Maria – April 2018

‘Because I said so’…..

Have you heard this ‘saying before? It’s one of those things that really wound me up as a kid.

I remember when my parents told me to do something, and I would say “Why” they always ended up saying “because I said so”!  I was very unhappy- because in the end I had to do what they said! Yes, they knew better and most of the time, in the end, I admitted they were right.

Now I am the parent and when I use this saying, I start laughing! What’s different? Now I AM the parent and I want what’s best for my child.

The same applies between us and God. When we read the bible, there are many times when we hear “because I say so”. Yes, all is for our benefit and if we want to end up spending eternity with Him, we have to listen and obey Him. But as humans we do not listen so well most of the time! We do not always go ‘His Way’!

But I try my best because ‘He says so’. Therefore here is the news I have for you ….. from ‘my desk.

So what’s new?

March started with two special days when we celebrate ladies. March 1st and 8th are big days here in Romania. Lots of flowers and chocolates everywhere! When God created woman, He did a great job!! Even if our friend Eve let us down, we are His great creations and I’m thankful to Him for all the special women in my life! I have a lot of them so it will take me a whole report to put all their names down.  Even the ones that ‘let me down’ I’m thankful to God for, because I learnt important lessons from the experience!

March also came with the positive news for the Colar Family making progress with the house. With the help of our dear friends in Worthing, the house in Tulca is in THEIR NAME already! Soon they will move in and Catalin will be able to start his visits to our JFL Project and benefit from everything we have there.

Please also continue to pray for the Coman family! They have already moved into the house in Sabolciu and together we work in getting them to achieve their dream. To have the house in their name!

We also have positive news from the Tileagd Education side. In the school and nursery the children celebrated Mothers Day and for that they had a lot of activities going on. It was a great way to show their love for their mothers. Now they are busy getting ready for Easter. At the end of this month, they start the Easter break and guess what, even if when we started in 2004 they cried when we told them “you have one week holiday” now they love it!!!

So many things changed in that place over the last 14 years. Yes, a lot of them are positive changes and we could not achieve it without God’s Provision and people like you! The negative ones we leave them in the same area as we leave Eve!  We learn from them and try to move forward!

Also some good encouraging news for me, is each Sunday when I go to Tileagd Church and I see a good number of people coming. I’m sure God will change that place but in HIS time not mine! BECAUSE HE TOLD ME SO!

So you want to know if I have negative news? Yes I do! OTHERWISE we do not live in the real word that is going upside down!

This past month we had a lot of meetings with the Smiles Staff. I told you that we are in the process of restructuring our work! This takes a lot of time and energy! So please pray for us as we continue in this process.

Also you will have read the main monthly news that Kevin writes. So far this year the government has made a few significant changes that affects us in our work! I’m sure that when God says “you have to continue to do the work” He will find solutions to make it possible. But sometimes it is hard to see the end result. We just need to trust Him and continue to pray, as He has for many years, that He will use His people to provide solutions.

This past month our colleague Raul moved on to new adventures. With the changes being made in the Homeless Project, Raul felt that it was an appropriate time for him to move on and make room for someone with ‘fresh energy’ and new ideas. I’m thankful for everything what he did these past years and I pray for God’s blessings on his new adventure!

With Raul and Nelu gone, Adi is under a lot of additional pressure, so please pray for him. And be sure to pray for the new colleagues we need for the new adventure we are preparing for which we called Field Project. If not, Raul and Nelu will need to come back and do voluntary work, extra to their new jobs! Now that could be a good idea!!

So, because God promises that He will take care of His children, I trust in Him and I know that He will provide! I have no doubt with this.

Stay close to Him my dear friend and let’s do everything that He says….because it’s right and because ‘He says so’!

In His service

Maria

Keep in touch: maria@thesmilesfoundation.org