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Andrew, Stani,
Stani's brother and nephew, and several kids from
the Berkovitsa IV home (all pictures on this page
from the March 3 trip--click to enlarge). |
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BCI
News:
During Paul and Judy's three month furlough/medical
leave/fundraising trip in early 2006, Bulgarian Child was represented in
Bulgaria by their oldest son, Andrew. Though somewhat hampered by severe
weather conditions (several planned trip and activities were postponed
for safety due to heavy snow on the relevant mountain passes), he and
BCI employee Stani made several trips to orphanages in central and
Western Bulgaria.
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Andrew with
Asen at Berkovitsa IV. Asen is
twenty-four. |
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The first trip was originally scheduled for mid-January,
but due to heavy snow and extreme cold was postponed till later in the
month. On the trip, Andrew and Stani went with two of BCI's usual
translators (Katya Raichinova and Stefka Ignatova) to the home for young
children in Georgi Damyanovo. We took them fruit, juice, cookies, and
other snacks to have a little party for them, being sure to take enough
fruit and juice to have plenty left over for the next few days. On the
way there, we picked up some sheets from the sewing circle in Rakovitsa
and delivered them to Berkovitsa III. On the way back we also stopped in
Berkovitsa IV to see our friends there. They were happy to see us
despite our visit being somewhat rushed (it was snowing and getting dark
and there was a mountain between us and home).
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Andrew and the
kids from Berkovitsa IV watching the program
they put on for us. The child on my lap is
Vida--she is eight. The boy to my left is
Pepi. |
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In February we went to Vidrare, where we found to our
surprise that the director had secured funding the install a basic
sensory room. The children were of course very pleased with it, and
eagerly demonstrated all the numerous devices for us. We had a good
visit, and while there the director invited us to a program that they
were putting on for the 1st of March (Bulgarian as a language
has arbitrary gender, and March, being the only female month, is a big
to-do). We also spoke with the director about the recent installation of
solar panels for water heating at the home. They were unfortunately
having some problems with the system, but they have thankfully since
been resolved and everything is now in working order.
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Unloading groceries at
Berkovitsa IV. |
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We also went back to Georgi Damyanovo, where we delivered
sheets made by our sewing circle in Rakovitsa. Unfortunately we were
delayed again by snow so that we arrived during naptime, but the
director was very happy with the sheets and we promised to come back
soon to spend time with the children. On the way back to Sofia we
stopped again at
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The food delivery,
once unloaded. |
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Berkovitsa IV to see our friends, and while there we had
a talk with the director in which he mentioned that the home had a real
need for a delivery of food. So we asked him for a list of what was
needed, which he promised to get to us the next week.
On March 1st we went to watch the children's
program at Vidrare: the kids did a wonderful job for an audience of us,
their peers, and several other outside guests, and we were able to spend
a little time with them afterwards. The next day, the director at
Berkovitsa IV was in Sofia for a meeting and while in town he gave me
the list of needed food items, so Stani and I went to Metro and got
them, and then on Friday the third drove over the mountain to Berkovitsa
IV to make our delivery. March 3rd is the date on which
Bulgaria celebrates its independence from the Ottoman Empire, and the
children and their teachers had prepared a program, so in addition to
delivering food we got to support the children in a delightful
performance. Stani's brother, sister-in-law and nephew also came along
on the trip. |
