ON THIS PAGE: Churches  /  Dolna Banja Girls' Orphanage  /  Tran Orphanage  /  Dr Long's Medical Centre  /  Kjustendil Home for Handicapped

Bulgaria is a country with high unemployment and great poverty, and many people struggle throughout the year to survive on their meagre incomes. During the severe Balkan winter many old folk die of hypothermia as they cannot afford heating and sufficient food. On his visits Clive has seen old people going through rubbish bins for food scraps. The churches are endeavouring to help the needy, but their resources are limited.

Smile has been supporting Sofia Baptist Church and Dr Long's Methodist Church in their efforts to help the poor. We would like to thank everyone whose donations have supported the soup kitchen run by Sofia Methodist Church, which has been a lifeline to many pensioners.

CHURCHES

   
Evgeniy and Clive at Sofia Baptist Church – Smile team ministering at a Pentecostal church near Dolna Banja – Revs Jan and Steve Worthy at Dr Longs Methodist Church, Sofia

The Roma church at Radomir currently meet in a small residential flat which has two rooms and a bathroom. It is not unusual for the 15x8 foot room to have over 60 people crammed into it. The rest of the congregation have to sit outside and up the stairs. The church have a heart to run a Christian pre-school, after school care group, English language and IT course, in order to help the young people gain employment, and they are praying for larger premises.

The church had been praying for a new keyboard during the summer of 2003, as the congregation and the ever-growing youth group were having to share their one keyboard. Back in England, Smile supporters Laurie and Janis Homewood, who came on the trip to Bulgaria in June 2003, felt prompted by God to bring a keyboard they had had for a few years, to give to a needy church. Laurie, who is 77, had also spent many weeks making a wooden case for the keyboard, in order that it did not get damaged during transport. Delight and joy erupted in the lively Roma church when the keyboard was presented to them, which really was a wonderful answer to prayer.

   
Radomir Baptist Church held in one small room – Answer to prayer keyboard – Smile team and the entire Radomir congregation

DOLNA BANJA GIRLS ORPHANAGE

In June 2003, 14 members of the Smile ministry team visited the Dolna Banja Girls' Orphanage which is home to 36 girls aged 8-18 years. We continued the work we had begun the previous year in renovating, repairing and decorating this dilapidated building. In partnership with friends at Brandon Full Gospel church, Suffolk, the orphanage has been transformed, with newly decorated bedrooms, lounge, new furniture, beds, carpet, bedding, new clothes for the girls and repairing of showers and toilets, which has enhanced living conditions immensely.

     
Main building in disrepair – Smile team and girls on a picnic – bedrooms painted and filled with new furniture – Refurbished toilets (compare with Tran Orphanage below)

TRAN ORPHANAGE

In 2003 Clive visited Tran Orphanage in western Bulgaria, where the conditions can only be described as desperate. At that time we were able to  provide food, clothes and Christmas shoeboxes for the children. Lack of funds have created unhealthy conditions at Tran Orphanage – decaying floors and walls, decrepit and unhygienic toilets, basins and showers, inadequate laundry facilities (see pictures below):

      
Clive with children at Tran Orphanage
         
Unhygeinic conditions

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress" James 1:27

MEDICAL CENTRE

Smile continues to support the Dr Long's Medical Centre in the capital city Sofia with much-needed medical equipment surgical instruments, sterilising units, syringes, etc, to enable them to care for the many poor in Sofia who cannot afford other medical treatment.

Clive delivering aid to Dr Long's Medical Clinic

KJUSTENDIL HOME

Kjustendil Home cares for 105 mentally and physically handicapped residents. Smile has supplied the home with much-needed aid such as food, clothes, blankets, detergents, incontinence pads, bandages and zimmer frames. Team members met some of the residents who were greatly encouraged by the practical help given.

 
Smile team member Liz Harris with 103-year-old lady – entertaining the residents