Yesterday, November 13th, 2024, we joined forces with Hope in Bulgaria to visit Nadezhda, the largest Roma community in Sliven, Bulgaria. The village, home to about 30,000 people, is divided into three distinct areas, each with its own unique characteristics and challenges. The first area we visited was the Entrance, where the majority of the population is of Turkish descent. Moving into the Middle Area, we encountered the heart of the Roma community. This part of the village is where extended families—grandparents, parents, children, aunts, uncles, and cousins—live together in multistory houses or in tiny, narrow alleyways. The final area, we reference to it as the Dump, because it is the actual waste disposal site for the village, and tragically many families live there. These families often consist of 10 or more members, and they all live in one-room homes about the size of a UK single garage.
On this visit, our primary focus was the Middle Area and the alleyways that surround it. We brought with us a range of gifts, including soft, cuddly teddy bears. But these weren’t just ordinary toys—they were symbols of love, worth, and care from God’s heart to theirs. A particularly special addition to our gifts were the Precious T-shirts, lovingly hand-made in New Zealand. Each T-shirt carried a message of value and identity, proclaiming the preciousness of each child in the Father’s eyes. Inspired by Psalm 139, these T-shirts serve as a reminder that every child is “fearfully and wonderfully made,” seen, and cherished by God.
As we went from house to house with the handmade Precious t-shirts, we were able to pray for many of the family members.
At the end of the day, we went into the streets to give out two huge bags of teddy bears. Many of the children loved their new comforting friends.
