SMILE HOUSE PROGRESS

We are very excited because the Smile House project is going forward rapidly. It is so interesting to watch God work at His own pace, with His purpose. Manna Worldwide and Smile Alliance International have partnered together and we are beginning to see the possibility of the fulfillment of the dream. Over the past three years we have been praying that this huge building could be used to help the children of Ukraine. SAI’s original idea was for a transition home for orphans that graduate from the orphanage at sixteen. But with only Dr. Richard and Vicki Nelson and Valeriy Suzdaltsev actually in Ukraine, we knew it would have to be miraculous for this project to ever be complete. Our plans and ideas for the top floors of the building shifted from one idea to another.

Meanwhile, we felt we had to be faithful with the funds provided and asked our wonderful team of Ukrainian builders to continue working on the building as donations were received. Funds were generously donated to install windows and doors. Last year about this time, we felt we were supposed to go forward with the dental clinic and now half the first floor is complete. The floors and walls are done and it is ready for dental equipment, cabinets, and other furnishings. Now we are looking for donations of good quality used or new dental equipment from the states or funds to purchase equipment in Ukraine. God has brought us this far and we know in His timing that He will provide all the things needed so that many underserved children in the area will be able to receive compassionate dental care. Several Ukrainian dentists have expressed interest in volunteering time at the facility when it opens. In the meantime, we are “preparing for the rain”, talking to government officials and trying to make sure we are following all the regulations required to begin. God has been so very faithful and we know He will continue to supply the items needed and volunteers to make this happen.

Drs. Richard and Ina continue to serve with the Youth with a Mission dental van and at the Emmanuel Clinic providing free treatment to children. Faithful supporters have made it possible for Dr. Ina to continue in this ministry. Several thousand children were served through these ministries in the past three years—again an amazing story.

Smile Alliance International’s Ukrainian humanitarian organization, SAI Soniatchnia Svitlo, is happy to welcome three new board members from Manna Worldwide. This organization is putting together several building teams to work on Smile House. They will begin arriving in May. And the exciting thing is that a transition home for orphans is in the plans for the second floor. Manna will be running this program and will be using the top floors in several ways. This has taken a great deal of pressure off us. We knew from the start that we could not do this alone. That only God could make this happen. We just wanted to be faithful and try to be open to His plans. (That is very difficult to do sometimes.)

Thank you to all our supporters for your prayers and continued encouragement. Thank you to those who have felt God leading them to support the ministry in practical ways. To those who have generously donated funds and goods, we especially want to say a heartfelt Thank you. And we ask you to continually pray for this project so God can be glorified and many children in Ukraine will be served. May you be blessed.

Merry Christmas to Our Friends and SAI Supporters

We want to thank each of you who have suppported Smile Alliance International with prayer, encouragement and by donating funds and goods to continue the ministry. A special thanks to those who were part of the six teams we worked with, joining us in ministry in Ukraine. At least 2500 people have been blessed this year because of your faithfulness.

Breifly, I am working on updates on my blogs for those of you who are interested in what has transpired during 2008. Right now we are in the middle of distributing 900 plus gifts to widows, moms and kids through SAI and our partners. Smile Alliance International and Manna Worldwide are signing the final paperwork for a formal partnership which will eventually finish the Smile House Project. The first floor is half finished now but without dental equipment or furnishings. SAI will be responsible for the clinic. A transition home for 16 year old girls who graduate from Komorivka Orphanage is planned for the second floor and will be managed by Manna. Other plans for the remainder of the building are being worked out. So if you are interested, please check www.smilealliance.blogspot.com for general ministry updates, www.smilehouse.blogspot.com for the dental ministry updates, and www.livinginukraine.blogspot.com for everyday life updates.

The Smile Alliance International website www.smilealliance.org is functioning but still needs a lot of work. We are posting a list of needs on it along with other pertinent information. God has been very faithful and your support has made this ministry possible. Thank you again. May you be indeed blessed this Christmas and in the year to come.

The Nelsons and Smile Alliance International

Dental Clinic Construction Proceeding

For a year and a half, we have been told by our contractor and partners that the plumbing for the whole building needed to be done before anything else could be. Finally, a few months ago we had another meeting and we again tried to see if perhaps we could finish off half of the first floor for the dental clinic. There were not enough funds to finish the whole project but there were enough to get started on the dental clinic. Actually, I made the statement that if this project takes too long we will all be dead. Mr. S got to thinking about that statement and at the next meeting, the project took off. The builders were able to work again and decided to stay on—they were getting ready to move out. If that had happened, we would have had to put in a security system, etc..

Now the heat is in the floor, the tiles are being laid, walls and ceilings are just about complete and there are interior doors. Suddenly we have to make decisions on tiles, colors, furniture. More dental equipment is needed but the project is moving forward. When God decides it’s time to move, things happen.

There are some new ideas about how to use the remainder of the building and we ask for your prayers for wisdom as the Boards of Directors here and in America decide how to proceed.

Smile House with Windows

Last Friday (November 9) we visited Smile House to see how things were going. As we started up the narrow road that leads past a small lake we were pleasantly surprised that we no longer had to dodge deep potholes. They had all been filled in. As we emerged from the trees more surprises awaited us-several dump trucks, a paving machine and crew and steam rollers were laying asphalt just beyond the building. We had not thought this possible--and it was very nicely done. Also, the windows were just about all in. By that evening, they were probably finished.

As we looked out of the upstairs windows we realized why the road was paved. Lots are being sold for a new housing development down the street in the once quiet apple orchard. In the past few months several huge mansions have been built and the neighborhood is evolving into a haven for the wealthy. We were astounded. Having watched building crews working throughout the summer, we knew that some new homes were being built but actually seeing the finished products took our breath away. Smile House is in the middle of a high class neighborhood. How this will impact the fate of the ministry remains to be seen. All we know is that this is God's project and His plan.

We watched the movie Facing the Giants last week for the second time. In the movie a godly man tells the coach a story about two farmers who prayed for rain. The difference between the two was that one went out to his fields and prepared for the rain. He was the one who received it. I feel it's time for us to start praying and preparing for God's blessing on this project, for His leading and for His completion. Please join us in this prayer.

Breaking News: Donations to Smile Alliance

Praise God! He is so very awesome and He is smiling, rejoicing and laughing with us today. The Smile Alliance International board of directors, its supporters, and friends and our workers in Ukraine are excited that through many small and two large donations in the last few months it looks like God is giving us the okay to proceed with the Smile House Project. It was been on hold for several months because of lack of funds but we have all felt it was a matter of timing and that eventually God would give us the direction to continue with it.

We are so thankful for the generosity of all our supporters. Many of you support the work each month and I know it is a big commitment from often limited funds. Without your steady, committed support our ministry would be unable to continue. I want to thank each one of you—every penny that is invested in this work is important to us and we strive to use it wisely for God’s glory. Luke 21:1-4 tells of the widow who placed two small coins—her last—in the offering plate. Jesus commended her and her story lives on over the centuries as an inspiration to all of us. In the same way we are inspired by each of your contributions to the ministry—spiritual, emotional, financial and physical.

On Monday, June 25, I told a friend that I felt God was telling me that it was time to step out and go forward with plans. Many have fasted and prayed for this project and for some kind of confirmation as what direction to go with it. In the meantime, unbeknown to us, Mr. S and the contractor had been getting bids on windows and doors. A generous donation of $20,000 had been sent to SAI a couple months ago for the use of the ministry in Ukraine. It is being used for dental needs, some much needed items for poor children in the villages, and some basic ministry needs. Yet there is still a large part of it which can be used to put in a well and possibility some plumbing in the building.

The past few months have been very busy (see www.smilealliance.blogspot.com) so we took a much needed break from ministry for three days to visit some castles and historical ruins with a Ukrainian friend, Yuliya. I will post pictures and commentary on http://www.livinginukraine.blogspot.com/ this afternoon. Anyway, when we got home and I checked my email yesterday I found a wonderful confirmation that we are to continue to move forward. But let me go back three years before I continue with this thought.

At a Commission for Children at Risk conference in Rome, Georgia in November 2004, I met a very nice lady named Karen Jones. We spent time praying together and have kept in touch over the years. At that time, she told me of an estate which had been designated to help the orphans and poor children in Ukraine. She suggested that SAI apply for some of the funds. Through a set of unusual circumstances the people appointed to administrater the funds were unable to do so, and it went back to the drawing board. Last September, we received a call from a man, Greg S., who was helping the judge determine the distribution of funds and he asked for information on the organization. Sherry Longbine, Patty Radzykewycz, and I sent him information about SAI, Smile House and other projects. There were many months of silence and then in January we heard that SAI had been selected with two other organizations to receive funds from the Estate of Merritt Orr in the state of Texas. We had no idea how large the estate was or how much SAI would receive. It’s been interesting waiting and wondering. We all knew that whatever the amount—whether small or large—it was just what God had planned. So we waited.

Back to yesterday, the check came to P.O. Box 240 yesterday—mailed probably on Monday—about the time I felt we should step out and go forward with the project. The amount: $107,710.43. SAI received 40% of the estate. Praise God! We are so thankful that this person whom we were never able to meet had a heart for the children of Ukraine. Through his kindness many, many children will be blessed. We are all rejoicing, seeing God’s leading, knowing that He is in control. This amount will help finish the windows and hopefully the dental portion of the building. Estimates for the final finish work on the whole building are around $450,000 but volunteer labor and donated materials, it could be a lot less. This is just the amount needed at this point in time and we thank God for it.

Richard and I wanted to share this with each of you so together we can all send our thanks to a loving, heavenly Father who has dreams much bigger than any of us can imagine. This huge project is often daunting but it is His project. Our motto is Psalm 115:1 and will continue to be. May each of you be truly blessed as well and be able to see the plans He has for you.

Not to us, Oh Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory and honor because of Your love and faithfulness. Ps 115:1

Vicki and Richard

Dental Outreach to Camp Dream and Requests

We just returned from a dental outreach to the far eastern border of Ukraine, near Lugansk. I have written an account on http://www.smilealliance.blogspot.com/ . Over the next two months, Richard will be traveling to Uhzgorod on the western border of Ukraine, Zhitomer in the central part, and Ternopil in the southwest. He will join the Mercy Truck ministry dental van on these trips. Dr. Inna will also be going west on alternate dates. There is a huge need for more dentists this summer and throughout the year to help staff this. Our dentists are also working at the Operation Blessings Emmanuel Clinic when not helping with the Mercy Truck ministry. The Smile House Project is more less on hold until additional funding is found or we have confirmation that we should rethink the project. Please pray for guidance.

There are some real needs for dental materials and supplies in order to continue these outreaches. Many things can be obtained here but there are a lot of things which must be sent from the US. If you know of any dentists or others who would like to help with these projects, please contact me at vickig@smilealliance.org ASAP. Thanks so much. Vicki

The Big Picture

Ministry opportunities abound in this beautiful country. The first six months we lived here, we wondered if we would ever get settled enough to be of use to God. Yes, there were many different forms of serving that we found ourselves involved in—in minor ways. But the whole scheme of things was oddly out of kilter. Yet, as I look back, I can see God’s loving hand, slowing things down so that we could become acclimated to our new surroundings, comfortable in a different culture, and somewhat attuned to a population still seeking its identity during the early years of democracy and freedom.

Now, Richard is extremely busy with both the YWAM dental van and the CBN clinic. The van is going out on three day mission outreaches at least two times a month. At CBN our dentists are working three days on the weeks when the van is in hiatus and one day on outreach weeks. A recent trip to the village of Ivanivka near Zhitomer proved very successful with our dentists seeing 47 patients and completing close to 100 procedures during our three days there.

Last year, Richard pulled a tooth on a man who works with the sisters at Ivanivka. This year, some more teeth were treated and extracted. The sisters told us how Anatoly had been having toothaches during the past year and treating them only with pain killers. He had told them that he was praying that the nice dentist who had seen him last year would come again because he helped him without creating pain. I am very proud of the kind hearted man I am married to and his devotion to helping those in pain and need.

I accompanied our dentists on this outreach and wondered why I was even along since I didn’t feel really needed. But on Thursday night I received a call from American missionary friends who lived in Zhitomer. They hadn’t realized that I was there but they called to see if we needed any furniture, etc.. To make a long story short, the ministry they were in had finished and without future plans they were thinking about returning to America for good even though they had previously felt called to ministry here. God helped me encourage them and connect a few dots in the big picture. Suffice it to say, they will be returning to Ukraine after a much needed summer’s rest in America. They will be preparing for future ministry by taking Russian classes full time. And I now have a houseful of furniture to use until they are in need of it again.

Because our dentists are so busy and there is a dental facility at the CBN clinic that can be used more productively, we have been praying that God would bring another Ukrainian dentist to work with us. Again, it looks like God has supplied a wonderful man with a heart for Him. A young couple—the man a dentist and his wife a dental student—were mentioned to Richard by two different individuals in a short span of time. They visited the clinic last week. Richard came home very excited about the meeting. He told me that this young man had said that when he first heard the plans for a clinic, he felt it was totally impossible. Standing in the clinic, he was amazed at how God had done the impossible. Richard told him that he should pray and ask God to show him whether he should be involved in the ministry. And his answer was that he felt God already had. By viewing the impossible made possible, he knew where God was leading him. We are now looking for donors who will be willing to provided monthly support so that this young dentist will be able to join Dr. Inna and Dr. Richard.

God is so very good. I keep seeing a great big dot to dot picture in my mind. It is a BIG picture and for now, I can only see just a little part of the finished image. With each new contact and day, God is allowing another dot or two to be connected. Some of the parts that are taking shape are being filled in with colors and details but there are still many, many parts that are indistinguishable. It will be in eternity that the whole picture will finally be viewed in its entirety. How fun the day will be when together with my loving, heavenly Father, I will be able to gaze with amazement at the finished piece of art.

The Nelson's--A year in Ukraine

We have been living in Ukraine for a year now. Time continues to fly by. No more excuses for not updating this blog. Briefly, here is what God has wrought in our world during the past twelve months.

Our first six months, we lived in a three room, 7th floor apartment on the left bank of Kyiv. After twenty-eight years of country living, city living was exciting and challenging. Then in October, God graciously provided a house for us in a small village 60 kilometers from Kyiv. We are getting used to the drive (yes, God also provided a van) and enjoy a quiet, peaceful life away from the rat race in the city.

God also brought a wonderful, young Christian dentist into our lives and supplied money for her support. Jeff Colker who is with YWAM (Youth With a Mission) was impressed to take over Mercy Trucks Internation's dental ministry here. http://www.mercytrucksua.org/

He is a fantastic organizer and the dental van is now being used on a regular basis at a couple of orphanages and on other outreaches. Just last week, the CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network) Emmanuel Ministry's clinic finally received all the government permissions to open our dental clinic. Dr. Inna and Dr. Richard have seen patients for two days now. All dental work is being provided free of charge. The focus is on orphans and other poor, under served children. Our dentists have also treated patients from two different drug rehab programs as well as many poor people in villages. We are hoping to find support for another dentist in the near future.

I spent several days this week going through the 16 boxes that arrived through MEEST. This house has been an amazing blessing as a place to sort and store the humanitarian aid we receive from America and Canada . Several churches and individuals, Smile Alliance International, and others have sent many boxes for the children and widows as well as for us personally. Some dear friends are moving back to the US and they have been donating huge amounts of food, crafts, dishes, things for Smile House and items for distribution to orphanages. So my role of late is to determine what has been donated and with God’s help find the best place for each item. The picture on the right shows a pastor who is recently took these boxes of clothing and shoes to an orphanage with 300 kids in the Zhitomer region. I really love this work. It’s so fun to be able to bless other ministries, orphanages, widows and those in need with the great items which so many of you have lovingly sent. Thank you for your help and support.

Several times I have had the privilege of introducing people from different ministries and they in turn have been able to work together to provide assistance to those in need. I feel it is such a God thing when this happens. Recenty Gateway to Life in Zhitomer arranged for two wheelchairs through Joni and Friends Wheels for the World ministry. The chairs were custom made and delivered to needy individuals whom our friends at YWAM had been desperately trying to help. It is such a joy to be a small part of this and to watch God at work.

Richard and I are working hard to learn Russian but it is very difficult. This morning I put on my skates to get some exercise. Kids in the village often say hello to us but the adults have been more reticent. Yet when I skate I get smiles and waves. A whole family came out to meet me the other morning and I felt like we are finally being accepted here.

Dr. Ed and Pauline Stuedli stayed with us in March and conferred with the chief dentist in Ukraine, Mr. Suzdaltsev and Dr. Borisenko who have received governmental permission to start the first dental hygiene program here. They have permission to start it as early as this September. We appreciated all the information and help this wonderful couple provided and we enjoyed their visit immensely.

The Smile House Project is progressing slowly. The builders are doing a fantastic job. A new roof and addition to the front of the building have been added. Interior walls for the top floor rooms have been built. A recent generous donation is making it possible for the project to continue for the time being. We ask your prayers for wisdom as to how to proceed with this, for us to be aware of God’s will in this matter and for additional funding. It is a huge project and we really believe that God has a plan for this building. We do want to run ahead not go to slow, just let Him lead.

This summer’s plans include helping at some summer camps, several long trips with the dental van, and many outreaches. If any of you would like to join us, we’d love to help you make plans and arrangements. We have room in our home for several people and in time hope to have a team or two come and help us complete the upstairs so teams or individuals can stay here.

This year has been a time for learning to depend on God in many ways. It has been a time of growth and joy. We miss our family and friends in the US but were able to make two trips back. The time spent with our five grand kids, their parents, our siblings, and my mom was very special to us. My internet chats with many of you have kept me sane. And your emails, packages and support are so very much appreciated. We have made many new friends, too. Without the help of our many Ukrainian friends we would not have made it through this year. There has been so much support from the American Christian community here as well. We are going to a couple of study groups each week and enjoy the fellowship immensely. We are so pleased that the ministries here work so well together. God is in the center of all this work and we are very blessed.

The political situation is a mess. Your prayers are desperately needed for this country and its people. The freedoms that they are just beginning to enjoy could so easily be snatched away. It makes us appreciate the freedoms we have lived with all our lives.

May God continue to bless you, may you have the chance to follow your dreams and heart’s desires, and may you find joy in our amazing God.

Vicki and Richard

Smile House--Before and After

In the above pictures pictures you see Smile House as we first saw it in October 2005 and again in November 2006 after the new addition and roof were added. We are excited to see it emerging with a personality of it's own. There is so much potential for good in this facility. Below the front of the building is shown again in the before and after format.

Richard points to the graffiti we found on the wall. It depicts a smiling boy with words that say something like "You are welcome here." Of course, we both instantly thought "It's a sign".

This is the building from the back.

Below is pictured the top floor with the old roof before the walls were raised and after the wonderful new roof was put on it. The construction is entirely different. Yura, our main builder, is making sure that his crew do quality work and they are using very good materials.

Our friends Tanya and Yura and their two boys visited Smile House with us soon after it was purchase in February of 2006. We all joined together as Yura prayed a blessing on it and the people who will come here. The next day Valeriy and Allah Suzdaltsev, our Ukrainian partners, bought us to the building and they sprinkled holy water on it and prayed a blessing over it.

I thought it would be fun to post some pictures of the Smile House Project as it looked when we first saw it compared to the present with the new addition and roof. It is amazing what God has accomplished in a year. We are waiting in anticipation to see where He leads from here. There are so many ways this building can be used to help others in addition to the planned dental clinic. Please that it will go according to God's agenda and not any of ours. Also, pray for the people who will be helped here in the future.

Smile House's New Roof

We were at Smile House over the weekend and the roof is just about done. We are very excited and it really makes the building look LARGE. I guess it actually is. It has gone over the proposed budget by about $6000 because of some extra winterization that needed to be done. We need to hire someone to stay there throughout the winter to protect the building until more funding is obtained. The builders have agreed to take turns there—I wouldn’t want to stay there myself—for a nominal fee. The head builder, Yura, looks very sad—he was the one driving the car. As mentioned previously, the second builder died a couple of weeks ago. Please keep Yura and the others in your prayers.

The work is top quality. I am posting some pictures this morning of the new roof and I will do some comparison photos tonight. Just wanted to get this posted for those of you who have been praying for and supporting this project. Blessings.

November Dental/Medical Outreach to Zhitomer

In September of this year, leaders of four organizations, Mission to Ukraine, Immanuel/Operation Blessing, Youth with a Mission (YWAM) and Smile Alliance International, met to explore the possibility of combining their respective resources to create one large medical-evangelistic outreach to two villages in the Zhytomir region. The reason for this was that both Mission to Ukraine and Immanuel had scheduled medical and dental teams to arrive in Ukraine on almost exactly the same dates in November, and that “coincidence” was felt to be potentially a God Thing.

During the week of November 5-10 the outreach became a reality. A team of physicians, nurses and therapists combined with one of dentists, a dental hygienist and assistants to bring much needed care to two outlying communities, Ivanopyl and Volytsya, both about 90-100 kilometers southwest of the city of Zhytomir in Ukraine. Physical exams, health counseling, eye exams and dental treatments were provided in community buildings that were provided through the efforts of Pastor Peter Levchenko of Central Baptist Church in the town of Chudniv. As part of the outreach, the people who came for treatment were invited to also listen to Christ-centered programs each day during lunch, which was provided. Reportedly, many souls were won to accept and give their hearts to Jesus during these meetings. Praise God for His blessings!

The dental van, operated by YWAM and staffed by Dr. Ina and myself, was brought out to both villages and was used to provide restorative care for many, as it is equipped for the more complicated procedures involved with that. Portable dental equipment was also set up at each visited facility to provide for emergency care such as extractions, and the one hygienist was kept busy doing cleanings and dental health care instructions.
This report is written by Dr. Richard Nelson, a dentist with Smile Alliance International, living in Ukraine and working to help establish the dental programs of both the YWAM dental van and the new medical building operated by CBN/Immanuel/Operation Blessing.

My thoughts on this venture are this:

• First, it is a joy to see the faces of those we are able to help. These people simply do not have either the money or even the access to the services we provide, and their appreciation for what little we do for them is always overwhelming to us.


• Secondly, we had glitches, as always happens, especially when so many people are involved. But everything worked out, maybe not exactly as we had planned, but God’s name was lifted up, with our human efforts being covered with the Blessings of the Holy Spirit, and it was our privilege to be a part of this outreach. I do not know the exact number of people involved, but I can count up at least 24. Most were from the two teams from America. Mission to Ukraine’s team came from the Indianapolis, Indiana area, and the Immanuel team was from the Atlanta, Georgia area. From what I could see, we all had the same purpose, to bring praises to God through our work, and I enjoyed meeting and fellowshipping with those I had time to meet.
  
• Lastly, we were only able to treat a small percentage of the people who came to us hoping for help. It is not easy to have to turn away any one of those dear people. The need is so great in this country, both for physical help, but also for their spiritual needs. We are here because our great God loves and cares for these people, and His love compels us to strive to help, not in our own efforts but in His power and in His Spirit. We know God is doing something here in Ukraine, and it is awesome to see. May God be praised for His Greatness, and for allowing us to be a part of His plan

Tragic Accident

On October 14 several of the builders on the Smile House project were in a traffic accident when their car was hit by a bus. One man was killed and another seriously injured. It has been a bery difficult time for the head builder who was driving and for the whole team. They were all close friends and/or family.

Update November 22, 2006: During the second week in November the second young man died from massive head and internal injuries. Please pray for the remaining builders, their families, and the project. Thank you.

Update on Smile House

Richard and I just returned from three plus weeks in the United States. It was wonderful to visit with our family and friends. We made some new friends as well. And our new grandson was born. What a joy to be able to be there. He waited two extra weeks to arrive so that we would be able to share in the joy of his arrival. What a kid!!!!!!!!

On September 8, Mr. S sent pictures of Smile House that he had taken that day. As you can see, the new addition is attached to the front of the building. The top floor has been raised a meter and a half. And the new roof should be started by now. We will find out more today. Funds are running low but we know that God has a plan for this building and in His time it will be completed. We are hoping to get it enclosed by winter so visiting teams and local volunteers can help us during the winter months. Windows and doors will be a large expense. Sasha, the contractor, estimates that windows will cost up to $21,000 and doors (there are 75 or more) will be around $16,000. If we make smaller windows in the ends of the building it will cost less.

Thanks for your interest in the project. If you know of anyone who might like to help with funds, please contact us at Smilealliance@yahoo.com or Smile Alliance P.O. Box 240 Cle Elum, WA 98922.

Mercy Trucks and Dr. Ina

The Mercy Trucks web site is now up and running http://www.mercytrucksua.org/ . Jeff and Greg Colker will be in the US for almost two months and during that time will be talking to churches and organziations in order to help raise support for the Colker Family www.colkerfamily.org and for the Mercy Truck ministry here in Ukraine. Richard and I will also be in the US for three weeks and during that time will talk to a couple of churches. There will be a fundraising picnic in Cle Elum, Washington on September 10 in support of the Smile House project. Please keep these projects in your prayers and if you are impressed to help with any of them, donations can be made through Smile Alliance International P. O. Box 240 Cle Elum, WA 98922.

Dr. Ina has been helping get the Mercy truck ready for ministry when we return. In the August 1 post I told some of her story. God has provided some funds for her support but the monthly pledge of $220, although really wonderful, is a small amount to live on in this inflationary economy. Please keep her situation in your prayers as well.