Bulgaria is a country still struggling to find its way in a free market economy. Many areas outside the capital city of Sofia have unemployment rates greater than 90%.

Here, Tom Myers, the Baptist Union of Bulgaria, and the local Baptist churches are developing ways to help families by creating long-term solutions to the problems of unemployment, while ministering to the families' immediate needs. One of the ways they are helping is to provide micro-enterprise loans that enable individuals and families to start their own businesses or to expand existing businesses. In addition, Tom and the local churches are helping families by providing animals, seeds, fertilizers, and the necessary training so the people can raise some of their own food.

Terry is involved in a literacy program through Sofia Baptist Church, which reaches out to poor Roma children living in the neighborhood.  The program provides basic life and literacy skills to all the children, with a special emphasis on the teenage girls who are at risk of being trafficked into prostitution.  She is also involved with a group doing outreaches to the women and girls who work on the streets of Sofia.  In addition, Terry assists with networking between local churches in the Baptist Union of Bulgaria and local American Baptist churches.  In this role, she helps to establish links between American Baptist congregations and individuals in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and Baptist churches in Bulgaria that are interested in developing closer relationships.

• Pray for Terry and Tom as they serve the Lord is so many different ways as they reach out in love to the people of Bulgaria.
• Pray also for their sons Andrew (AJ), 18, and Nathan, 16.