Volunteers Corner from Barbara – March 2017

Dear Friends

“….pressed down, shaken together and running over” (Luke 6:38)

I was thinking last week about how to share with you this month and started looking through the reports and photographs from our Smiles Day. I read a devotional thought by Angus Buchan, of Jesus feeding the five thousand people with only five loaves and two fish. A little boy gave Jesus all he had so that Jesus could feed everyone who came to hear him preach. Believe it or not, you too have loaves and fishes the Lord wants to transform. We can believe God for the impossible just as the boy did.

If you were to ask anyone if it would be possible to feed five thousand men, plus women and children, with two small fish & five barley loaves, they would tell you it is not …. that is why we call it a miracle!

Just as the little boy gave to Jesus, we too have brought our time, effort, prayer, contributions, donations and vision for the future with no strings attached, towards our ‘Smiles Day’ and God will give it back to you “pressed down, shaken together and running over.”

So what has been happening? Well, whatever you have done, I want to thank you. Our prayers have been answered for Kevin’s healing, for increased financial support, for projects impacting and making a difference daily to many people. To date our Smiles Day Fundraising Events have raised £5,471.00 ($7,112).

Lynda Donaldson –  “I am totally amazed; £450 was raised at our Hot Chocolate Afternoon. Can you believe that, I couldn’t! ”

Marion Morgan – “We raised £500 for the Smiles Day. Had a Jam Sale, the girls took some in to work
and school, and then we had a Christmas left-over’s auction (chocolates, biscuits and goodies), which was
great fun.”

John & Joan Mayo – “We had an amazing Quiz Evening of fun and good fellowship, with eighteen teams taking part and a great atmosphere. As well as undertaking the Quiz, we were able to show the Smiles DVD of the Opening of the Disability Centre on the 30th April 2016 and share more about Smiles.
Deb Rattley, the headteacher of Chadsgrove, a school for Children with Disabilities, welcomed us and invited us to do a Quiz again next year! We are grateful for the support and encouragement she gives us, as we seek to raise funds for Smiles. Also to friends from Catshill Baptist Church and the local community for coming and making this such a successful and fun event and enabling us to raise an amazing £1000, with possibly more donations to follow.”

Lesley Skinner – “This was our fourth Shuffleboard Evening for Smiles, and once again it was a successful, fun evening. We played three games then broke to have some delicious pudding! We had nine boards and eighteen teams of three. Shuffleboard can be played by all ages and goes back centuries – Henry V111 was an enthusiast, when not searching out new wives! We raised £515, with which we are very pleased.”

Elizabeth Caldwell -along with her family celebrated her Mum’s 80th Birthday and donated £150. Happy  Birthday Margaret, and thank you for your blessing to Smiles.

Aghadowey Church Ladies – hosted a wonderful dinner in their Church Hall with musical entertainment afterwards. We added it as a Smiles Day event as well as part of their Team Fundraising for their trip in July. A most enjoyable evening, which raised £1,670.

Wilma Harkness, Jean Barclay (& myself)
Our Craft to Care Day was most enjoyable and successful, raising £1,420. We had 40 ladies on retreat for a day at a professional Craft school with posh morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea. We had great fellowship, fun and a very productive day … with a Smiles Presentation thrown in as a bonus after lunch!

Liz is still slimming until the end of the month, Rob is concentrating on his February Focus, this weekend we have 2 Concerts, one in Liverpool and one in NI, as well as a Pudding Party. I look forward to hearing your news from these events, and will feature them next month.

I want to hear everything that is going on. All this news gives us great encouragement and many ideas for our own fundraising. This is a great time of year to get events into the diary and continue to bring the necessary funds for our colleagues out in Romania.

I want to encourage you also to get yourself booked onto a Mission Trip this year. Come and see the progress, come and witness the work first hand. Dawn will be happy to talk to you about options.

Thank you for all your very hard work and commitment. It is very evident by these results that our five loaves and two little fish this month have indeed produced something that is impossible on our own. Together with God, who will work the miracle and feed the thousands that He wants Smiles to feed.

Join us as we continue to give in whatever way we can, to bless others and watch God give it back ….. “pressed down, shaken together and running over.”

Have a great month. Blessings.

Barbara

Barbara Morrison
Development Ambassador
& Volunteer Coordinator
The Smiles Foundation
E-mail: barbaramorrison@thesmilesfoundation.org
Telephone: 0788 087 5845