Bulgaria

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and its mission partner in Bulgaria face subtle but challenging circumstances, including the transition to a market economy and western European structures. After five decades of Communism, Bulgaria is a candidate for membership in the European Union.

The Bulgarians need support in recovering from the effect of those years on their sense of mission, leadership development, and lay involvement, and in their efforts to foster and renew international connections and ecumenical cooperation. They also need assistance and support in dealing with rapid transitions in education, health care, environmental issues and equal social opportunities, and in finding new places in society in their relationships to government and politics.

Bulgaria has a numerically significant Roma (Gypsy) minority. The PC(USA) tries to support our partners in serving as a bridge between the Roma and the majority population. We encourage the Bulgarians to share the insights into faith with which they have persevered through years of Communist rule.