Humanitarian Aid To Bulgaria

In February of 1998, the first container containing 20,000 pair of socks, 3,607 pair of shoes, 972 articles of clothing, and 180 sweaters left Bristol, Tennessee, home of the Charity Baptist Mission, Inc.,  and headed to Bulgaria.  Due to the very poor living conditions and the overall poverty of the villages where we are ministering in, we felt led to send this container.

This burden was first brought to our attention when a mission trip was planned from America.  On this visit, Rev. John Geouge, Rev. Landon Rice, Rev. Ricky Bolick and Rev. Danny Black, made up the team visiting the mission work there.  After a couple of days Rev. Potter contacted Rev. Geouge and asked him what he thought about the work and if they needed anything.  At this time, Bro. Geouge told him that they desperately needed socks and shoes because the people were walking around shoeless and with no socks with snow on the ground.  This was also in frigid temperatures.  He then spoke with Bro. Landon and he was tore up because he saw a little girl bare foot in the cold weather eating a cabbage head she had picked up from the ground.

 This was really the beginning of our new mission to start sending humanitarian aid to Bulgaria.  Since then, we have sent three containers to this country.  It is a blessing because our missionaries on the field receive the shipments and they see that those in need get these supplies.

The second containers contents were as follows: 90 boxes of Duck Head shoes, 64 boxes containing new men's, women's and children's shoes, 88 boxes of men's women's and children's socks, 19 boxes of assorted socks, 30 boxes containing winter clothing, 34 boxes of new bed linens, and 101 boxes of new clothes.  This container totaled in value $150, 926.

Our last container sent just this January 2001, contained 180 ski caps, 1,349 sweaters and 7,820 blankets.  This container totaled 22, 600 lbs. in weight. Altogether, with the help from surrounding churches, businesses and individuals, we have sent over 25 tons of humanitarian aid to those hurting in Bulgaria.  This has been one of the greatest blessings aside from the fact that they are first receiving the precious Word of God.  The ministering of the Gospel is our first priority but what a joy it is to see these receive some physical help as well as spiritual.

If you would like to help fill the next container or know someone who owns or is affiliated with a shoe company, sock or blanket factory, and clothing store we would greatly appreciate your help.   All donations are tax exempt.  NOTE: Due to the customs regulations and restrictions, all material must be NEW.  Nothing old, worn or used can be sent due to Bulgarian law.

You can contact us at:
Charity Baptist Mission, Inc. P.O. Box 888 Bristol, Tennessee 37621
Tel. (423) 878-8131 - Fax. (423) 878-7161 E-mail: cbmission@juno.com

Additional Information From The Mission Field

27 homes in which over 1,200 children are fed daily - 19 in Bulgaria and 8 in Romania.

The cost to operate each of these homes is $200 to $400 a month, depending upon the number of children. In the near future, we hope to expand several of these homes to feed and shelter children who have no one to care for them.

 We have recently purchased land in Romania where we will build a home in which we will take in unwanted babies and raise them from birth.

 20,000 loaves of bread are given out each month in Romania to the poor at a cost of $3,000.

 80 tons of food are distributed twice each winter to over 3,000 needy families.

This costs approximately $20,000 each time.

What we can do for $1,000 a month in Bulgaria:
 Support a national pastor and his family, to care for the church in his house and
 five other house churches in nearby villages $300
 Feed 80 - 100 hungry children daily  $400
 Feed and shelter up to 20 children    $300

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