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Leeds, England registered UK Charity No.1087961
Kingsport, USA charitable non-profit # 86-0957704
Oradea, Romania registered Charity No.14839712

 
...making smiles in Romania





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October 2016            

Dear Friends

I am reflecting on a busy month with Smiles. It is always a relief and a tearful moment when a trailer of aid rolls out on the road to Romania! There is so much aid on the move all across the UK; we are grateful to all our volunteers who work so hard to make it happen.....every donator, sorter, packer, van driver, truck driver, sponsor ......
only ‘together’ does this happen.

We were delighted to have the Romanians on Tour in NI on that day, so we gathered together in the yard to pray with the sponsors and drivers; and thank God for His provision through many people.

Thank you for joining us on our 2016 Tour, it was great to have your support every evening. Let me summarise .....

I am home feeling Blessed, Humbled and ready for the Challenge.

Blessed ; because I see God’s miracles every day in Smiles right in front of my very eyes..... blessed because I listened to the Smiles staff sharing their hearts every night, telling of their desire to change lives for Christ and eternity.... blessed because I watched 9 people being baptised in Rapa with tears in my eyes.

Humbled ; because sometimes I ‘forget that I can see everything around me, or maybe feel I can’t be bothered at times.’ I’m sure you never feel like that!

Humbled because I spent 10 days with blind, 65 year old Lady Felicia who has chosen Christ as her Lord, promising to serve Him for the rest of her life with all the energy she has. She travelled all through the UK with us savouring every smell, touch, song, conversation, emotion; telling me when there were people in the room and when they were smiling ... and offering encouragement to others who are in a worse situation than herself, having chosen a new active lifestyle.

What is the Challenge? ; the challenge we proposed on this Tour was for you to become a part of the miracle that God is working out through Smiles. The challenge is to sincerely partner with us in Prayer - Monthly sponsorship - Fundraising and Mission Trips.

What if Smiles was not there?

What if YOU were asked to select a project to drop or a village to stop working in?

Each one of our Smiles staff shared with us their love for hurting, lonely, sick, forgotten and needy people in their own country – they shared the significant changes to so many lives because we are there, showing their commitment to God to ‘keep on keeping on’, emphasising we are there because there is a need to be there.

We don’t choose which ones we work with, we respond to the ‘need’ and we ‘love’ them for who they are, doing our best to fill a gap in their lives, and introduce Jesus through the attitude of our response.

This is what we are called to do; ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Mark 12:31

So much need.....so much to be done.

We invite you to work with us in Fundraising. Please look at this slip of paper and plan your event. Together we can clear the deficits of 2016, and add some surplus to the pot for 2017 to enable the staff to continue making a difference and bring hope to so many situations .... come on volunteers! Your commitment is vital.

Fundraising challenge link...

This is a great time of year again to get involved in some Fundraising. I am available to talk to you and help you in any way I can. Please get serious about a fundraiser.

I also continue to encourage you to plan your Mission Trip for next year ... the great command as we were reminded, is to GO! ‘Therefore GO and make disciples of all nations...’ Matt 28:19

On Mission we SEE; Mission Trips open our eyes to the reality of the ‘need’. We SEE God at work, we SEE real people in need, and we assist Smiles to do their work. A Smiles Mission Trip is very manageable for all ages, offering a variety of weeks during the year to help suit your home commitments. Just do it!

One mission tripper last year was asked, ‘Why would you go back?’ He replied, ‘Why? ; because there is a need to go back!".

To me this sums it up perfectly. My own thoughts to conclude would be that I believe in Smiles, their approach, their progress, the lives being changed because we are there. As I talked with many of you during the Tour, you told me how thrilled you are to hear of the progress, and what wonderful work is going on through Smiles.

God is enabling us to make a difference; it will continue only if we work together. Whatever you do .... please commit to supporting our work, and allow God to use us more for His glory.

I look forward to keeping in touch and hearing from you at any time. Please let me know anything that is happening for Smiles, any plans you have and how your events work out. It’s important to encourage each other! J

James 1: 27 tells us "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Blessings

Barbara

Barbara Morrison
Development Ambassador &
Volunteer Coordinator
The Smiles Foundation

E-mail: barbaramorrison@thesmilesfoundation.org
Telephone: 0788 087 5845
 


Previous Reports
September 2016 - Preparation
August 2016 - and what does the Lord require of you?
July 2016 - and whatever you do...
June 2016 - A calling
May 2016 - The Small Things

April 2016 - ' ...you did for me'
March 2016 - Smiles Day
February 2016 - We love because He first loved us
January 2016 - Sharing Smiles Day

December 2015 - Something to share
November 2015 - Many hands and faithful hearts
October 2015 - With God all things are possible!
September 2015 - Real people make a Real Difference

August 2015 - GO andGrow!
July 2015 - Being prayerful

June 2015 - Be glad you are not a cow!
May 2015 - Sharing Something Special
March 2015 - Welcome back
rch 2015 - Welcome back
February 2015 - Introduction
 

 

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    Page last updated on 29/09/2016 02:27:21 PM
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