6 Hours, 52 Miles, 2 Cities, 2300 km apart, Martyn Smith completes the London Tromso Challenge for the House of Grace Orphanage, Thailand.

For most of us completing one marathon is a daunting prospect. For Martyn Smith however, the challenge of completing 2 gruelling marathons was a mouth-watering prospect, all the more so after hearing about the plight of the House of Grace orphans from lifelong friends and ACET Thailand Directors Alan and Maelynn Ellard.

Upon hearing about the desperate need to replace the existing House of Grace building Martyn quickly decided he had to do something to contribute. “I love Thailand, feel strongly about HIV / Aids issues, and know that Alan and Maelyn Ellard are doing an amazing job - I simply had to support the them”

Having 12 completed marathons under his belt, and with a brother in Norway, the London-Tromso Challenge presented itself as an obvious opportunity for raising money through sponsorship, and on 17 April and 18 June he successfully completed the London and Tromso Marathons respectively. Through “Training, sweat, and Stoicism!” Martyn raised over £3000 in sponsorship, which will contribute greatly to the development of exiting plans for the House of Grace.egion, 250 kilometers SE of Bangkok. Today 36 children are cared for in the loving environment of the orphanage. Sadly, many of the children are HIV positive, however at the House of Grace they have the opportunity to enjoy a good quality of life and continue their education, while also enjoying recreational opportunities and forming friendships with other children.

At the moment, the House of Grace occupies a converted former school building, however this arrangement has proved far from ideal as it is rented from the government on a yearly basis, making long term planning difficult for Pastor Kitisak and his team.

In an effort to reduce long term running costs and provide as much stability as possible for the children, a 5-acre plot of land has been purchased and plans have been drawn up for a permanent home for the House of Grace. It is envisaged that the new House of Grace will consist of several smaller housing units which will provide homes for 8-10 children each, providing a more home-like environment for the children.

Christine McPhail, Director of Positive Steps, has visited Thailand to see the plans for herself. “We were shown a model of the proposed children’s village with houses, gardens and play areas. Later, when we walked over the plot of jungle land in the blistering midday sun we could feel that model coming alive around us” commented Christine following her visit.

Alan Ellard of ACET Thailand has lead responsibility for co-coordinating fund-raising for the House of Grace, with the whole building project likely to cost in excess of £300,000. Positive Steps is committed to supporting this project and will administer all UK donations. If you would like further information about the House of Grace or would like to make a donation please contact Handri Cronje on 0141 564 5287 or email handricronje@positivesteps.org.uk

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