Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi Carole and Amanda

We are coming on the 16th February and staying at Castle apartments in pamps - I will be keeping an eye on here to see what is needed but at the minute I have 15 new male fleeces/Jackets - these are seriously warm - they are quite big tho but would do the older boys. They are proper outdoor wear clothing. I hope to sort out some of the girls and some of the younger boys also. I will def bring other essentials that is a promise!!

Looking forward to meeting you in February.

Good Luck

I am sorry i took so long in responding, i had to do my shopping for the family, the taffic in Sofia is crazy 3 hours to get from one side to the other, i did make it to the airport to collect the gifts from Adam and Steve who have donated lots, thank you guys you are our little santa's x.

Carole is a wonderful lady and she really is my right arm, i could no keep up with things without her help.

Gooddaysheila, the fleeces and jackets will be well received, i am sure that we will communicate before you come over, thank you in advance x

Tracy thank you and i look forward to meeting you in the New year.

Tonycott, we really need to raise money for waterproof warm boots for the children and as we can't get clothes dry underwear is always good x

Thank you all so much for your help, i was so emmotional last night as a family on holiday in Yambol have offered to drive up and help on Christmas day, giving up their day for these children was all a bit much and i could not stop my tears, i was over joyed, they will not miss out on Christmas lunch as the least i could do was invite thm into our mad house and share our turkey's(they will need strong teeth as i am cooking) they are bringing wrapped gifts for the children, i keep pinching myself as i can not believe that this is all real, words really cant express how i feel x x

Hello to all from a very cold Stoikite, i opened my office as planned today and i was met by Linda, Alan and Adam from Glostershire (Lindi loo) what a lovely family, they came laden with a bag of underwear, gloves, socks and hats from good old Primark this shop i do miss and i can't say that about many things in the UK. This was a lovely family with a big heart, i wish them a fantastic holiday, i only wish we could have chatted longer, next time thank you so much What a polite son you have Adam it was a pleasure to meet such a well mannered young man x

I also met up with Val and her husband, Val was a lovely little lady, she made me look tall, and the saying is true all good things come in little packages, i wanted to pick her up and put her in my pocket, she had the sweetest little face i ever did see, Val donated her birthday money which will buy almost two coats, I hope you had a safe journey to Yambol, please keep intouch x

Dreanas, you are a real sweety, thank you for explaining my situation, i have been so busy i forgot to pay my telephone bill Woooooooops i guess i will have to wait a long time to get conected after i pay my dues tomorrow good old Bulgaria 4 days late i am disconnected hmm

Tracy, you have done really well, you are a real Gem and thank you so much x the children would love you to perform some at work on them when it gets warmer, i want to be a lion roarrrrrrrrr it would be nice if the monies could be transferred towards the heating fund x

Brian you can post to me as it is not safe to post direct, if you don't mind

Amanda Heath
71 Voinishko
Vustanie Street
Vladaya
Sofia
1641

it would be great to ave a quote when we get half way, please stay intouch x

Jan sully, you are doing so well, what can i say £400, this is simply marvelous, i would love you to visit the children with me, it will be my pleasure. Good old Clive i hope that he does no find it to cold without his beard, can we have a before and after for our website pleaseeeeeeeeee

the Mayor is a lady, i can't comment to much here as it is after all the internet the mayor has a big say and the orphanage at least will remain, you lovely mayor

Again big thanks to Andie, you have worked many hours, and lets not forget Carole whom i can not speak highly enough of x x

A very brief update.

Amanda's internet is still down but she popped into her office to keep in touch. She and 3 of her children were ill on Christmas Eve and she is still feeling like c--p, running a high temperature , no surprise as she is working flat out and is often emailing me at 2 in the morning. Inspite of this the family from Yambol visited and went to the orphanage with Amanda on Christmas Day - she described it as "magical". I will leave her to tell you about it in more detail when she is better. She has also taken photos.

This was from amanda and has been put on the website
www.orphanagestoikite-bg.org

The day was so magical and I would not has swapped it for anything.



On Christmas morning the children at the institute awoke bright and breezy, excited but very cold. Today they knew that it was really going to be a special day and like all other children they too would receive gifts. The children straightened the one blanket on their beds and sat waiting in readiness for there special lunch at a restaurant. All the children walked across to the restaurant emptied their plates, leaving them clean, feeling full they returned to the institute. It was not long after when a kind gentleman asked for all the children to meet him in the restaurant, Jasmin escorted them across where they were bought fizzy drinks and given a new television and DVD player, the day started to get really bright and so excited (this gentleman wishes to remain anonymous).



Paula, John and Kayliegh had joined us to give gifts to the children; they had purchased watches for the boys and handbags full of bits and bobs for the girls. From all the donations we gave the children warm coats, hats, socks, vests, scarves, gloves, pencil cases, stationary, pyjamas, long johns, underwear, flannels, hair bands and clips for the girls. All the children were handed a bag with there gifts in, they were clearly exited and happy to see so many people who were there just for them, as we approached in our vehicle one of the young girls spotted the car she was running an errand for one of the staff, she ran as fast as she could in excitement and forgot that there was a road there and almost got run over in the hurry to get to us. They had a table tennis table out especially for the festive season loaned from the municipality, and John, Mike and Doug waited for their time for a game. Things were frantic and the atmosphere was great. Jasmin and I made sure that each child received their designated Christmas pack, making sure that no one got left out.



The children seemed to like the coats and watches most of all, with the underwear a close second. The sweets did not last long. Everybody present spent time with the boys and girls trying to converse in the best way they could, there was lots of laughter. One orphan boy who does not speak and had a horrible early life he joined the orphanage in June this year (my favourite), was not present when we arrived, suddenly he appeared whilst walking up the stairs, we promptly gave him his bag of goodies, he had a confused look, but quickly took it to his room and we noticed him again about 30 mins later. I would like to say he was looking happy an exited, but the truth is he still looked confused. Today Jasmin said that he will not take the clothes of not even when he eats. He does not usually talk and he has started to talk in the last few days, he is so grateful, this is the boy that ate the soap believing it was food, it smelled like fruit, he did not seem to mind the taste. This young man has only just started to realise that he does not need to eat soil to fill his belly, he is picked on by the other children daily because he is the weakest, h is still very thin and frail, where as the others are strong.



We left the orphanage with allot of happy faces and frantic waves. I am pleased to say that I believe our visits and gifts, certainly made a big difference with the Orphanage children’s Christmas, and with the new clothes something that will help to keep them warm through this winter. Our children Michael, Azaria joined us unfortunately the others were to ill. One of the girls was not putting on her coat when asked why she announced she did not wish for it to get dirty and as her Birthday is in June she wishes to save it to wear then. The children have difficulty understanding why people would want to give them things and expect for them to be taken back. In time they will understand.



I can’t wait to share the video with you all.



Thank you all for making this a magical day x