Resources

INTERVIEW

Service with a smile

As her major UK tour kicks off, PETER DILLEY finds out how singer-songwriter Nia combines music with her charity aid work with Smiles Foundation

As a popular Christian singer and songwriter, Nia continues to tour extensively in the UK, Ireland and the States (latest dates below).

But in these roadshows, Nia doesn’t just present the Gospel message through music and testimony, she also raises awareness and support for the Smiles Foundation and its projects in Romania, Armenia and Honduras. And judging by the enthusiastic tone as we talk on the telephone, the charity is aptly named. As one of the trustees and co-founders, Nia exudes passion for sharing God’s love wherever and however she can.

So how and why did the Smiles Foundation come about?

“Really, it was trying to be ‘hands on’. I’ve been going to Romania for 12 years. The first few years I really went to sing and visit some orphanages, and we took crayons, sweets, clothes and things. As the years have gone on, I’ve come to realise that we can help with so much more than that. But we’d see a project, then have to come home and tell an organisation about it, hoping that one day they might take that project on as part of their charity.

“We got thinking that when we saw a need, we’d sit down, the three of us on the board (involved in both the music ministry and the charity), and be able to say ‘look at what we’ve just seen – let’s see whether we can help.’ There are so many needs you come across when you go on trips like that, and it’s then that you’re fired up, that you see something and you want to be able to do something, whether it’s a minibus, or putting in new shower blocks.”

Since its launch in 2000, the Smiles Foundation has grown to an annual turnover of £400,000, with overheads kept to a minimum:

“Besides the three of us on the board, there are masses of volunteers. We have more staff on the field than in the UK – five full-time staff, including a doctor, in Romania. That’s the way it should be, rather than being top-heavy the other way. But the only reason we can do that is because the singing ministry covers our costs anyway, so when anything comes in for the Smiles Foundation, 100% goes to the work of the charity.

Nia’s integrated approach to her music and mission/humanitarian work seems healthy:

“People ask if I’m a musician or a missionary – I guess I’m kind of a ‘musicianary’! I’m not embarrassed about that, it’s my calling.”

As the Smiles Foundation grows, the projects are becoming more ambitious:

“The biggest one, which we are praying so much about, and working hard on, is opening a school in Tileagd, a gypsy village just outside Oradea. The community hasn’t had a school for 50 years, and we’re working with a retired headmaster here in the UK, a volunteer, who has really caught the vision for it too. He’s coming over to Romania with us a lot to look at it – dealing with all the forms, documents and legalities you need to have a school, and obviously working with the authorities there.

“In all, 56 children will be starting school on 18 September and I’m really excited about that. For the first time ever these children, and their parents, will realise that someone really does care enough for them. They could go to the school in town, but they’d need their own pencils, books and so on, and there’s no way that those in the gypsy community would afford that – so when they go they’d get thrown out instantly. And there’s a part of society that doesn’t want them there anyway, so that’s their excuse.

“Now there’s a place they can go, I just hope that it breaks the cycle, because without a doubt the gypsy community aren’t helping themselves either. I feel it’s meeting people at their point of need, where they know they don’t even deserve to be cared for. It’s the ultimate picture of grace, because Jesus didn’t come to us once we showed we were doing all right, when we had the best intentions. He met us when we were in the mire, and still said: ‘I love you this much’.”

Peter Dilley is a Connexions Personal Adviser working with the charity InterAct in Chelmsford

CONCERT DATES

These Hands : The 2003 Multimedia Roadshow – Presenting Nia in Concert.

September:
13 Grimsby, 14 Walsall, 17 Coleford, 19 Swansea, 20 Abertridwr, 21 Rugby, 24 Dumfries, 25 Prestwick, 26 Saltcoats, 27 Hamilton, 28 Kirkaldy.
October:
1 Dublin, 2 Belfast, 3 Ardstraw, 4 Craigavon, 5 (am) Ballymoney, 5 (pm) Carrickfergus, 6 Whitehaven, 8 Malvern, 9 Port Talbot, 10 Newquay, 11 Teignmouth, 12 Northampton, 14 Ilkeston, 15 Evesham, 16 Pontypridd, 17 Colchester, 18 Egerton, 19 Sutton Coldfield.
Full details: www.niaconcerts.com
Information & Tickets available from: 0113 216 5796

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		INTERVIEW Service with a smile As her major UK tour kicks off, PETER DILLEY finds out how singer-songwriter Nia combines music with her charity aid work with Smiles Foundation As a popular Christian singer and songwriter, Nia continues to tour extensively in the UK, Ireland and the States (latest dates below). But in these roadshows, Nia doesn’t just present the Gospel message through music and testimony, she also raises awareness and support for the Smiles Foundation and its projects in Romania, Armenia and Honduras. And judging by the enthusiastic tone as we talk on the telephone, the charity is aptly named. As one of the trustees and co-founders, Nia exudes passion for sharing God’s love wherever and however she can. So how and why did the Smiles Foundation come about? “Really, it was trying to be ‘hands on’. I’ve been going to Romania for 12 years. The first few years I really went to sing and visit some orphanages, and we took crayons, sweets, clothes and things. As the years have gone on, I’ve come to realise that we can help with so much more than that. But we’d see a project, then have to come home and tell an organisation about it, hoping that one day they might take that project on as part of their charity. “We got thinking that when we saw a need, we’d sit down, the three of us on the board (involved in both the music ministry and the charity), and be able to say ‘look at what we’ve just seen – let’s see whether we can help.’ There are so many needs you come across when you go on trips like that, and it’s then that you’re fired up, that you see something and you want to be able to do something, whether it’s a minibus, or putting in new shower blocks.” Since its launch in 2000, the Smiles Foundation has grown to an annual turnover of £400,000, with overheads kept to a minimum: “Besides the three of us on the board, there are masses of volunteers. We have more staff on the field than in the UK – five full-time staff, including a doctor, in Romania. That’s the way it should be, rather than being top-heavy the other way. But the only reason we can do that is because the singing ministry covers our costs anyway, so when anything comes in for the Smiles Foundation, 100% goes to the work of the charity. Nia’s integrated approach to her music and mission/humanitarian work seems healthy: “People ask if I’m a musician or a missionary – I guess I’m kind of a ‘musicianary’! I’m not embarrassed about that, it’s my calling.” As the Smiles Foundation grows, the projects are becoming more ambitious: “The biggest one, which we are praying so much about, and working hard on, is opening a school in Tileagd, a gypsy village just outside Oradea. The community hasn’t had a school for 50 years, and we’re working with a retired headmaster here in the UK, a volunteer, who has really caught the vision for it too. He’s coming over to Romania with us a lot to look at it – dealing with all the forms, documents and legalities you need to have a school, and obviously working with the authorities there. “In all, 56 children will be starting school on 18 September and I’m really excited about that. For the first time ever these children, and their parents, will realise that someone really does care enough for them. They could go to the school in town, but they’d need their own pencils, books and so on, and there’s no way that those in the gypsy community would afford that – so when they go they’d get thrown out instantly. And there’s a part of society that doesn’t want them there anyway, so that’s their excuse. “Now there’s a place they can go, I just hope that it breaks the cycle, because without a doubt the gypsy community aren’t helping themselves either. I feel it’s meeting people at their point of need, where they know they don’t even deserve to be cared for. It’s the ultimate picture of grace, because Jesus didn’t come to us once we showed we were doing all right, when we had the best intentions. He met us when we were in the mire, and still said: ‘I love you this much’.” Peter Dilley is a Connexions Personal Adviser working with the charity InterAct in Chelmsford CONCERT DATES These Hands : The 2003 Multimedia Roadshow – Presenting Nia in Concert. September: 13 Grimsby, 14 Walsall, 17 Coleford, 19 Swansea, 20 Abertridwr, 21 Rugby, 24 Dumfries, 25 Prestwick, 26 Saltcoats, 27 Hamilton, 28 Kirkaldy. October: 1 Dublin, 2 Belfast, 3 Ardstraw, 4 Craigavon, 5 (am) Ballymoney, 5 (pm) Carrickfergus, 6 Whitehaven, 8 Malvern, 9 Port Talbot, 10 Newquay, 11 Teignmouth, 12 Northampton, 14 Ilkeston, 15 Evesham, 16 Pontypridd, 17 Colchester, 18 Egerton, 19 Sutton Coldfield. Full details: www.niaconcerts.com Information & Tickets available from: 0113 216 5796 © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.