had a great time seeing again lots of our friends!
I remember that day Mr Hoy did not feel good at all and before the
concert he said to me: “you have to do tonight part of my talk as
well”…I was nervous and could not understand why I’m in that
situation, but at that moment I could not do much as it was too late
with just 15 minutes before the concert started! But there was thing I
could do…I tried to find a quiet place where I needed to pray and give
to God all my worries and the Concert for that evening!!
Results??
Were great!
After
the concert, we travelled to Heathrow and the next day we were to fly
back to Romania. September 14, we had to say bye to Mr Hoy at the
airport in London…A sad moment for all of us! After 5 months spending
time together, (all summer on Mission Trips and then the Tour) we felt
like “our dad” was living us alone!! So, after he left we had to find
a place,.. a quiet place where we could cry! Terminal 5 at Heathrow
Airport is not the best place to find a quiet place, but we did!!
September 15, we
started the new academic school year! Lots of new things ahead, new
challenges, and a new beginning! I was happy to see my little friends
sooo excited about being “adults”. I remember when I started my first
grade, mum had to come with me and carry my bag….because it was too
big for me! :) . Adi Matis our 100 Love Club project manager was there
on the first day of school and he asked all the kids, teachers and
parents to have a quiet time, where they prayed for God’s blessings
upon them!
September
16, I had a great day, when I spend time with the girls from my
“Princess Club”!! We found a quiet place, where we asked God for His
guidance, protection, wisdom and blessing upon us and our friends and
family! Because of a busy summer, I did not see them all as a group,
and I was sooo pleased to see the way God is working in their lives! I
have dreams and hopes for each of them! Dana Zaharia (Smiles Nurse)
has hopes and dreams for them too, and together we try to help the
girls to get closer and closer to God! Please pray for us, and if you
have it on your heart to help this program, here is our
“Princess Wish
List”.
Cosmetic Pack (nail
varnish, spray, body cream, makeup) £8
Hygiene Pack (deodorant, shower gel, body cream, make up) £10
Clothes (new or almost new, for girls aged 11-18 years for winter)
£25
Shoes (from sizes 3 to 8 for winter) £15
Party Decorations (balloons, plates, dresses, tablecloth etc) £10
Tileagd Princess
& Angels Club is
part of the Smiles 400 Faith Club
Click to support
So, what did I do after September 16?!!
Lots of things! We had some Smiles friends from UK visiting Smiles for
few days! I had meetings that I needed to do without Mr Hoy (he is not
in Romania at the moment, not until October 22, and 6 weeks for us
without him is a long time!!), had new projects and ideas that we are
sharing with people, and I have more time to spend at projects that I
normally can’t do!
I
would like to share another story with you that I experience this
month, just a few days before it finished!
I know many of you received the news about the
new expansion of the Cihei Children Centre - now the Cihei Family
Centre! We have at the moment there 3 single mothers with 4
babies, and we have our kids that were part of the Children’s Centre
in the past! Every day I see them and have quiet time with the ladies
or with the kids from the Centre. One day, in order to give to the
ladies some time off I took 4 of the kids (out of 7) with me in nearby
Baile Felix for a walk!
It was a strange experience but one that I will
never forget! As we walked, the older kids Ioana (3years),
Dani (5), and another Ioana(5) started to ask me all sorts
of questions about everything they saw around them! We pass near a man
that was playing accordion and he did not have one arm…..they stopped
and ask: “why does he not have one arm?”. I told them that he had an
accident and his arm was cut…..their response was: “poor man”…
As
we continued our walk and passed near a church they stop again. In
front of the church there was a wooden cross with Jesus on it! (very
orthodox style). They looked very curious at it and the conversation
started like: - Maria, why that man is hanging there? Did he do something wrong?
- No, HE did not, but because he loves us HE accepted to stay there..
- But why HE loves us?
- HE loves us because we are his precious kids….and HE is our father..
- Poor man, HE died for us naughty kids!
- YES , but HE loves us A LOT and when we say sorry HE forgives us!
- Ah, WE KNOW this story, is JESUS, Mioara (our social assistant) told
us about him!! Yes…..poor Jesus!! He loves us even if we are small and
naughty!
So
my friends, it does not matter if we are small or tall, young or old,
we all need our quiet time and a quiet place!!! The location does not
matter, whether Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport or a small wooden cross
in Baile Felix, or a small room in Tileagd!! What matters is for us to
“come to the meeting” and have our “quiet time with God”!! He waits
for us always and He will never judge us or classify on different
levels our mistakes! Just COME!!
Wish you all a “quiet month” during October and if you have few
minutes free - take a look at our photo movie called “COME TO JESUS”
and listen all the words in the song! Take it as an encouragement …..
TO JUST COME!!
Yes,
surprisingly this is how I feel September was for me! Each of us no
doubt has moments like this in our lives when we stop from the
busyness of it and “hide” in a place where no one can see us – except
God!! That’s the place where you can cry loud without anyone asking
you why!! The place where you can laugh, shout, argue, confess ALL
your problems, worries without being judged! So, how was my quiet
month in the Smiles Foundation??? I tell you now… 
September
started for me with the Kids Choir in the UK…The School Tour!!
A busy time and yet somehow, we had time to do fun things! Mr Hoy
seems very good at arranging these times on all our tours! 
After
the concert, we travelled to Heathrow and the next day we were to fly
back to Romania. September 14, we had to say bye to Mr Hoy at the
airport in London…A sad moment for all of us! After 5 months spending
time together, (all summer on Mission Trips and then the Tour) we felt
like “our dad” was living us alone!! So, after he left we had to find
a place,.. a quiet place where we could cry! Terminal 5 at Heathrow
Airport is not the best place to find a quiet place, but we did!!
September
16, I had a great day, when I spend time with the girls from my
“Princess Club”!! We found a quiet place, where we asked God for His
guidance, protection, wisdom and blessing upon us and our friends and
family! Because of a busy summer, I did not see them all as a group,
and I was sooo pleased to see the way God is working in their lives! I
have dreams and hopes for each of them! Dana Zaharia (Smiles Nurse)
has hopes and dreams for them too, and together we try to help the
girls to get closer and closer to God! Please pray for us, and if you
have it on your heart to help this program, here is our
“Princess Wish
List”.
I
would like to share another story with you that I experience this
month, just a few days before it finished!
As
we continued our walk and passed near a church they stop again. In
front of the church there was a wooden cross with Jesus on it! (very
orthodox style). They looked very curious at it and the conversation
started like: 