As millions of refugees leave Ukraine for neighbouring countries, over 100,000 people, mostly mothers and children, made their way to Bulgaria.

Mission Without Borders (MWB) is working with two partner churches in Bulgaria, in Sandanski and Sofia, to support refugees. More than 30 refugees have been given accommodation in the local Evangelical church in the town of Sandanski, while 80 others in Sofia are being cared for by volunteers from Saint Paul Baptist Church.

In Sandanski, MWB has been providing food and hygiene items to refugees, as well as supporting the Baptist Church with their utilities bill. In the yard of the church in Sandanski, there is a medical centre where a doctor, dentist and gynecologist have offered to treat Ukrainian refugees for free. Any medical examinations or medicine they need is provided to them. Through the help of the local church, several Ukrainian refugee women have found jobs working as seamstresses in Sandanski. And refugee students have been provided with Wi-Fi access, meaning that they can continue their education remotely.

Angel Ivanov, a volunteer from the Baptist Church in Sandanski, said,

“We thank Mission Without Borders for providing food and hygiene products every day so that Ukrainian women can cook whatever they want. The utilities support is also particularly important to us considering the high inflation and rise in electricity prices."

“We’re very happy because we managed to fix the internet access in every room so that the children, despite the war, have been able to study, and the mothers can talk to their husbands. We know that being away from home, where there is a war, and in a foreign country, is very hard. That’s why we do everything we can, together with the Mission’s staff, so that each one of these people feels at home and the stress they’re feeling is reduced as much as possible.

“For this reason, we’re planning to organise a trip out to the mountains. Also, a church family who grows strawberries and cherries has been giving every refugee the opportunity to take part in picking these fruits.” In Sofia, MWB is providing food and hygiene products to every refugee family being cared for by Saint Paul Church, and the church has started special services in their own language for refugees.

And in Gotse Delchev, MWB is providing Bulgarian language classes to Ukrainian refugees five days a week. The classes are two hours each and there are separate lessons for children, teenagers and adults.

Can you help our team in Bulgaria continue to support and uphold these refugees in their moments of crisis?

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