Magic Tricks and Break Dance for Children from Orphans
We performed magic tricks and break for three of the orphans in Stara Zagora on 31 May for the Children’s Day. The Salesian animator from Sofia – Andrey Mihov, who practices juggling, has come to entertain the kids. Our boys from the dancing lessons closed his program with a break dance.
Dances in the Mall
The kids from our dancing lessons in the Romany quarter of Stara Zagora opened a charity tapestry auction in Park-Mall Stara Zagora at 27 May. The boys were showing a brake dance, the girls – modern balley.
Competitions „About the Letters“ in the Romany Quarter of Stara Zagora
- We began with reading „About the Letters“ (9-th century Bulgarian treatise)
- Game „Composing words“
Several competitions named “About the Letters” we performed in the Romany quarter of Stara Zagora at 22 May. At 24 may in Bulgaria is a national feast – Day of the Bulgarian writing and culture, devoted to the great deed of Cyril and Methodius and their disciples.
“About the Letters” is a medieval Bulgarian treatise from 9-th century, defending the right of the Bulgarians to use liturgy in their own language and alphabeth. The alphabet Cyrillic was created in Bulgaria by the disciples of Cyril and Methodius, who were banned from Great Moravia and all of them were accepted by the Bulgarian king Boris (Cyril and Methodius themselves translated the liturgy, but in another alphabet – glagolitsa).
- From here the kids took letter for the words
- Several teams ready for the baton „About the Letters“
Just like those disciples, the founders of our foundation have come from the heir country of Great Moravia – Czech. With the similar mission they work in the Roma quarter of Stara Zagora – to educate the children there.
The competitions were preceded by reading of “Alphabet Prayer” by Konstantin from Preslav (one of the mentioned disciples, again 9-th century) and a fragment of the Bulgarian Movie “Boris I, showing the acceptance of the disciples by the Bulgarian king. After several games, it was time for the main competition – baton “About the letters”. It had been announced as a lap around the quarter with a baton running and reading of consequent fragments of the treatise, but a forecast for a stormy weather made us reform it only in the school playground.
- There were prizes for everyone, but the biggest were for the three winners
- Reading of fragment from „About the Letters“
Divided in 5 teams, the kids were competing in running and reading of the text. Indeed, a sudden heavy rain interrupted the competition, but we already had enough scores from all of the games to have the winners. There were prizes for every kid, but biggest were for the three winners.
- The three winners
Tour to the City of Plovdiv and Carting for the Boys from Our Center in the Romany Quarter of Stara Zagora
The Roman amphitheatre in Plovdiv
Our Boys
- Carting in Plovdiv
At 09 April we made use of one day from the Easter holiday as taking to Plovdiv some of the boys from our center in the Romany quarter. Father Petr Cvrkal was their guide. After a walk around the center of the city, they had the possibility to enjoy the architecture of the old town – Roman, Medieval and from the Bulgarian Rennaicanse (about 200 years ago) The tour fnished with a carting. Most of them have never been to it.
We have participated in an Easter Arts Charity Bazaar in Stara Zagora with Rattan Basket Weaving
463 dollars were collected during the Easter Arts Charity Bazaar in Stara Zagora. It has been organized for third year from “Samaritans” association and we were invited as partners with rattan basket weaving. The collected money will be given for hippotherapy for 8 children and decoration for the children’s surgery in Stara Zagora.
One of the main goals of the bazaar was to be created an atmosphere for communication between children from the orphans in Stara Zagora and children from different schools, kindergartens, families etc. Therefore during the bazaar there were different workshops where children, youths and other volunteers were creating the works for the bazaar. Since the beginning of March there were such workshop – bakery, weaving, pottery, photography, painting and others (11 activities)
According to the organizers, now there are more than 100 clay figures, cards, rattan baskets and other works. Therefore, a second part of the bazaar will be performed very soon.
More interesting pictures from the bazaar could be seen here.
Children’s Olympics in the Roma Quarter of Stara Zagora
- The olympic fire has come
- The first three (the winner – in the middle)
Considering that integration is impossible without acquaintanceship between the cultures, we performed a Children’s Olympics with 25 disciplines in the Roma quarter of Stara Zagora. At 24 April from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, students from our center, guests from 3 towns (mainly Bulgarians) and some other kids from the quarter, competed in sport, creative and logical games. The total number of the competitors was about 30. The bigger students from our center conducted some of the disciplines.
- Jumping within a sack
- Puzzles
The games were very various – jumping within a sack, puzzles, running with a book on head and many others. Awards had been prepared for every children, but the biggest were for the three winners. The final position was calculated according to the positions in all of the games. The ultimate winner was the 12 years old Isus (Jesus). An year ago an Italian media center made a movie about his life in the quarter.
Moving a ball with a hockey stick
Running waitress
Though the kids met each other for first time, they did not have problems with prejudices and enjoyed playing together. Again we come round to the opinion that working for mutual cultural approach is meaningful and really possible.
Workshop for Rattan Basket Weaving with Children from Orphan
On 07 April 2010 we performed a workshop for rattan basket weaving with 9 children from the orphan “Bulgarka” in Stara Zagora. It is part of the Easter Arts Bazaar, which has been performed for 3 years in Stara Zagora.
The preparation of the art works, which will be exhibited during the bazaar, includes group meetings between children from orphans, children with special needs, children in risk and other people. During March and April 11 different workshops have been prepared – for pottery, photography, baking, drawing, weaving, flowers and trees seedling etc.
Our workshop has been performed 3 times. During the previous two meetings there were also children from small group homes in Stara Zagora. He have already began regular help for three of the small group homes in the city.
The Easter Arts Bazaar itself will be on 16 and 17 of April. Its idea is to provide a free space for meeting between children from orphans in Stara Zagora and their peers from different schools, kindergartens, families etc. Organizer of the event is Samaritans Association.
Winter Camp “Become a Good Mother”
From 12 to 14 February 2010 we performed a camp in Kazanlak for Roma girls from our center in Stara Zagora.
The topic was very interesting for girls, because the dream for all of us is one day to become a good mother.
The stage game in Saturday gave us the possibility to walk around the sunny Kazanlak. The game was fully connected with the camp topic and made us learn more about our abilities and talents.
In the evening program we were singing a lot. We were also playing and having fun with friend competitions. Our knowledge about the topic were checked once again – what should a good mother do for her child to be happy?
We consider that through this camp, we had at least a little contribution for those girls to improve their knowledge for being mother and for raising up children.
Rosi Kostova.
A New Workshop for Boys
From about a month we have begun a new workshop for the bigger boys in our center – workshop for shaping. Their interest and enthusiasm are remarkable.
Our purposes are to strengthen their wish for creation and they to improve their creative skills. During the workshop they have to communicate well to complete their common tasks. This will draw them closer together and will teach them to work in a team.
We Gather Funds for Our Co-Workers in Haiti
- Young Haitian student reading a report card found among the rubble of his former Salesian School.
We wish to support our co-workers in Haiti – the Catholic order Salesians of Don Bosco. They have been working there for more than 60 years. They care for the most poor children and youths, children from the gutter, children in risk and for their informal education.
The strong earthquake hit their work. According to the last information, in the destroyed buildings of schools and homes, died 3 salesians whose ages were 85, 28 and 26 and also about 500 students! The work in Enam was fully destroyed. The house in the province of Drulard is heavily damaged. The small schools of Father Bonhem (OPERB) has fully collapsed. Also boarding-school in Gresha is destroyed. The building of the Salesians in Torland is very damaged, the parallax is broken up to two parts and the house for spiritual exercises is completely useless. Also the construction of the house in Florio is damaged and its inhabitants sleep at the playground.
YOU COULD WATCH ALL THIS AT THIS MOVIE
For more information, you could visit the website or the Salesian Agency ANS: ANS – Italian, ANS – English, or the website Salesian Missions.
We engaged even our poor children and youths in our center in the Roma quarter in the city of Stara Zagora to give from their own money to our needy co-workers in Haiti.
If you also wish to support financially, you could contact us to give you the needed information.
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