We have places available on two marathons this year and are looking for runners to raise funds for our projects. Full details are on our Challenges page::

• Arctic Midnight Sun Marathon, Tromsø, Norway – 19 June 2010, raising funds for our child care programme for AIDS orphans in Africa.

• Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon, London – 10 October 2010, raising funds for our palliative care project in Kosova.

We are delighted that Ruth Adams is running in the London Marathon on Sunday 25 April to raise funds for Smile. If you wish to support her with a donation, you can do so via her Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/Ruth-Adams

INCA TRAIL CHALLENGE 6-19 September 2010 Cost: £1,895 Minimum sponsorship: £1,500 Expedition Visit the beautiful Cusco and spectacular Machu Picchu whilst trekking on the magnificent Inca Trail. Join the journey of a lifetime and help raise funds for feeding and educating children. Lake Titicaca If you would like to extend your visit to see the breath taking scenery of Lake Titicaca, you can have an additional 4 days for £310 + flights.

Inca Trail flyer PDF (421 KB)

NEW ROOF FOR NILANTHI IN SRI LANKA

Nilanthi and her children live in Hambantota and their old palm branch roof used to leak terribly, particularly during the monsoon, leaving their house damp, cold and wet. Smile has replaced the palm branches with metal corrugated sheets and this makes the house waterproof and dry. Nilanthi and her family say a very big ‘Thank you’ to Smile and its supporters for their new roof. We thank the Lord for his faithfulness in caring for those in need through those who are obedient to His call for their involvement in His work.

God’s Perfect Timing by Nathan Blackburn  "I initially applied for a 5-month gap year with Smile International but during the training week, I really felt I should be going for longer. However, I had exhausted all of my possible means of income and was unsure how I would fund another 2 months. So I prayed about it. When I got home, there was a cheque waiting for me from Christ Church, Chislehurst, Kent, for the exact amount I needed. Little did I know what was to happen on my gap year! It was only in those last two months that the relationship between Hannah and me grew stronger – and I don't think that any of this would have happened if I’d have gone home after 5 months! It still amazes me to think about that and continues to remind me how good God is, and how perfect His timing is! Without our Smile Gap Year in Uganda and the experiences we shared during it, Hannah and I wouldn’t be where we are now – we would have probably never met! But God is good. His ways are perfect and He is using Smile for many great things in many countries – besides bringing us together! I think that our time away didn’t just bring us together in marriage, but it gave us both a passion for God’s mission field which we fully intend to use in the future!"

TASTE & SEE WEEKENDS TO KOSOVA

If you are unable to give a whole week to mission in Kosova why not come for a long weekend Friday to Monday? We will fly you direct to Kosova with British Airways from London Gatwick. You will have the opportunity of visiting Smile projects on Saturday, fellowshipping with local Christians on Sunday and an opportunity to meander through the old town of Gjakove and sightsee on Monday, before flying back to the UK in the afternoon. These action-packed four days will give you a real opportunity to see first-hand the work of Smile and are a great way of sampling life in Kosova without being away from home or work for too long. Cost £299 per person. Contact Richard Westbrook on trips@smileinternational.org for further details. More details on Step Out Trips page.