Story number 3 for 10 Jan 2002

(Bulgaria)–A harsh winter has descended on the Southern Balkans, prompting Greece and Bulgaria to declare states of emergency. The situation exacerbates the crippling poverty in the area. Since many cannot afford to buy a stand-alone house, Habitat for Humanity’s Kim Moore says they’re working in Bulgaria to address the need. “There’s vast overcrowding in apartments there. Two and three and sometimes four generations are all crammed into one apartment. Their economy is crashed, and there’s a lot of unemployment.” Moore says when they work to build homes, they build relationships. That, in turn, leads to an opportunity to build on a spiritual level. “At almost every house dedication, we hand out Bibles, and pray with the homeowner, and show them that God loves them and help them to understand the Gospel of Jesus.” The work of Habitat for Humanity is driven to express the love of God by eliminating poverty housing and homelessness worldwide.