An Update from the Fabers in Bulgaria
May 2021
Tseko and Monica with their niece, Becky and a friend.
Monica and Tseko live on the edge of Sofia in a light industrial area surrounded by auto service shops. Their place is just a single room, a converted garage really which is sparsely furnished yet bright, with light streaming through the makeshift picture window. Their bed is the main decorative feature. A single bed across from it doubles as seating for guests. The mini-fridge and tandem hotplate form a veritable gourmet kitchen for people who know what it means to be without. They share a WC with the neighbours next door.
People who don’t know any better view this meager existence with shock and despair. “Is this small life all there is? Isn’t there some way to make things better for them?” Such a response is understandable, but fails to acknowledge something those of us who work here know all too well; life could have been much worse than this.
Monica grew up in a one room apartment with broken glass windows and no running water. She lived there with her alcoholic mother, four younger siblings, and a long line of ‘boyfriends’ who came and went as they pleased. From a young age she already bore the responsibilities of adult life, keeping house and caring for her brothers and sisters as she could. It was a rough existence for a kind-hearted girl.
Monica was one of the first children in the PINK Program. We helped her learn to read and write. She took up English, learned to make jewellery, and even started in the cooking school before COVID brought lessons to a screeching halt. She attended all of our Christian camps and along the way made a profession of faith. A few years ago she was part of Mama’s Little Helper, a club for teenage girls designed to teach them skills for managing a home and family life. Now she lives that life herself.
Baby Rayna is three months old, a tiny bundle of joy that brings light to their lives and brightens up the tiny apartment. She always seems to be smiling. They’ve also taken in a four year old niece, providing her with a clean, safe place to live.
Life is far from perfect in Monica’s world. “I get upset when I don’t know what to do, “ she admiits, “Sometimes I feel so alone.” But despite the challenges she faces, Monica has already built a better childhood for others than the one she had herself. This is life transformation as it happens.
Please pray for us as we move into a new era of our own lives, helping those we cared for as children learn how to be good parents themselves.
Bob & Becky