Venka was very puzzled about the things she saw and heard the first time she went to church. A few days later, Violetka, a woman who lived in the same apartment building as her family, came for a visit with a Children’s Bible story book that she read to the children she took care of at the orphanage.
“These stories are all about the Jewish people and how God gave them a place to live and promised them that the Savior of the world would come from one of their descendants. Starting with this story, that Savior is born, and that day was the very first Christmas day. All the stories after that are about that Savior and His name is Jesus.” Violetka then handed the book to Venka.
“Are these pretend stories or real stories?” Venka asked as she started looking through the book.
“Oh, they are real. Do you want to borrow this book and read some of the stories? I’ll bring it home again this Friday so you can read it over the weekend.
That weekend, Venka read many of the stories. She especially liked the story about Moses and how his parents hid him in a basket in the river to keep him safe.
“Do you like babies?”
“I love babies. I wish my mother would have a baby,” Venka told Violetka. She was too embarrassed to admit how she pretended she had a baby sister.
“The little children I take care of at the orphanage love these stories. I read to them every day when I’m there and I rock them as I hold them in my rocking chair.”
“I wish I could help you take care of the babies.”
“You are such a sweet girl, I bet they would like that too,” Violetka told her after she hugged Venka.
After the church service, Violetka walked with Venka’s family to the orphanage. She couldn’t bring any guests in because Bulgarian orphanages are very strict about who can have contact with the children. They know that if one child gets an infection it could very quickly spread to the other children. But they could watch the children playing on the swings and slides. Violetka called to a couple of the children and they waved back.
Venka’s parents were very curious about the orphanage and the children. They were interested in the things Violetka did with the children. She explained how much better the children do when someone holds them every day and rocks with them and reads to them. She told them too about reading Bible stories to them and praying with them.
“Not so many years ago, that would have been illegal here,” Venka’s father said.
“We were missing the best part of life,” Violetka said and her eyes filled with tears.
Venka’s mother saw the tears and hugged her neighbor. “We have a chance to get it back, Violetka.”
“But these children must have so little time with you, Violetka. What can you do to help so many children?”
“We can do a lot. A little love and care every day can help each child for the rest of their life. The children in orphanages that don’t have that kind of care for the children they are very unhappy. Some don’t want to be picked up. Many of the children I care for call out to me when I arrive in the morning ‘Baba Violetka hold me.’ They start to improve after a couple weeks of having a Baba.”
Venka’s parents looked like they didn’t want to leave. Venka kept saying that she wanted to go in and play with the children. She told Violetka that babies needed older children just as much as they needed a Babas.
After church the following week, Venka’s family again went to watch the children from the orphanage play. Violetka told them about a little boy throwing a ball to one of the orphanage workers.
“His mother has decided to let someone adopt him because she’s become very sick. She wants him to have a good home and not spend his whole childhood in an orphanage. That is a very courageous decision.”
“Is it only Americans that can adopt the children?”
“No, they first have to give Bulgarians a chance.”
“That’s good,” she answered. Bulgarians want to adopt too.”
The next day, Violetka came back from her break and saw one of the nursing assistants reading to Pavel and a little girl who also had a crib in his room. She said that a family that was thinking about adopting Pavel was coming soon to meet him.
Violetka was sure that Venka’s parents wanted to adopt Pavel. She was also sure that Pavel would be very happy living with Venka and her parents. Venka would probably be reading to him every free moment she could.
That evening, Violetka went to tell Venka’s family that Pavel might soon have a new home. As she suspected, they were thinking about adopting Pavel.
The next day, they both started the formal process to start the adoption. The other family had found out they were going to have a baby so they decided not to adopt Pavel. Venka’s parents had always wanted another child and soon their dream might be coming true and Venka’s too!
Activity
Babies of the Bible activity document
After reading the story about Venka and Pavel, write the answer to the clues given below. The boxed letters form a vertical word that describes what God does to those that obey Him and follow His commands. As Venka later discovers, God gives us His laws to help us, not to trap us or be mean to us.
Bulgarian term for a granny in the orphanage. ____ ___ _____ _____ _____
The name Paul in Bulgarian. _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
This leader of the Israelites out of Egypt was hidden in a basket as a baby.
_____ ______ _____ _____ _____
Hannah prayed for a child and God gave her: ______ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Who was placed in a manger after being born? ____ ___ ______ ______ _____
What word do the letters in underlined in Blue spell? _______________________________