Yesterday, 14 Jan 09, we had the pleasure of delivering a car load of clothes to an orphanage some ninety kilometers south of Plovdiv. The ride took us over the mountains, past a ski resort, and into a picturesque village which has been there some five or six hundred years. We experienced along the way rain, sleet, snow, more rain and lots of melting, making the narrow, winding road a kinky ribbon of mud. Going with us to the orphanage was Nikolai Gavazov, the Bulgarian Field Director for 'One Heart Bulgaria', the non profit group that looks after these poorly managed and funded state orphanages. We drove to the run down building when we arrived in the village, but learned the children were attending school about a block away. So off we skidded to the school. Conditions in the school were not much better than at the orphanage, the rooms were quite cold, children wore coats to keep warm. However bleak the place looked and felt, the headmaster was proud to show us some new desks and chalk boards they had received from a group in Holland. School finished for the day at 1:00pm, and soon the building was empty. When we arrived back at the orphanage, the children were already there and anxiously waiting to help unload the car. The look on the children's faces when they saw all the bags of clothing was priceless. We have included a few pictures to help you understand what we felt and saw. 
We have included the website for the One Heart Bulgaria program if you are interested in making a donation. Its link is on the top right of our blog. The cause is more than worthy; the children are not members of the church, but they are children of God. The One Heart Bulgaria foundation was started and is run by former LDS missionaries to Bulgaria. Nikolai is in our branch and is responsible for the use of the donations the organization receives. He is the only paid personnel in the organization.
We hope you enjoy your week, and find peace in your hearts.
Love, Elder/Sister Andersen, John and Peggy
We hope you enjoy your week, and find peace in your hearts.
Love, Elder/Sister Andersen, John and Peggy
4 comments:
What an incredible and humbling experience. These pictures help me remember how blessed we are.
I couldn't agree more with everything Tessa said. You both must have felt so blessed to have had this experience. It breaks my heart to realize that most of these children will have to live in this orphanage their entire lives, with no hope of ever having a family. Tyler & I couldn't be more grateful for the children we've been blessed with, and for the means that we have to provide for them. We are so very blessed. Thanks so much for sharing.
How very sad. It is nice that there are some who care enough to help. To think that this takes place all over the world, not just Bulgaria. There is so much that needs to be exposed and done by us all.
I'd just started reading Jane Eyre the day before receiving your blog notice. It's amazing that conditions haven't changed from that time to this.
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