The Forgotten ones.
How many times have you seen • Images of suffering on
your tv screen? • And though you’re moved and it’s heartfelt
• In a moment you’ll forget • But everyone can do
something • To change a life and make it better • Who will
remember? • Who will remember? •Who will remember the
forgotten ones? • Every child deserves to laugh • To live
without a care, to enjoy their innocence • Every child needs
to be held • To know what love is, to be believed in •
Everyone can do something • To change a life and make it
better • Who will remember... • The words of wisdom
stand true today • Love, love and give yourself away • Help
the helpless, fill a need • If we remember them, we can set
them free • Will you remember?
Lyrics form The forgotten ones by Lara Martin
This week I had the privilege of meeting some of the most amazing children. They live in an orphanage in Bulgaria, they are forgotten rejected children. Rejected because they are not perfect. It made me feel so sad that these children had been rejected for thier disabilities. In the UK, their families would look after them and the government would support them so that they lived a full and supported life. It made me remember the amazing families who come in the summer to the new wine camp and bring their loved children to Our Place.
In Bulgaria it is a burden to have a disabled child and so they go to the local orphanage, the government give under £3000 for each child per year for their upkeep in the orphanage and this include staff wages! We spent some time talking to the director and he told us of an unique situation that one of the orphans was being adopted by an american couple. I asked does this not happen and he said no never. No-one in Bulgaria would adopt these children.
In this burden of sadness I feel I saw this amazing orphanage where the walls are brightly coloured, they have outdoor play equipment and they are loved. We heard how the orphanage had just taken a group of the children and to the seaside and to a folk dancing festival, where they were the only disabled group. This is an activity they encourage with the children and annually take them to folk festivals where they sing and dance. We even experienced an impromptu dancing session with the children. It was joyful!
The children love for you to hold them, hold your hand or sit next to you! They loved my name was Susanna - another girl at the orphanage is called Susanna! I have tried to learn all their names but its quite impossible but I marvelled at one young man who showed us around the orphanage and told me every child's name!! They care for each other so much and are a community. I think all of us could learn from that.
We spent an afternoon painting the girls nails and they painted ours it was beautiful to see their smiles and how pleased they were to get the attention they deserve.
It was humbling and am humbled to be here.
- Please Continue to pray for the ministry here. In the next few weeks I am hoping to start work at a family health centre, to be involved in health classes at the school and make regular trips to the elderly care home.
- Pray that I will continue to settle in and for my language studies.
- Pray for my house in the UK that it will get rented out very soon. Since this is a worry to me.
- Pray for our team Zhana, Vera, Alex and myself.
If you would like to write to me here is my address below I would love to hear from you. I am also still fundraising since I do now have all my money yet to stay for a year.
Susanna Mancho
ul. Manjakov kamak #4
Pravets 2161
Bulgaria
