From Maria's Desk



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

 
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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!



Wedding at Cihei Mission Centre


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!


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


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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