New Shoes!

Today was a pretty busy day at the orphanage. A team came delivering new shoes for most of our eighty-eight kids. The kids who can't walk/wear shoes were not involved, but it was quite an ordeal. The team was comprised of a missionary couple, members of a church in Sofia, and a few visitors from America, all associated with the baptist church. This missionary couple has been in Bulgaria for eighteen years now, working with several orphanages, and was quite familiar with our children. As is customary when hosting visitors, a group of kids performed some songs. A few of the older ones were dressed in traditional Bulgarian outfits while everyone sang and danced traditional Bulgarian folk songs. Everyone had his or her hair done and all the girls were elated for an opportunity to don some makeup.

This project is, I am assuming, similar to some of the nazarene church's compassionate ministries. This couple has been working in a total of twenty orphanages for almost twenty years now, occasionally hosting teams who feel the need to reach out to the children, as well. The team from America is here for a week and I may have misunderstood, but I thought I was told that they will be visiting all twenty homes. They had a large box truck full of shoes, so I am assuming and hoping that I heard correctly. That would be a huge feat (no pun intended), but leave it to the Lord to make big things happen.

After the production, an assembly line was set up in the small room used as a cafeteria. As children were brought down, their shoe size was written on their hand and they were sat down in front of a visitor who found a fitting pair. I was pleasantly surprised that every pair I saw was brand new and appropriate for the coming winter weather. When I think of projects like this, I tend to assume that the items will be cheap or used, but this was not the case at all. Everyone was tromping around showing off their new boots. Some kids are drawn to zippers so they were found accidentally tripping those whose boots had zippers. One boy likes to look at the soles so he was laying on the floor looking at those of the kids sitting on the couch. He didn't touch, just laid there mesmerized.

The organization this team had was awesome. It took less than an hour to fit almost 80 kids with shoes, which included bringing them all from their rooms into the cafeteria.

All that said, I am about as happy as all the kids are about their new shoes! I am thankful that people invest in their lives and that others are also called to do ministry here. One of the workers told me today that she is happy Alex and I are here because the kids aren't as lonely. Especially in the room of bed-ridden kids, even if just to sit with them and to hold their hands makes a difference because they know someone cares.

I am so appreciative of comments like these because honestly, I feel like I am just in the way sometimes. I appreciate the workers who have no problem looking like a fool using charades and silly noises trying to communicate with us. I love the kids who laugh at us and say "ти не разбираш?" (You don't understand?) then turn to each other with this funny "Oh my word!" look on their faces. They made me feel like it's ok that I am not fluent. They get so excited when I tell them "Аз уча български" ("I am learning Bulgarian") and often take on the role of учители (teachers) while simultaneously wanting to soak up as much английски (English) as possible.

It is a lot easier to give grace when you rely on it daily.