Firstly - a major new initiative to share with you.

For most of last year, the Trustees were looking into Investment opportunities to help provide a future income for Smiles to maintain and develop the work in Romania, over and above the donations we receive through-out the year. Around October, one opportunity arose above all the other considerations and it captured the Trustees commitment. We have therefore made an offer to purchase a Farm in Romania, located just 20 minutes from our headquarters in Cihei.

By Romanian standards, the Farm is quite a large concern and certainly very successful. It is being offered as a ‘Going Concern' working Dairy, Beef and Arable farming. On a current turnover of £364,400 / $583,000 the profit was £59,000 / $94,000 and Smiles desires to see the future profits of the business provide an annual ‘Harvest' into the work of the Foundation.

On the land purchased with the Farm, we have plans to build a Horticultural business for the sale of Plants within Romania and possible export into Europe. By 2013, we believe the Horticultural business could be contributing an equal profit as the Farm, benefiting Smiles projects with £100,000 / $160,000 a year. Every year!

This is an exciting and remarkable opportunity and the Trustees have once again, as so many times before, stepped out in Faith, by making the offer to purchase which has been accepted. Now we must PRAY for the resources to fulfil the dream.

The terms of the accepted offer give us 180 days to raise the purchase price of £600,000 / $880,000. We pray many of you will be able to join us by making a Donation or a Loan towards the purchase.

We have a Web-Page specially created for the Farm Project and encourage you to study it, share it and respond to it. Then contact Kevin if you are able to help or have further questions.

We will update each month the news of how God is unfolding this latest Smiles Miracle.

  
Secondly, this month the Tileagd Choir leave Romania for their 3^rd Tour in America. January 28^th they will leave Cihei, arriving Jacksonville FL the 29^th to collect the Van and begin our 5 weeks and 5,000 miles of travel. The schedule is our most exciting ever so please check the itinerary and we hope to see many of our American friends during the Tour.

Greg Willis, our American DA, will be travelling with us the entire Tour and he's looking forward to meeting our Smiles Supporters from across the South-Eastern states. Greg has also written his New Year report, so please check it out.

  
Thirdly, we have made some changes to our 100 & 200 Clubs, re-arranging projects basically within the Clubs. The new Crisis Centre Project is moving from the 200 Club to Smiles 100 Love Club. This is much better suited with the other projects within the 100 Club such as Emergency Housing and Cihei Children's Centre. We believe this change will make for a better overall fit.

Likewise, Housing is going to switch from 100 Club to the Smiles 200 Hope Club. A better fit again with projects such as ‘Homeless' in 200 Club which needs Houses - so we trust you will agree and understand the changes.

So, as you see, there are lots of things happening even this early in the New Year. Activities are still being planned all over the country and we encourage you to keep an eye on our Events Page. This month, DA for Region 5, Annette Hoskins has written a report, so be sure to check out what's happening and planned for the South-East of England.

And, of course, there is always plenty happening in Romania, see Maria's January report.

Well - this less extensive update needs to close, or it will be as major as all the others! But these are important announcements and we trust you will study and pray for them all. We look forward to our fuller update next month, including news on progress with purchasing the FARM.

Once again, we pray for a Very Happy New Year for you all. 

The Smiles Foundation