PROJECT: STREET MERCY, Bulgaria The life of the homeless in Bulgaria definitely relates to the economic situation of the country, which unfortunately shows no signs of improvement. Despite being a member of the European Union, almost half of the population (49.3%) lives under the poverty threshold, according to the latest statistical data published in November of this year. It is difficult to say what brings greater pain in their lives – material, emotional or educational poverty. Different people feel different aspects more tangibly. However, all suffer from the fact that they are denied the basic necessities of life … like shelter, food, work and opportunity to keep their hygiene. Stained and shabby clothes, worn out shoes - if any - with holes in them, dirty hands, matted hair, sometimes carrying big torn plastic bags representing all their earthly belongings collected from garbage bins … and above all, the unpleasant smell of dirt and something rotten. These are the people that everybody avoids meeting. Society would like to pretend they do not exist. Still, they are real human beings like each one of us but lacking one important necessity – a home, a place to call their own. Life is an everyday fight for survival – the constant search for food, shelter, some money for urgent needs. After spending years on the streets, their way of thinking deteriorates. There is no joy, no beauty, everything is stupefied, distorted, they lose their human nature. Once becoming homeless, a person only spirals lower and lower. Their outer appearance is a disadvantage when attempting to seek and apply for a job. They are ashamed of the situation they are in, and lose their friends. Their health deteriorates. Few ever manage to get out of that vicious cycle. In a desire to show care and love to these outcasts of society, MWB Bulgaria launched the StreetMercy Project in January 2012, with the cooperation of two evangelical churches in Sofia. The Mission provides hot soup and a chunk of bread six days of the week. Twice a year, clothes and shoes according to the season, are provided as well as medicines for urgent needs. The StreetMercy coordinator dreams of having a centre one day where they could offer help like teaching the homeless some life skills and how to change their circumstance. Of course this requires finances, equipment (like a building for meetings) and a team of qualified social workers who could have more time to work with the homeless. By spending time on the street 30 minutes a day, it is nearly impossible to pay attention to so many people and bring any other help than just offering a portion of meal. But for many, that portion of a meal every day to makes it possible to survive. Even the simplest offerings of friendship, attention, a kind attitude and care of Mission Without Borders staff towards the homeless helps them retain what little humanity they have left.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 00:21:06 +0000
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