Yet another great day with special friends in Bulgaria. We started this morning in the Berk 4 orphanage, which is a home for the physically and mentally handicapped with an age range of 5 to probably 40. It is the best handicap orphanage in the country, with workers who care and residents who help take care of each other. It is one big family and community. We spent time in five different rooms, which are divided largely based on care needs. We were able to tell Bible stories as we acted them out and then invited them to act out the story as well. We sang, played musical instruments (a bit loud and chaotic!), colored with crayons, held, rubbed backs, loved, and prayed.
You definitely realize that each resident has a unique personality and is an individual, intentional creation of God. We don't know why they were made with minds and bodies that they have, and the world discounts them because of that, but they are wonderful individuals with lots of personality in many cases.
We were also able to meet with the new director that just started last week. He doesn't have a background in social work, orphanages, or the handicapped, so he has lots to learn. However, he received us and said he appreciated our work. He asked our impression of the home, and we gave lots of positive feedback and left him with gifts. We told him we were praying for him, and we prayed for him after we left his office.
We spent the afternoon in the gypsy village on the outskirts of Berkovitsa. We parked at the Baptist Church, which is at the entrance to the village, and walked up through the village and back gathering children. There was lots of excitement as they saw us walking through the streets! We wound up with over 100 children back at the church where we had a fun afternoon of 'Sunday school' with them.
We sang, told Bible stories, acted them out, colored, decorated sun visors that they got to keep, and loved on them. Jane and Debbie together led a great event with nothing but clapping -- totally impromptu -- which transcended language and engaged the whole group! This type of outreach helps the church to reach out to the children and their families throughout the year. Gypsies are looked down upon by society, usually are isolated in separate villages, typically have rundown houses, and are very poor. However, once this church was established there, it really helped bring spiritual transformation to the village. The crime rate even improved. The pastor wasn't there today, but it was a joy to pray with his wife and several other women in the church. They are truly sisters in Christ.
We went back by the Borovtsi Learning Center and spent some time praying there, as it's only a little more than a week from when the first residents arrive. We prayed in all the dorm rooms, the cafeteria, the meeting rooms, and the offices.
Unfortunately, we weren't able to stop by the baby home again this afternoon to drop off the baby blankets that had arrived in our lost luggage. The director had to leave early today, and she said another day would probably be better. Paul and Judy will get them to her after we leave.
We drove to the town of Vratsa for dinner and to spend the night at the Hotel Chaika, which is in a beautiful setting in the mountains. In fact, the hotel is at the base of a 1500-foot rock face, and the view from the front is spectacular.
After a wonderful dinner, debrief of the day, and our evening devotional, we're all tired and ready for bed. Good night from Vratsa.
