Maria’s Report – February 2012
Time flys….
I can’t
believe we are already one month into the New Year, 2012. Indeed
time seems to fly faster than ever! Is that a sign of getting old?
I thought January would be an “easy
going month”…..well, it was a nice
thought. In the Smiles Foundation, it seems impossible to have
that happen! Each day, presents a new challenge! The pressure of
the financial world, is hitting us too. In order to keep our
projects going, we have to work harder than ever, because we have
less to do it with. It’s a good stewardship lesson for sure. My
prayer is for God to give us wisdom to know how to do the job each
day.
So, how was January for me
personally?
Well…….we started work on the 3rd after a well deserved
break and greatly needed! Unfortunately, I spent most of the
holiday in bed because of a bad cold! But I came back with new
strengths!
A lot of planning was done. Lots of new ideas for 2012. So the
beginning of January was full of meetings, some philosophical and
some very practical as we faced organising ourselves better to
face the challenges anticipated ahead.
Once we settled a little, we had the annual
Staff Conference
with all the Smiles Romanian Staff. A very
interesting time, as I like to
say! All my colleagues, from all the projects, came together to
spend time-sharing their story from the past year and hopes for
the year ahead.
As every year, Mr
Hoy had an encouraging message for us!
This time he shared with us
“5 Secrets of Life”.
You might wonder what are they???
Well we did wonder too…..but Mr Hoy made us to wait until the
conference!!! But I will be nice to you and tell you now, before I
see each of you face to face.
Mr Hoy grabbed our attention by
saying he was going to share the answers to the most important
questions any of us could have. We
all sat up and listened, and the questions in the minds of more
than 70 people gathered
in the Mission centre was quite varied. How do we make enough
money in life? Who should we marry? How do we live long lives? How
do we please God?
Well – these were big questions and Mr Hoy promised to provide the
answers. So even though he spoke for nearly an hour (with my
translation!) we listened and even took notes. I won’t share all
he said, but he shared about the Secrets of Life that he believed
would answer all our questions in life if we took time to learn
and put into practise.
Mr Hoy shared the 5 Secrets of Life we all needed to consider:
To LOVE
To DREAM
To RISK
To recognise MISTAKES
To SMILE
and to make life perfect he added a 6th! HAVE A
GOOD ATTITUDE!!!
Once the pressure of the annual conference went, I got back to my
usual work.
One of the high priorities at the moment on my desk is: The
Save and Smile City Shop!!!!
I have to make sure the paper work for authorisations are done,
the design of the place is right, and that the shop is
Opened on time! March
1st 2012
Please PRAY for this new adventure! I will also have my wedding
dresses moved there and I can’t wait!!!!!
Then, I have the ongoing work with
Salonta…..The building side is
going good. Our manager for construction, Samuiel, took a lot of
the pressure from my shoulders…..I don’t know how I managed the
Tileagd Complex as now I can’t do the job on the construction side
without him!!! Soooooooo THANK YOU
Sami!!!
And with all these things going on, I realise we are at the end of
the month. January has gone!!
I hope and pray that we all learn how to manage our time in the
best way we can, in order to make time for our work, for our
family, for ourselves, for OUR GOD!!!!! Let’s make sure we do not
forget the ONE that has everything under control. THE ONE that
makes everything possible!
I would like to leave you with a bible verse as an encouragement,
a blessing for the continuation of this year, a Bible verse that
is in EZRA, Chapter 8 vs. 21
21
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might
humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for
us and our children, with all our possessions.
May God help us to humble ourselves before Him. May God help us
seek Him day by day, and May God give us protection over
ourselves, our children, our goods, and the entire World!!!
Thank you for everything you are doing for
God’s Kingdom here in Romania.
Be blessed,
Maria