2/8/2008
Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings from Bulgaria. The snow is finally gone, but they are calling for more
this weekend, but at least it will be fresh snow! I know that I haven't actually
sent an email update since just before Thanksgiving, so I hope that you had a
wonderful Christmas season, and I wish you a very blessed new year--though it is
a little late. Let me catch you up a bit...
Jordan and I had a good time at the Black Sea for Thanksgiving; however, that
weekend I found out that my landlady was selling the apartment I was living in.
That sent me in a scramble to find a new apartment. To make it a bit more of a
rush I was planning to go back to the States for Christmas, so I had to move
fast. Howard (the Englishman that has been living with me) works for a real
estate agent and developer in town, and he found me another apartment in about a
week or so. It is a nicer, larger apartment than I had before for not much more
money, and the location is so convenient. I am right on the main street in the
middle of the city center. I live over a bank with an ATM machine on the front
of it, a grocery store and my church are right across the street, the office
supply store is half a block to the right, the hardware store half a block to
the left, and right next to a pharmacy. It couldn't be more convenient even if
the time of the move was a bit less than convenient.
Jordan Green returned to the States on Dec. 3, and began attending Lee
University in Cleveland, Tennessee just after the New Year. It was a pleasure to
have him here for nearly three months. The hand of God is certainly on his life.
We had an extended lunch just after Christmas, and he was very excited about
attending Lee. We wish him every blessing as he continues to prepare himself for
the ministry, and pray that God will continue to direct his path.
I did make it home for a quick trip home for Christmas. It was the first time in
three years I have been home for the holidays. Since I was in such a rush I
didn’t have a chance to let many people know that I was going to be home. Sorry.
It was a very nice family time for me. I enjoyed so much being with my family,
and really got to spend some quality time with them. Everyone is well. Thanks
for praying for my father. He is so much better. I also got a lot of things
accomplished in the office in Clarion. So it was a productive and most enjoyable
time.
Things have been moving right along here in Bulgaria. The Ombudsman has called
me for a couple more meetings in Sofia which has brought about some really
exciting developments! After discussing three possible projects he decided that
he really wanted to work on what we called the "Transition Project".
The Transition Project actually covers two different transitions. We have come
to Bulgaria to help orphans and abandoned children transition into a productive,
healthy, Christ-centered life with a future and a hope as God's word has told us
is God's purpose for man by setting up a children's home. We also want to help
Bulgaria as a nation to transition into a new style of child welfare system, and
we have been put into a unique position where we may be able to be to influence
that in a great way.
Presently 24% of Bulgaria's children are in the national institutional orphanage
system. Less than 10% of these are actual orphans, the rest are abandoned
children whose parents either do not have the means or desire to care for them.
When Bulgaria entered the European Union in January, 2007, they agreed to do
away with the institutional orphanage system, and to move to more of a foster
parenting system. This is going to be a great challenge to Bulgaria, and the
Ombudsman has asked us to help him develop a program that will facilitate such a
transition.
The Transition Project is three pronged. The first prong is developing a foster
parent training program. The second is to establish family style children's
cottages. These will have house parents with eight to ten children living as a
family. Services will be provided to these children to help them transition into
a normal, healthy life. Tutoring, counseling, mentoring, life-skills training,
and aptitude testing will all be part of this program. The third prong is to
provide transitional housing for those who have turned eighteen in the orphanage
system. On their eighteenth birthdays the young people who were raised in this
system are turned out into the street since they are no longer a ward of the
state. Within five years 25% of them are dead or in prison. This third prong of
our project will provide housing for these young people for up to two additional
years along with access to further life-skill training, job finding, and a
social worker.
This is a big vision, but I believe that God is opening doors to allow us to be
able to implement and administer this project as well as get involved in the
running of these homes. Pray that God will direct, open doors, provide the
personnel and the finances to get the first phase of this project started.
Initially we are going to need a couple of employees that speak English and
Bulgarian, an office and the basic office equipment. We are looking to start
writing for some grants soon, so be in prayer with us about that.
If you would like to receive our bi-monthly mail-out newsletters with pictures,
please send me your mailing address by email at martinjsutton@msn.com. The
easiest way is to just do it right now by hitting “Reply” to this email. If you
would like to support our work financially here in Bulgaria and these exciting
developments you can send your check or money order to Obedient Life Ministries,
P.O. Box 267, Clarion, Pa 16214. If a credit card donation would be more
convenient for you, you can donate through the PayPal link found on the “Make A
Donation” page on our website at www.obedientlife.org. We also have available
the opportunity for you to have monthly donations directly debited from your
bank account. You can download that form also from our website. Of course, we
also appreciate your prayer support. It is invaluable to our work here.
Be blessed in Jesus’ Name!
Martin Sutton