![]() As Gelina goes to her new home, she walks with her eyes closed and wears a mirror. The white veil is replaced by a red scarf, to which garlands were added. Older women prepare the bride for the wedding ritual by painting her face with white cream, makeup, and shiny stones. The emphasis throughout the ceremony is on the bride. And at weddings they are in their most solemn clothes – the apron is a hand-woven, there is a dress under it, the towel is a knitted kondak, the mantle is made of black velvet, and everything is strewn with sequins, pearls, glittering pebbles. Women wear traditional costumes in their daily lives – red and cyclamen trousers, they are belted with colorful aprons, decorated with sequins, their hair is covered with towels called tulbe. The population in Ribnovo is entire of Bulgarian Mohammedans, who have preserved most of their traditions. ![]() If you’re interested in adopting from Bulgaria, contact us.Ribnovo is one of the few places in Bulgaria where weddings are colorful and different, full of mysteries and rituals leftover from the Middle Ages. By doing so, Bulgaria has become a very promising international adoption opportunity for families to consider. The Ministry of Justice in Bulgaria deserves praise for its work to improve the lives of its orphan population and for choosing to put the needs of children first. The second trip is 4-6 months later to bring the child home, and lasts 3 to 10 days. The first trip is approximately seven days, at the time of referral, when families have the opportunity to meet the child and decide if they are moving forward. Two trips are required to adopt from Bulgaria. Waiting time can also be reduced if a child is considered special needs, or is near to aging out of the younger age orphanages. ![]() Parents can specify the gender of the child they would like, however, openness to either gender could reduce waiting time for a referral. MLJ encourages families to consider as broad of an age range as they feel prepared to parent, as well as being open to as many needs as they feel equipped. Over half of the waiting children in Bulgaria are over the age of 10. While some of the children can be as young as twelve months at time of referral, children of all ages need homes. Due to the lack of education and prenatal care, there are many children born with some special needs. They receive limited accessibility to basic public services, such as health care, public transportation, or sanitation. In reality, these children are born to families that are often uneducated due to their social status and lifestyle, are very poor, and have little opportunity to change their circumstances. Due to the stigma, these children are not typically adopted by Bulgarian families. In Eastern Europe, “Gypsy” is a derogatory term to describe Roma people, who are often believed to be uneducated, thieves, or social parasites. Bulgarian children who are available for adoption are typically of Roma descent – or commonly referred to as a “gypsy” child. The vast majority of children abandoned in Bulgaria are abandoned due to poverty. In addition, organizations such as Vesta (MLJ Adoptions’ Bulgarian partner) have implemented innovative programs such as Grandmother from the Heart to help children form attachments to caregivers, helping them to be better adjusted. The government of Bulgaria has been working to improve the living conditions of their orphans by creating more family homes and placing more children in foster care. Children are spending less time in institutions and have been placed at younger ages, as opposed to the latest trend of longer waits and more exclusions. Advocacy and changes in Bulgarian laws have continued to create the opportunity for children to find their forever homes. Bulgaria is a signee to the Hague Convention, and has implemented a steady, predictable, and transparent adoption process. The Bulgarian government has taken several important steps to make the adoption climate friendlier for international adoption. Bulgaria, however, has continued to be a bright star in international adoption, providing the stability that many country programs lack. Many countries such as Ethiopia and Russia have shut down, and China has become more difficult for many families unless they are open to a waiting child. Thousands of children are living their lives in orphanages in countries around the world, not necessarily due to the lack of desire to adopt them, but because of bureaucratic red tape caused by government. The number of international adoptions has continued to dramatically decline over the past few years.
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