Dear Friends

With the demands of such a busy life, once again, we are a little late with our monthly update. Sometimes in our effort to keep overheads to a minimum, we run out of time and people to help with the work-load – so we just can’t get everything done in the time available. We know you will understand but we thank you for doing so … and thank you for continuing to uphold us in prayer during such busy times.

We need prayer for Health and Strength
as such long demanding days take their strain.

We need prayer for Guidance, Wisdom and Discernment
as so many important decisions need to be taken.

We need prayer for the Support and Resources
to fulfil the numerous opportunities before us.

In 13 years of the Smiles Foundation being at work in Romania, never have we felt more that ‘now is the time’ to make huge advances and achievements in our Mission. However, without the support to do it, the opportunities will be missed and thousands of people will also miss out in their moment of need.

There are so many of you who have been to Romania with us who know of the growing needs of the people and many urgent, some would say ‘critical’ needs to help fight the vicious poverty circle the Romanian people are trapped in.

Because of the time pressure we are under, we are taking a different approach with this News Update which we trust you will accept in the spirit it is intended. To be thankful for people who care, who want to know the needs and the facts, so that they can prayerfully respond with love and generosity.

The Farm has progressed wonderfully well and now we have a new Farm Manager employed, Zeno Pascotescu who moved to the Farm with his wife Mihaela and daughter Maria on June 25^th. A few days later, the first livestock arrived – beautiful Holstein Cows that within 24 hours were producing over 30 litres (52 pints) of milk. A few days later we purchased our first 10 sows and later this month, 600 chickens will arrive to raise for meat and eggs.

With so much set-up and initial purchasing to do, we are keen to finalise Stage One of the Farm Capital Campaign. September is not far away and by then we need to have raised the balance of our initial target. Still needed is £99,117 ($153,631) which can be provided by donation or a loan (with or without interest). Please consider if you can help us reach Stage One and if you can, contact us as soon as possible.

If you are interested, please read the earlier reports:

 The Enterprise Initiative  

The Arpasel Farm Purchase

As many will know, this has been on the planning board for a few years now and fund raising is on-going with initial intentions to build at our Cihei site on land we already own. Capital required for the project was established at £493,500 ($789,600)

To date, over £100,000 ($160,000) has been raised, but we were concerned how long it would take to complete this project. Recent visitors to Romania seeing the critical needs amongst the Elderly and Disabled have asked if we couldn’t some how – speed up the process!

A couple of weeks back, Kevin was attending some meetings in Salonta, a reasonably large town between the cities of Oradea and Arad. Upon arrival, he noticed the building was for sale, so being the ever inquisitive CEO that he is, he asked to tour the entire building. As Kevin strolled through the 38 rooms and toured the site covering nearly 7,000 sq m. (75,000 sq feet) which conveniently divides two-thirds and one-third by a large outside courtyard – he started to envisage a Nursing Home and Centre for Children with Disabilities.

A few weeks later, Trustee Dave Clark (Smiles Building Advisor) was in
Romania with long-time supporter Graham Wallace (retired Architect) working
on a variety of issues within Smiles projects. Kevin asked them to take a look
at this building with his ‘scribbled plan’ in mind for them to consider the feasibility
of conversion. The building is an old Communist Commercial Centre with 8 rooms
modernised and in use. The rest would be in need of total renovation and upgrading. Dave and Graham confirmed it could work very well and drew up some very nice plans to show how!

We then made enquiries about ‘Change of Use’ and were told for £2,000 ($3,000) we could get official certified approval for ‘change of use’ for our intended purpose. Sensing God was moving, we have gone ahead and invested the money, trusting we will get the approval within 30 days, by the end of July. At that point, we would need to discuss and negotiate with the owner to see whether purchasing was an option. The asking price is £320,000 ($480,000)

For us to be able to consider making an offer to purchase, we will need considerably more funds in the pot. If we can increase our Capital held to £250,000 ($375,000)
we may be able to get the owner to assist by waiting for the balance to be paid
over a longer period of time.

If God wants us to move on this option – He will provide a way. But we
must do ALL we can. We must raise and support as much as possible
over the next couple of months. We need an additional £150,000 ($225,000).
You can donate to the project or consider providing an interest-free loan for
2-5 years specifically for this project. If you can’t make a donation or loan now, you can pledge to support an amount within the next 12 months, which will help us to plan and commit accordingly.

This is a tremendous opportunity to secure the long awaited facility for the Elderly and Disabled Children in Romania. Please help to see if this is God’s Will and if it is – within a year of Purchasing, Renovating and Equipping – we could be serving the needs of another group of the most vulnerable in Romania.

   In closing, we ask you to study the various special reports featured through-out the website. In addition to reports from Romania and America, we also have our UK DA Annette Hoskins report from Region 5 (South East England) and the Educational Challenge Report from Adviser Stephen Woodward so as always, there is plenty to read, pray for and consider.

We also look forward to seeing many friends this month as the Tileagd Choir travel through England with School and Church presentations in Cumbria, Essex, Sussex and Cleveland.

Thank you all so much for your prayers, support and love.

God Bless you all.

The Smiles Foundation