Stanislava and her fight for life....The miracle girl....

The very first day in Berkovitza we were not planning on staying a long time.We wanted to see, evalutate , talk to the director and leave..The plan was to return next day...Well that didn't happened. We ended up staying ...for many hours...we couldn't separate from the children and wanted to know the story of each and every child...We were lucky ( well i consider my self one) because i transfered my self into thier world and i didn't want to get out of it..Even though the smell really bothered me i forgot about it..The connection between  my self and every child was increadable.. Every child had something to offer..there were different in many ways ,but same as far as a starus..they are called instutionalized abandoned children. I was in my own world of paradise, but not for long..I was imagining how all this children will get better and get adopted and how i can help in their recovery and how can i provide families for them or how can i adopt them.... but soon reality tells me " this is how the world is created." What was interesting is that some of those little guys didn't even looked like they had any disabilities...the direcotor said ...in 23 years ( that's how long he has been there) "no one have ever adopted a child from their institution" he said: " who would want to take a such a child? "..Well no kidding..Most of this children had a chance for better life at earlier age ( some of them with proper treatment would have better fit for some families that might be interested to adopt)  .The girl in the the wheel chair is Stanislava...She got here couple of years ago..(from another institution)..."she suppost to be dead by now" one of the care giver says, but she "love's life"..she doesnt give up...We visited one day unexpectely while she was in the care of the rehab guy. The institution have just one room for rehab (most of the things are broken or not working by the way) and only one rehab guy is working there. He sees atleast 16 handicap children daily from 8-2pm...and then he is gone...I want to know how can one rehab person  spent quality time with each of these children that need urgent help in regard to improve their movement status or bring someone to better stage..He could,but not alone...16 children need atleast 10 rehab people..that's what i think..Each and every child have to have special procedures daily to improve . For exapmle Stanislava..the girl in the photos above is a "miracle " he said... she has improved so much...To me it's not a "miracle" it's work a lot of hard work. I don't know why people here always say" It's God's will" if God wants they will walk and talk. God sure has part to do with it, but without doctor's care and just waiting on God's help it won't happened. Stanislava can do unbealivable things..she get's out of the wheel chair by her self..she does push ups ( she did atlest 50 while we were there), but to walk she needs operation.The rehab guy said " who will pay for that ?" and " Who has the time for it"...Hmmmmm....This girl is very smart...she is so caring..One day she saw me sitting on the floor,playing with another child..she came and brought me a chair ..At the end she is still there and there is no operation sceduale for her..because" no funds and time"...Forget about adoption...Stanislava's story...is just one of the many....

Berkovitza and the kids...

We have arrived safely in Berkovitza. I called the director as soon as we stop at the gas station where we suppost to wait . He came whitin minutes. We followed him , we did passed few buildings on the way and we thought one of them is the institution, however we were wrong...We did go out of the town Berkovitza torward the mountain. The institution sits on top of a hill and view is fantastic. I wasn't sure if i was ready to see the children ( i got scared and nervouse how i'm going to react i didn't know what to expect). We first entered the directors office. I told him i can't have him smoke around me ,because i have astma..he was fine with it. He did tell us that this institiution was build in 1956, but operating from 1959. The dirctor was there for the first time in 1988 and his position was a junitor. Now he is the director. He did explain to us that the budjet for the year is 577,000 leva which is 424,264 dollars.The institution do have 90 people( ages 5-35) and 60 working staff. The budget has to cover food, medicine ,gas, salaries and utilities. The director said without donations they will not survive. I asked him what they really need. Immediatlly he said " food"...nothing else but "food". He said that the kitchen staff is cooking every day for a " wedding" . He did say also that at age of 18 the children suppost to leave this institution and be placed to a home for old people, but he said i don't allow my children to go there ,because it's scary. He said i keep them here even though i'm not suppost to. He said that the goverment to give pension for each child and the director said he doesn't use this money for anytning else ,but save it for each child's account. He told us a story of how they use to have a small pig farm right there on site,but the goverment came and told him he is not up to the standarts of USDA( same thing like in the states) and they shut down his farm. He said it has been very hard ever since, because that was his main source for meat. They use to have garden ,but the goverment came and took the land. We then entered the building to visit the kids and see the condition. As soon as we entered , the smell was unreal, i can't describe exactly, something between urine and puss. Earlier i was scared ,but now as soon as i start walking the long hallway i felt this is "right" i was excited and anxious to see the angels. We heard singing and claping hands. That was the play room where all the little ones reside. Once the door open and the children saw us they jumped and came to get hugs. There was only one care giver with around 20 kids..I was overwellemd as soon as i touched one child , another came and crabbed my hand and wanted attention. This moment will never leave my mind until the day i die..This was so worth to me that you will never understand unless you see it in person. We then walked around the enire building to see what's intere. They are so many groups of disabled abounded children that i got confused. We went to one floor then another one and we visit the rooms where they sleep. In one group the children were probably around 15-18. One boy jumped and came to me, took my hand and lead me to a bench. Then he gave me a book and pointed out that he wants me to sit next to him and read the book . The book was the "bible"...I'm very sad. There is no way i can addopt all of this children,but what can i do to ease their life and give some love. They all needed so much love and attention. One care giver per group can't do it. I'm constantly thinking about these children . My world has changed . I feel empthy . I look for answers how can so much pain and sorrow can excist? To continue....

Heading out tomorrow... Sofia via Berkovitza to Georgi Damianovo and then Montana..

Hi all..I hope i find you well today..Let me share what i have accomplish today..I did call few more orphanages (institutions).  To be honest i don't even know what to call them anymore...Here some call them orphanages and some institutions..It doesn't really matter at the end, the places do have children (lots of children) in great need. Two places are on my MUST visit list...One of them is located in Berkovitza...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkovitsa

After locating this place by phone i was not able to talk to the director right away, but i did talked to the senior nurse. She was very happy that i called and she did offer a lot of information about the home (orphanage, institution). I asked her how many children are there. She said they currently have about 80 mentally challenged children, with about 17 that are abounded. I wasn't sure what she meant by only 17? Then she explained to me that number of the children do have families (left them there so the government can take care of them) that come once in a blue moon to visit their child. It was very interesting to learn that they never take their child home for the visit. She said sometimes they don't even come every year. To me 

i consider this as a "Permanent Home" for this children, and I consider the parents as a "Non - Existing ". I really don't want to judge anyone, but to me this is a crime. No one wants a disabled child, but to throw your child in the hands of the government and to visit once in who knows how many years it's not really fair. Anyway, I will try not to get emotional and state my opinion, but it's hard. Forgive me for that. The nurse then said there are a number of children that are abounded. She said "parents" leave these kids behind and don't want to do anything further. They give up the rights and walk away. However the nurse do call and encourage them to re-evaluate, but she said the answers are always the same: “Please do not call again”, 
"We don't want to see the child again", “We have moved on", " We have new families" .....How tragic...I then   told her the purpose of my trip. The director was not there at the moment, but she promised he will call me as soon as he returns. Not too long after that he did call. Mr. Petrov said he is not scared to tell me the truth. He said their home is in bad shape and they need help. Especially food he said. He also mentions that the building where the children are is in a bad shape, but he said for that "you don't have money". He said I can't take cash, but I will be more than happy to take food and gas..I did explained that i have collected donations from friends, family and clients and I would have to show where they money went, so I told him I would have to take photos and video. He then said it's ok to do that with the abounded children, but the one with the "Non- Existing” parents its impossible was fine with that as long as i can take the home and the some of the children. So since we don't know where the home is , the director said "when you reach town, and especially there is a arrow pointing to the gipsy town, there is a gas station OMV, park there and call me..and i will come to get you"....Hmmmmm...My sister is with me (that’s good). I forgot to mention the age of the children in this home, 8-18... We are planning on seeing the home and evaluate the needs. Then off from there and go the next one which is about 50 or more so kilometers..The place is called Georgi Damianovo...

http://guide-bulgaria.com/NW/Montana/Georgi_Damyanovo/Georgi_Damyanovo

I did write about this place in my previous blog, the children in this home have no parents and they are younger. From age 3-7. These kids do not have disabilities (per the in charge person)..I already know their need. They asked for medical supplies like: antibiotics, cough syrup, fever meds. Remember here in Bulgaria you can purchase many meds without prescriptions.  They also asked for soaps, cleaning supplies and pampers. My sister went and borrowed a member card from a friend so we can shop for those things at the local "COSTCO"...( called Metro)...Tomorrow before we leave Sofia we need to pack our little car with medical supply , pampers and cleaning supplies and head out ...Those two places are about 2, 2.30 hr from Sofia. Stay tune...There is so much more info to come..I'm so excited...We did exchange the money today..After many stops to many banks to make sure we are getting the best exchange rate. $ 2,865 ( 200 from this amount i suppose getting from Australia ,but i haven't yet) ,so it's really $2,665. Exchange rate for the day was.... 1.36 leva for a dollar....so i have 3,651 leva. Now going to bed..Thank you all and wish me luck..I'm very thankful to my sister. My mom and dad are very excited. My 

Dad said he will call the TV stations ...he is funny.. Car is filled up with gas and ready to be loaded..(gas is on me and my husband , not coming out of the donations)..Love you all.. Good night…Leka Nosht…in Bulgarian…

I made it....In Bulgaria now...Total Donations $ 2,865

Dear all,
I made it. After a long painful flight I have arrived in Bulgaria. I'm at my mother's apartment right now (Sofia). I have made a call to two places today. One of them doesn’t exist anymore, but the other I did talk to the director. She told me she is out on vacation, but there is someone else on her place. She gave me the number of the home (orphanage) ,because I had a wrong one. I then called and spoke to the Accountant. Don't ask me why the " accountant”, but the right person I was looking for was also out on “a day vacation". I will be receiving a call tomorrow from the right person and schedule my visit. The accountant did ask me instead of giving goods if I could give cash????...I said absolutely NOT. This home is located in Georgi Damianovo, a small village close to Montana (very close to where I grew up). We have 40 children from age 3-7. They are not any disabled ones in this home (or at least that's what i was told). Here you can read about this small village http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgi_Damyanovo  not many people as population, so let's see we have 545 population and 40 abounded children. The math is disturbing. How can we have so little population and so many kids abounded???? 
Tomorrow is Saturday 18th, but most of the places are working (everyone took a day off for the national day of Bulgaria), so I will be working too. I haven't changed the dollar to leva yet, however donations are safe. My David and Annie Knight gave me a little bag that you put on your belly while traveling. I slept on the donations last night (under my pillow). I'm very protective of the money you guys donated. I want to make sure the money reach the orphanages where they belong to. Some of you don't even know where Bulgaria on the map is, but you called me and donated. I'm so touched by how much love we have within us. Thank you to all of you again for the donations. I will keep you posted tomorrow....after I talk to the "right person". Hugs and regards,

I'm taking a piece of Lego with me to the Bulgarian's Orphanages..In memory of Brandon Lee Howe

Dear friends , family and clients...
This is the latest. On Valentine's Day I had to work and go to school , on the other hand my husband had to go to a funeral. It was a co-worker of his who's son passed away on the Feb 5th. Prior going to the funeral Tom said that the boy Brandon Lee Howe was 23 years old and since 5 years old he had some health complications. I was sad to hear such a young man gone so early in life. That night on 14th my husband and I met for dinner and then we went to movie. After the movie we headed out and just before i enter my car ( we drove separate rigs) my husband approached me and with tears in his eyes asked me if I could do him a favor? I was confused..The movie was funny so why was he so sad ...??? He pulled something out of his pocket..It was piece of LEGO...(the one game that kids build things)..I didn't know where this was going , all I knew was that my husband was crying and he had a piece of LEGO in his hand...I asked what was the matter and "yes " i would do anything for him. He then said" Today at the funeral the family of Brandon Lee Howe had the box of LEGO he used to play with...He was a mentally challenged boy, since his operation on the brain at age of 5....,but his family never gave up on him..they raised him and never gave him away to any institutions. ( i knew at this moment that Tom was referring to the disturbing movie we watched and the movie that lead this blog going and the movie made me go immediately to Bulgaria)...His family  made his short life as enjoyable as possible...My husband picked up a piece of the LEGO (the favorite game of Brandon Lee Howe) and his wish was for me now to except this piece and take it back to Bulgaria. He said he will make me a necklace and have the LEGO on it.. and he wants me to wear it while i was visiting the Bulgarian Orphanages (institutions with mentally and disabled kids, kids were abounded from their parents due to their disabilities). He then said" I can't believe people would abounded their children due to their disabilities...Look what the Brandon's family has done for him...They never gave up on him..I had no words..I was hit by a truck..and didn't know what was happening...I was in shock...I cried and I 
promise to my husband that i will wear the necklace and I will be thinking about Brandon Lee Howe's life ...even though i never knew him..I'm sure he will be happy to see me visiting the children and helping with donations and even buy them logos ( Thank you for all the donations so far we are up to $962).. I'm sure he will also be sad to see those kids never had the quality of having a loving family like he did...In memory of Brandon Lee Howe...The movie of the Bulgarian's Abounded Children made a huge movement in our life... I'm glad to share this with you...I have attached two pics of Brandon Lee Howe..Like I said ..I never knew him..but his Lego piece will be with me...

"The begging letter" by my friend Silvia who is dedicated in helping raising more money for the orphaneges...Viva Dubai...

Dear All,

A friend of mine, Desi saw the situation of abandoned children in my home country Bulgaria and was shocked into taking action.

Of course there are many children in many, many countries that are suffering and this is just another situation.

We cannot help everyone and of course you may already be helping somewhere else which has just as much value.

I ask that you look at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCCZgYNvXTQ

It would be excellent if we could arrange something that would allow us to give money that we can be 100% sure would help these children. My friend Desi will be going personally to the orphanage to make sure that any money collected is used entirely for the benefit of these children. So, if you have any ideas that will help raise funds for this cause then it would be brilliant.

Meanwhile, I would like to arrange a girl’s night out with a difference, for everything we have on the night out, we put aside a tip for the abandoned children. You do not get anything for free, no one is paying for anything, for you, you are. We arrange it at a ladies night (so the drinks are cheap) we have a fun night and frankly, we probably will tip the taxi drivers more!

Must repeat, if you already have a favourite charity that you give all your donations to then DO NOT  miss out on the get together, do not change it and still come along for the fun. But, if after viewing the link you feel you have some extra to give that would be brilliant!

As Emirates Airlines says, please remember “a little change can change a lot” and a few dirhams could make a huge difference.

Once again and finally, I know that all of you probably already give to good causes so if this begging letter is one too many – no problem!

Whether you feel it appropriate to give or not, let’s get together at Healey’s bar at Bonnington Hotel JLT on Wednesday 23^rd  February at 7 pm (ladies night) socialise, be happy and if we happen to raise some money then “jolly good show!”.

Hope to see you all there

Silvia

I have the first donations in the amount of $92 thanks to my Bunco ladies

Today i was blessed, blessed with good friends that bealive in me and my journey. Thank you to Alla, Melody, Joanne , Kate,Lori, Ella, Elia, Janette, Madeline and Jan. Thank you for your donations in the amount of $ 92 . Thank you ladies you just don't know how much this trip means to me.