The Challenges make a real difference to the lives of those living in desperate situations around the world. Take part in a Smile sponsored challenge to raise funds for a specific Smile project and at the same time enjoy a trip of a lifetime! You can raise funds online for your Challenge through your own page on the Just Giving website www.justgiving.com   Please contact the Smile office for further details.

Kosova Walk Challenge November 2009

Steve Thompson's report: It has been a privilege to join a Smile team for a week in November 2009 on a Step Out trip to Kosova. For me, the primary purpose of the trip was to undertake a sponsored walk to raise money for a new venture called "Hospice Care at Home". This is a new project where Smile seeks to provide palliative care, pain relief, medical and social support for those dying of breast and cervical cancer. They will employ a doctor and nurse to visit patients’ homes throughout the community rather than construct a new hospice building, because culturally and historically the care of the family is undertaken at home. All money raised from the sponsored walk would be used to launch this project as soon as possible. The challenge therefore was to walk 20 miles over the course of two separate days, which I was to do in the company of Ron from Sevenoaks and Bertie, a local Christian and our interpreter. I am pleased to say that it was "mission accomplished." Our first day was an uphill walk taking us into the foothills of the Albanian Alps; the second day was a downhill walk to a local lake. The scenery was lovely – in many ways similar to England, although initially the sight of a mosque in every village was somewhat surprising. The photo shows the three of us at the finish line, having completed the walk. May I thank everyone who so generously supported me and I have raised just over £2,000 in total, with my company doubling that amount to £4,000. I know that this will be put to good use by Smile as they launch this new hospice care venture – thank you. But the trip was far more than just a walk and turned out to be a life-changing week, as I had been told it would be! The second element of the week involved distributing aid to the numerous widows left after the war ten years ago. Smile also run a "Sponsor a Widow" programme in Kosova where a set monthly sum enables food and other essentials to be delivered to widows, most of whom will have seen their husbands and grown-up sons killed in front of them. We visited with the aid, heard their stories, enjoyed simple hospitality from them and sought to bring some measure of hope and encouragement for the future, where little exists for many widows. This has been a very humbling experience for me and challenges one’s attitude towards wealth and possessions. The photograph shows one widow we visited with her three grandchildren as she says goodbye to the team. The final element of the week revolved around the support and encouragement we were able to bring to the local church in Gjakove – and the particular focus was to Eternity Church, where Astrit and Emily Morina lead along with Astrit’s fellow pastor, Driton. As many will know, Emily is Clive and Ruth Doubleday’s daughter and she has established a Girls Brigade group at the church, a meeting which some of the team joined in with, as shown in the photograph. We were also able to assist with a Youth Conference held at the Smile Centre and to join Eternity Church for their regular Sunday morning worship, which meets in the upper room of a rented house – it was very exciting to join in worship and fellowship in what felt like the early church. A really "life-changing" week – thank you again for your support and encouragement – "would I go back again?" – yes, of course! Why don’t you think about it for next year?

Ron and Steve at the halfway point   Ron, Berti and Steve reaching the finishing line at the Smile Centre gates Visiting a widow's family Girls Brigade meeting at Eternity Church, Gjakove

Three Peaks Challenge – 28-29 July 2007

CONGRATULATIONS to Richard and David Adams and team who have successfully completed their sponsored climb to raise funds for Smile's work with AIDS orphans in Africa. The Challenge - To scale the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales all within a 24-hour period. Start - 12 noon on Saturday 28 July 2007 – Fort William, Scotland Finish - 12 noon on Sunday 29 July 2007 – The peak of Mount Snowdon, Wales Total of 12,000 feet on foot and 500 miles on the road, including a night time assault on the summit of Scar Fell Pike which is England's highest peak. They have raised over £2,000 and if you would like to contribute, please contact the Smile office or go to Richard's fundraising page on the JustGiving website at www.justgiving.com/12000feet500miles24hours where you can make a direct online donation to Smile International in support of this Challenge.

Richard's report:
Challenge Completed - We completed the challenge in 22 hours and 4 minutes from the peak of Ben Nevis to the peak of Mount Snowdon. The conditions were against us and we did not have a view from any of the summits due to the cloud cover. Our descent from Scar Fell Pike was conducted with the help of torches under heavy clouds and in the dark. A marvellous effort by all especially our driver Steve who did not sleep as he conveyed us through the night from England to Wales and then joined the rest of the team to climb Snowdon.

Sri Lanka Trek– February 2007

 
On the central plains - In the rainforest – The whole Smile team on safari

The team have raised the magnificent sum of £15,000, to support the work of the Smile Centre in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. They spent 4 days trekking through central and southern Sri Lanka, from Kandy to Horton Plains and the central rainforests. They then spent the rest of their stay helping at the Smile Centre, joining the remainder of the Smile team who had been painting the Centre.

In October 2004 Wendy Doubleday and James Alexander raised over £12,000 when they joined a Smile/Trailblazers Challenge walking a section the Great Wall of China.