Dear friends,
Sorry that it has taken me so long to email again with an update from Romania. Things were busy and I didn't get back to the office for internet. When I returned to Dromore again on Thursday, my internet wasn't working there either!
Firstly, I want to thank you for all your prayers and support over the past couple of weeks. It has been encouraging to know that people are praying for me and the work out in Romania. I hope that you will continue to remember the work of the Smiles Foundation in your prayers in the weeks and months to come - and maybe even go on a trip yourself some time soon!
So what all did I get up to in the remainder of my time? On one day, we had a tour of the Tileagd Community School, meeting some of the teachers and pupils who came to school during their summer holidays! The pupils are so keen to learn and to go to school that they don't like holidays, so during the summer the school operates 'summer school' on two days of the week. We then moved on to the Gypsy village in Tileagd, before visiting a psychiatric hospital in Bratca. The patients have been in medical care practically since birth, most being abandoned due to physical or mental disability. They simply wanted to play with someone, which we did!
Another day it was like being on the set of 'Changing Rooms' - we cleaned and painted an elderly man's house, bringing transformation to his one-roomed dwelling. The paint that day was blue, and on a different day, I was covered in yellow paint as I helped work on the nursery in Tileagd, inside and out. (But I wouldn't call on me for any home decorating jobs, if I was you!)
Several days were in the Children's Centre in Cihei, helping to put smiles on the faces of the children there - and also digging out a sandpit for them to play in (although it seemed they were happy enough playing in the hole, before any sand came!)
Ours was the last mission trip of the summer, but the work of Smiles continues - with the social workers still providing food and clothing aid; the school and nursery units teaching kids; the Children's Centre developing young children; the emergency housing unit providing shelter for those left homeless; and the kingdom advancing in the Community Church in Tileagd.
Please pray for Kevin, and all the staff of Smiles as they struggle to make difficult decisions about the allocation of funds, and in all they do. Pray also for the mission trippers as we share with friends the news about Smiles and seek to support them in their vital work.
In three weeks time I will (DV) be back in Dublin for the start of the new year - my final year in college! More prayer updates will follow. If you prefer not to receive these emails, please letme know.
Blessings,
Gary
http://garymcmurray.blogspot.com
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