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Bulgarian History – in brief…
• At the time of Christ and the days of the early church
the land now called Bulgaria was known as Thrace
beazley.ox.ac.uk
Roman rule
• Like much of Europe, Bulgaria was under
Roman rule for many years.
A blessing from Roman Rule
• With Roman Rule came an introduction to
Christianity that was never fully extinguished.
A new protector
• The Roman Empire grew so large it was divided into eastern and
western halves with the eastern part becoming the Byzantine
Empire. Churches in this Empire were Eastern Orthodox.
• Because Bulgaria was part of Byzantium, churches there have long
been Eastern Orthodox.
• Orthodoxy shares some beliefs with us such as the trinity, but
focuses on the liturgy more than doctrine and Bible study
• Many Bulgarians long for
Bible study because that has
been lacking through the Orthodox
Church and especially under
communism
Turkish rule
From the 15th to the 19th century, Bulgaria was ruled by
the Turks. Bulgarian Christians suffered tremendously
for their faith.
Russian Aid
The Russians helped push the Turks out of Bulgaria. A small but
growing Muslim population remains. In gratitude the Bulgarians
built this church, Church Alexander Nevsky, to thank the
Russians. This fostered gratitude and trust of the Russians,
paving the way for Communism in Bulgaria.
Communist Bulgaria
The communists came to power in Bulgaria at
the end of WWII, lasting until 1989 when “The
Wall” fell.
Life after Communism
The end of Communism was good in many ways, but led to
economic collapse. This left many impoverished and in some
ways, worse off than they were under Communism.
Religious Freedom
Once again, preaching the Gospel and meeting to study
the Word and worship were permitted. There were
restrictions but more opportunities than ever before.
A friend in need…
Soon after the fall of Communism, the founder of Helping Hands
Bulgaria, moved to Bulgaria to assist with medical and
humanitarian aid.
When people asked why we were helping, it was an opportunity
to share the Gospel.
The most needy
• Early on, it became clear that the disabled,
orphans and elderly were the most vulnerable
and thus needy in Bulgaria.
Open ears
Although many Bulgarians are putting most of their
efforts into survival, many, especially the elderly who
may have learned the Gospel from their parents before
communist rule began, were very eager to again be
able to hear and read the Word.
U.S. events
• The founder left Bulgaria in 1997. The aid continued until a few years
after 9/11 when finances led to the end of the program
• Faced with continued need of the Bulgarians, particularly spiritual need,
the founder, along with her pastor, Rev. Paul Hunsicker, started Helping
Hands Bulgaria in 2003.
• The founder continued to work with the woman who’d been her coworker while in Bulgaria.
Babas for Babies
One of the main programs of Helping Hands Bulgaria is the Babas for Babies
program. Since 2005 we have supported 3 to 5 women that help with the
physical and emotional care of some of the children at Vidin Orphanage.
Relief for Staff
With so few staff members, the Babas have decreased the
number of children for which the orphanage staff must provide
care. This allows more time for needed contact with each child.
Total Care
Each Baba works with 2 children for 2-3 years. The children often
progress very rapidly after they start working with their Baba
and receiving lots of TLC. They get pretty attached to their little
ones.
Especially for the children…
• The Babas tell the children about Jesus and
sing them songs about Him.
Feedback from Adoptive Parents
Below is Stephan with his Baba. He was
adopted in June of 2014 by a family in Nebraska.
What Stephan’s new mother had to
say about the Babas program
When Stephan’s adoptive mother found out who sponsored the
Babas program she wrote the following:
“We are adopting a son from Vidin and were amazed at how
the baba program has changed the lives of so many orphans.
We'd love to get more information about your
organization…Thank you very much.” Signed Misty Rentschler
This started a series of emails
and phone calls between us.
Other adoptive parents
After I answered Misty’s email she provided more information
about our Babas:
“Our son is 3 years old and has had a baba since last March (Baba Venka). He
is doing so much better! Until then, he was sick a lot. He has grown so much
and is able to walk while holding his baba's hands. We can see he loves his
baba and she loves him… We appreciate what you are doing more than you
will ever know…Thank you so much!” Jared & Misty Rentschler
Soon she connected us to others adopting from Vidin!
The older orphans
• We also help and have helped several orphanages for
school-aged children. The donations from Hearts for
Jesus from south Minnesota district were used for
furniture. We also have helped with clothes and
food. We have now
resumed devotions and
talks with Novo Selo
orphanage and have been
invited to a high school!
Disabled children and young adults
There are also orphanages for physically and/or developmentally
challenged children, teens and young adults. These children that
the government classifies as “less than perfect,” are also housed
in the regular orphanages such as Vidin orphanage where our
Babas are based.
Bridges to Babas
• We also assist several nursing homes with food, funds for flu
shots and medicines.
• We’ve been able to send half a dozen shipments to Bulgaria
through Orphan Grain Train, enabling us to provide clothing,
medical equipment, glasses, adult diapers, and other supplies.
Spiritual food for Nursing Home
Residents
• We provide Lutheran devotional and worship materials in
Bulgarian for all of the nursing homes we help.
• Penka works Monday – Friday at Kula nursing home, having
devotions and visiting.
In-country materials
We’ve translated numerous devotions and “Words of Faith” about
Christian living by Pastor Hunsicker, as well as a catechism and various
materials for the developmentally disabled from Bethesda.
Other translations include brochures from CPH and Lutheran Hour
Ministries. We’ve also purchased some of NWPH’s materials in
Bulgarian through their Multi-language programs These have been
distributed to the nursing homes, home visits by our staff, and to the
orphanage we help, including the staff.
Recent growth and development
Svetla, the Head of Helping Hands in Bulgaria has been able to increase her
hours from just a few hours a week to 20 hours a week.
This has enabled her to work with more nursing homes, orphanages and
home care programs. She’s also able to translate more materials, do
devotions with the staff, and do more on the internet.
A fellow medical missionary
Ruman, a physician’s assistant, learned about the Lutheran
church through Rene, who was head of the Radomir nursing
home. He started attending church with his children. We met
with him and he is trying to get the Lutheran book of prayers and
other materials into the nursing home in Trun, one of three
places he works.
Feeding the shepherds
Last month we began monthly devotions and
Bible studies with the Babas and Penka.
New and expanded Home Programs
Rene, who’s been doing home care the last year, has increased
the elderly and disabled Bulgarians she visits that living in their
home. She delivers food packets and spiritual food. Once an
older woman didn’t get a Christian book other recipients
received and complained! Rene got her one right away.
Another fold of sheep to serve
Three retired Babas were rehired to help
disabled children living at home and help in
another nursing homes.
Our work and the Internet
December 2011 we started a website with Pastor Hunsicker’s Words of Faith
in English and Bulgarian. Karen Naumann now helps with that. This website
has been advertised in the Chicago area where over 100,000 Bulgarians live.
This site also contains materials for children, and pictures from Bulgaria with
Lutheran hymn verses.
www.helpinghandsbulgaria.net
The Bulgarians in Bulgaria also have access to all the resources on the web.
We’ve gotten hits all the way from Canada to China!
Potential
We’d like to reach more of the 100,000+ Bulgarians in the
Chicago area.
They too often lack any knowledge of the Gospel and are often
skeptical about churches.
Articles about Helping Hands Bulgaria, in Bulgarian, have been
put into one of the Bulgarian newspapers published in Chicago.
We’ve included our website in the articles. Our resources can be
used to teach them, but the laborers are few…
Links to our Website
Dr. Kiriel Svilenov, head of the Bulgarian Christian Medical Society, met with
Svetla and I the end of July. He has linked our website to the Bulgarian
Christian Medical Society’s website. I brought him a stack of issues of
Christian Doctor magazine. He also told me about the head of the Christian
Medical Society of Greece, headquartered in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Neighbors to the South
• We have started a website in Greek with
Words of Faith!
www.GoodNewsForGreeks.weebly.com
Budget details
• Monthly budget was $3,000/month but have decreased it to
$1,800/month with a temporary (God-willing) layoff of all the
Babas until we can recover.
• Will be decreasing the hours for the Babas by 2/3s and half
Penka’s hours. Svetla will not be increasing her hours as
previously planned and her salary will stay the same.
• We are hoping for ten congregations to regularly donate $100
a month, or to sponsor a particular program or individual such
as a Baba or Rene.
• If we receive more in donations we will add pro-life work and
perhaps another nursing home or home visit individual.
Being good stewards
Helping Hands Bulgaria has
1. avoided spending money on buildings and vehicles,
2. LCMS approval but receives no Synod funds,
3. found multiple ways to reach many with the Gospel
We are feeding many of His sheep on a very small budget!
Ways to help
We are a small organization but, by the grace of God, been able to reach
many with the Gospel.
Thanks to Pastor Sander, Karen
Naumann, Carolyn Ede, Kim
Hovie, Bev Krause and
grandsons Jake and Joey, plus
many others. With
God’s help we will continue
to feed his beloved sheep.
Please, please, please PRAY for us and ask others to
do the same.