Why did we stop our ministry in state run orphan homes?

The Father’s Heart was a ministry to reach out to abandoned children in state institutions (2000-2007).

Through this work we used to mobilize Christians to bring the love of God, and the good new of Jesus Christ to the kids through regular visits to state-run orphan homes. Throughout the school year, and during vacation times, we hold Vacation Bible Schools (VBS) -- 2 to 5-day events. Short term missionaries from churches in Wales, UK (and sometimes from the US) regularly join us for this ministry. We also have trained and support a team of volunteers from the local church in Vidin. They visit weekly an orphanage in NW Bulgaria for 2-3 hours of Bible study, worship music and building relationship. We visit other orphan homes around the country as well in an effort to promote this ministry and build a network of youth workers. We have trained volunteers from various locations and churches in Bulgaria.

Unfortunately, due to change in administration in the state-run orphan homes, and hostile attitude by certain higher administrators we have discontinued our work in these homes. In 2006 a new director was appointed in the home in the town of Belogradchik. She had little experience in education and social work yet being the wife of the local chief of police she was given the job. Her negative attitude toward Christians, and our specific work with orphans, had been known to us before her appointment as director. After an attempt to soften her attitude by filing an appeal with the superiors in the system of orphan homes it became clear that it will be difficult if not impossible to continue ministering to the kids in Belogradchik. Our leadership team decided to discontinue visits and ministry there. In 2007 the director of the other orphan home we had weekly ministry in, Novo Selo, left the position to look for a better paying job in the UK. The interim director, the psychologist of the home, decided that under the claim that our group was "a sect" would ban us from visiting the home in which our volunteers had blessed the children with God's word and charity work for over 5 years. Soon she was replaced by another director, also a female. She was more open but fearful of what her superiors would say (!?) regarding our work with the kids. In the spring of 2008 we conducted our last visit with a Welsh short-term missionary group, after already making our visits more sporadic and rare.

The impeccable track record of our work and volunteers, the time and effort spent with the inmates, nor the care shown by local and Western Christians  through donations of food, clothes and necessities for the children and youth in these homes, helped the bureaucrats reconsider their decision. In several meetings we were able to establish that the officials were especially unhappy with the "religious" aspect of our work. They suggested that we keep the social and donation element in our visits but don't "talk about our religion." We simply dismissed the offer as it is Christ, who compels us to be who we are and care about the orphans. Part of our ministry philosophy has always been that we do not hide our faith as some character flaw or a bad habit. A psychologist in one of the orphan homes even threatened one of our volunteers that they will call the Organized Crime Unit against us if we dared show up at the orphanage again.

With such outrageous and unreasonable approach to relationship with us and our ministry we decided that it will be unproductive to continue to care for the spiritual needs of the children and youth. They were placed in the care of the state and its employees, regardless how unpredictable the latter. We had to pray and re-direct our efforts. We feel sorry for the missed opportunities to continue to bless the children and youth with the love of Christ, relationship and various means of care. The responsibility for this unfortunate change lies with the new leadership of these orphan homes and the higher state administration which was afraid of Christian influence in the lives of the institutionalized kids.

Woe to those who prevent the orphan and the helpless from hearing and receiving the good news of God. (cf. Exodus 22:22).

Of course, we remain open and do have contacts with other state-run institutions that are more favorable of our message and ministry.