Orphanage Camps 2011
What a wonderful week we had with the 2 orphanages here from this region. They were so happy to be here - can you imagine how different it is here from where they live all the time? They are sitting in the grass, playing in the sandbox, and swimming as much as possible. The best news is that they hear the gospel of Jesus Christ during music and also lesson time with stories/video - all kinds of techniques for them to learn about Jesus and His love. Did you know when we go to visit the orphanage homes, it is against the law to teach or talk about God and/or Christianity? So what favor we have to freely sing and speak about Jesus here!! Slava Ne Boga (Praise the Lord).

So praise God for His mercy and grace. Praise God for giving us the vision for this youth camp, and Praise God for all of you who give to make this happen. Wish all of you could be here and see their faces - smiling, laughing, joyful, and hugging us like family. That's what we are to them. We have known them so long and we go there and they come here - for years we've made this connection.

Special Needs Camp 2011
Just cannot believe the time is passing so fast and here we have finished our last week of camps for this year. The last is always the best because we enjoy and are so blessed by the "Special Needs Orphans". They are the ones who ask the Director EVERYDAY during the year to mark off on the calendar for when they will be back with "Ms Betty" at camp. So it's a joy to see their smiling faces come into the front door. They are God's little precious ones - special ones for Him and we love them and give many hugs and kisses all the time.

We took them to the seaside again and they really enjoy that - you can imagine. Just feeling the sand under their feet and the waves of water coming up to their knees - it's a thrilling experience for them.

Then the music....oh how they love to sing and join hands to dance around as best they can. The motion songs they like the best and it's good therapy for them, good exercise too for the adults! The songs about Jesus are probably the most effective for them and they have learned them by memory from being at the camps for several years now. They pray in their own way, and we anoint them and pray God's healing and protection over them - and you can tell they hear those prayers - and prayer changes things and nothing is impossible to those who believe. Amen. One of the boys who could not walk - after much prayer and encouraging, he now is walking by himself! We have several in this home who have been touched by the Lord as we have worked with them through the years. I thank Meketa Swords' family and Jean Davison for their love for these children and spent time and money to help them have a better life. Everyone working together is the key.

So all day long we show God's love in every way possible. They make the crafts to take back to the orphanage and it's always Christian crafts that can witness wherever they go - that's a great tool we have always used. But we show Jesus to them because....we are "HIS hands, HIS feet, HIS voice, HIS eyes" for them. That's an awesome responsibility and that's the way we should live EVERYDAY! Are we really doing it?? Think about it and start focusing your life around that thought.

Here are some pictures that cannot tell the story, but at least you get to see their faces...pray for them please. One picture shows our kitchen staff...Ivelina who is Camp Director and her helper, Suzanna - thanks so much to these faithful laborers! The music picture cannot describe how happy they are - thanks to our faithful Subcho! He makes a big difference in his music for everything....he can play it all.

    

Orphanage Camps 2008

This was a special summer for all of us and God showed favor with all the Directors and staff of these additional two orphanage homes in this area that were able to attend camp this August.

These pictures just show a small part of the whole week, but you can see we had a great time in the Lord. The last day they presented a program to us using their puppets we had made and given to them last Christmas - they were so sweet and proud of what they could do. Many of these have serious mental problems, autism, deaf and dumb, crippled, physically challenged - just all kinds of handicaps. But what amazes us is the joy they have in their hearts. We prayed for them everyday, and one boy who can hardly walk, after prayer one day, he came the next morning and did not want any help to walk. He was so happy and proud that he could walk alone! God had touched him and he sung a song to the Lord.

And what joy it was to have the little ones, 3 - 6 yrs old come here for three days and nights. They were so precious and of course we wanted to take all of them home with us! They were so happy to go to the Black Sea for the first time and walk in the sand and pick up shells, and feel waves of water running over their feet - what a look on their faces! Another day they visited the zoo and saw animals they had never seen before. The Director told me it was the first opportunity they had ever had - for someone to sponsor them enjoy and learn new things. They loved the crafts, they sung the songs so joyfully, they ate like you would not believe (4 times a day we fed them) and just wanted someone to hold them and love them. Some of them cried when they started to leave the last day. They wanted to stay here because they had such a good time. We prayed together and Jesus touched their little hearts, and they felt the love of Jesus here. That's what this is all about - showing the love of Jesus and being a living example of what Jesus does in your life.

   

Special Needs Camp 2008

This year we were so blessed to have with us the "special needs" orphanage children here at camp. Truly this is our highlight of the summer, because these kids have become part of our family. They all know us by our names and are smiling and laughing all the time they are here.

These pictures just show a small part of the whole week, but you can see we had a great time in the Lord. The last day they presented a program to us using their puppets we had made and given to them last Christmas - they were so sweet and proud of what they could do. Many of these have serious mental problems, autism, deaf and dumb, crippled, physically challenged - just all kinds of handicaps. But what amazes us is the joy they have in their hearts. We prayed for them everyday, and one boy who can hardly walk, after prayer one day, he came the next morning and did not want any help to walk. He was so happy and proud that he could walk alone! God had touched him and he sung a song to the Lord.

The Director told us that this camp was the best opportunity these children have to leave the orphanage and come to a place filled with love. They cried when they had to leave. They look forward to this so much and we keep in touch with them through the summer and then at Christmas we have a special program for them and share gifts and love. This Christmas-2008 we plan to provide them with a sports outfit and socks, plus sheets, toys, a Christmas present bag and lots of love. If you want to help with this project, please let us know. Any amount is appreciated to help make Christmas special for these children.

Thanks to all of you who support our ministry of outreach here in Bulgaria. This all happens because of your love for missions and for these precious orphans too. Remember James 1:5. We are involved in what is on God's mind right here reaching out in love.

Please let us hear from you and give us your prayer requests for our prayer warriors here to pray and agree with you for the answer. Jesus is coming - let us all be winning souls for the Kingdom of God.

July 2007

A day we had looked forward to for so long has happened on July 6th when we were able to have the "Special Needs Orphanage Home" here at the Youth Camp. The staff that accompanied them were expressing how much the children had looked forward to this day - (they were talking about it for 2 months) and finally the day had arrived. This day was full of activities for these "special" children. They were fed breakfast, and then music time which they really enjoyed so much. The puppet theater was a big surprise and joy as they heard the story of Jesus and about His love for them especially and this was followed by prayer for them. Lunchtime was a big event as they enjoyed a big meal and ice cream! They were all smiles too as the clown made an appearance to welcome them to the camp. Crafts and swimming rounded out the remainder of the day.

The Director of the orphanage said this was the greatest camp she had ever witnessed, and for these children, it was the highlight of their summer. We were given permission to pray and anoint each of these sickly children, and the teachers were also touched by the Lord. They were open to the spiritual atmosphere here and were so thankful for the prayer time. First, we give God all the Glory and Praise for giving us favor here to have the camp; and then to all of you who help us make it happen. Special thanks to Blackville Church who have faithfully supported and sponsored the camp,and then many more friends who give monthly to the Children's Project for the orphans, Bibles, supplies, and regular upkeep of the property. It's a successful and organized effort by a team of caring, loving people and you are all a part of it. Jesus says, "Thank you for taking care of my children - the forgotten ones and the special children" James 1:27