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In November 2003 and 2004, I travelled with teams to the Berkovitsa Orphanage in Bulgaria.
There are 120 children in this dilapidated home in the mountainous north of the country. In wintertime, it can take up to five hours to drive from the capital Sofia through the mountains to the orphanage, and it's very cold there. The children are very friendly and love to see visitors - though they get very few. The director and staff who look after them do their best for the youngsters, but it is hard for them because there is very little money to buy food - and none to buy clothes. The children have to make do with second hand clothing, given by charities. The children do not 'own' any of these clothes. They are kept in a central room and they wear what is available in their size on any day.
That's why they were so pleased to get new shoes, socks and underclothes bought with money raised by the Harvest for the Hungry Project.
Between 2001 and 2010, I travelled with teams to Romania, Bulgaria, Brazil and Swaziland. I spent time helping distribute gifts and aid to needy children, helped to decorate rooms in an Orphanage and worked with children in a school.
Many children in Brazil drop out of school at an early age and end up on the streets. The University of Life was formed in 1990 to help those living in a slum area of the beach resort town of Fortaleza on the North East coast of Brazil. At the University of Life children are given extra education and encouragement to make it through the state system, enabling them to have a better chance of obtaining a job.
As well as giving them a good education, the project operates with a Christian ethic, providing a loving and secure atmosphere in which to learn and flourish. To help prevent the slum children becoming street children this project assists them with their state school homework and offers the children classes in sports, drama, music, English, typing, computing and Christianity. A nutritional meal, dental and medical assistance are also provided along with 'horizon broadening' excursions to the zoo and other areas. Univida Website
In February 2009, I travelled with a “Samaritans Purse International” team from the UK to Swaziland.
Swaziland is a small country facing big issues. One in four adults live with HIV, the highest prevalence rate in the world. There is also a high risk of contracting other illnesses which contribute towards the lowest life expectancy in the world, just 31 years. In recent years, more than a quarter of the population have needed emergency food aid.
Our team distributed gifts donated to the “Operation Christmas Child” project to school children, individuals in their homes and local communities.
