See how we are moving forward to lifting orphans in Bulgaria from surviving to thriving!
Last year we announced our partnership with the non-profit organization One Heart Bulgaria. One Heart Bulgaria works with the country’s social services, health care services, foster care programs, and local government leaders to stay connected with the orphanage’s most pressing needs and concerns. (One Heart Bulgaria, 2019)
In May, a small group of our staff and volunteers had the opportunity to travel for a week to Bulgaria. They had the chance to visit seven homes, provide hospital donations to a maternity hospital, work on two construction projects, and meet with One Heart Bulgaria.
During the visit, the team met with directors and caregivers who lovingly support and care for the children. A memorable event showcasing such support was when a girl played the piano in one of the homes, fundraised by generous donors of A Child’s Hope. The girl was incredibly nervous, but she touched our team’s hearts as they could see her caregiver support and cheer her on throughout the performance. Remarkably, the orphanage leaders allow kids to develop skills while supporting them, allowing them to find new interests and leading them to thrive in certain areas.
Support of donors and a caregiver
During the visit, the team met with directors and caregivers who lovingly support and care for the children. A memorable event showcasing such support was when a girl played the piano in one of the homes, fundraised by generous donors of A Child’s Hope. The girl was incredibly nervous, but she touched our team’s hearts as they could see her caregiver support and cheer her on throughout the performance. Remarkably, the orphanage leaders allow kids to develop skills while supporting them, allowing them to find new interests and leading them to thrive in certain areas.
Service Projects
The service projects during the trip included building two swings for two special needs homes. During the construction of the second swing, one of the little girls from the home hugged the construction supervisor; she was very grateful and happy for the swing.
A successful trip
Overall, our staff and volunteers were deeply impacted by the different needs of orphaned and vulnerable children in Bulgaria. The team enjoyed learning about Bulgarian culture, meeting incredible leaders and caregivers, and serving alongside them. We are so grateful to One Heart Bulgaria for the fantastic support network they have built and their willingness to implement the Thrive Program. We are excited to see the program progress in Bulgaria and hope to continue to lift orphans from surviving to thriving worldwide.
