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Maria’s
Report – September 2011
Investing In??!!....
Lots of answers can be given to this statement…We invest our money
in properties, put our money safely in a bank account, invest in
cars, clothes and many, many other things……Yet, the best
INVESTMENT is to “invest
in people”! Investing your time,
money and energy in them…is an investment that will not be lost!
An investment that for sure one day can show great results!
Why I say that?? Because I’m an
example of it!
This
past month was my birthday. I got to the grand age of 30!
Well, in these 30 years, lots of people invested in me. In my
education, in my character, in my behaviour….some of them still
do, (even if it’s getting harder). I will never be able to say
THANK YOU to them in words, but I can live my life as an example.
One of my desires, while I live on this earth is to invest what
ever I can in people. I might not have the money that I would
like to, but for sure I have time, and I have abilities to care
and to love!!
This summer we had a busy mission trip season. It was hard, but
fun! Like I said in my last report, I did not manage to spend a
lot of time with them this summer, but whenever I could, I was
happy. The team that I have in Smiles, my colleagues do a great
job! So it is easier to ‘stay out of the picture!’ But I will not
forget one of the last “days out” with the mission trip people
that I was involved in it!
Because the team was in Romania for 10 days, I came up with an
idea to ask Mr Hoy and told him:
“you know Sefu, I
promised at the beginning of the summer to the kids from Tileagd
that I will take them to the pool in Felix one day! Can I do that
with a mission trip group??’ Cause I will need some help” Because Mr Hoy is sooo
understanding, he said ok, if you go with them?!?!
I took a day off from my duties (on a Monday morning,
can you believe that???) and went! 8 kids with 4 adults. We were
thinking ‘this will be easy’ but by the end of the day, well 4pm,
we were done!! Dead! No energy left! But looking at their faces,
their smile, it was worth it!! These 8 kids came back to Cihei,
before we took them home, and their THANK YOU was sooooo sincere.
We help them with education through the school, education for
their health through the medical programme and we are there for
them, education for their soul through the church…….in other
words, we invest in them!
When the mission trip people left and the place was much quieter,
because we missed the noise, we brought to the Centre more
teenagers from Tileagd to spend some of their summer time here!
Again, they had a great time, and every discussion we have with
them is like a new brick in the wall!!
During this summer we had
3 girls from a Centre in Oradea
with special needs that spend their entire summer here in Cihei. A
huge challenge but to hear them saying at the end of it ‘it
was the best summer of my life’ is
uplifting!
I was sooooo hurt to hear them in a conversation about their
future, saying “when we finish the
school next year we will be back on the streets, because no body
will help us. We grow up in an orphanage all our life, and no one
will take us home now!” ….Heartbreaking!
They are between 20 and 22 years old and at this age girls have
all sorts of dreams….but not them!! Their dream is: “we would like
to spend more time around you”…I need to think of a way to help
them, and I’m open for suggestions and help from any of you! Can’t
wait to see them next year dressed up in their prom dresses!!
On our last day of the summer season, we had a great event here in
Smiles. We rent the place, the
mission centre, for a wedding!
Relax…it’s not me….I will let you know when it is, date and
location.
So, my little Mission Centre looked amazing! I love it! The
wedding was outside. The buffet was inside! A real party! The
people that rented the place were very pleased with the event, and
the guests had a great time. Luci, Nico, Rodi, Mariana, and Ritza
with some other help did an amazing job! We decided that from now
on, we work in the office from Monday to Thursday and
Saturdays/Sunday we rent the place for wedding receptions!…and not
only. Thank you girls for doing an amazing job! Proud of you all!
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Wedding at Cihei
Mission Centre |
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Soon
after the mission trip people left home, the wedding finished,
almost all the Smiles staff went on holiday! Being employed in our
business side, Sminro, I had the privilege to stay around for a
bit longer! Well, I did not get bored, I had a great time!
I went to the sauna
(otherwise known as our glasshouse in Arpasel) every other day;
managed to get to the pool, after sun bathing through the glass!
Great!! Some people would say “that’s stupid” but I think it was
really good. It is good because I know where the money from the
selling of these cucumbers is going…And that is also “investing in
people”. Investing in the beneficiaries of the Smiles projects!
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So my dear friends I would
like to leave you this month with the encouragement from the Bible
that is in Mathew 25 – 40, that says:
“The King will reply,
‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’.
When you feel that your work, your time, your energy, your money
in the people is feeling a little wasted, do not worry. God will
take care of it at the right time! At the right time you will see
the results.
From an impossible situation God can make it possible! So just
have faith!
Thank you God!!
Thanks to all of you!
Have a blessed month,
With love,
Maria
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Previous letters from Maria:
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July2009 June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
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