Recently we had the privilege of financially supporting Yani on a mission trip to South Bulgaria with ‘Christ For The Nations’. Yani (bottom right of the above pciture) was part of Redeemer until recently moving back home to Bulgaria. Below is here report…
I just got back from the week of mission in rural South Bulgaria with Christ for the nations. It was a really incredible time and just want to say a huge thank you again for covering the cost of me joining the team and wanted to send a few photos and words about the experience….
So, we were essentially working with local churches where there was one, and supporting with children and youth events including team testimonies, Bible-based lessons or in some of the dangerously Muslim areas moral lessons aiming to develop friendships and to show love. You'll see on the photos some of the activities we had with children. I was mainly serving as an interpreter as well as praying with people during response time. At one of the youth events in Sandanski we prayed for baptism in the holy spirit with the youth and got to celebrate with them as they experienced the Holy spirit for the first time and it was such an honour. There was a woman who couldn't hear and we saw God heal her right then, she couldn't stop laughing and smiling and hugging us. After that we moved toward Smolyan and the Rhodopi mountain region, where the church is quite small and split into Roma and Bulgarian, because of the difference in culture, but it was brilliant to serve there also. I met two young Roma boys - Emil and Mitko around 8 years old, who knew all the stories we were presenting and were paying attention more than most. One of them has good strong input from a God-loving family and the other comes to church alone and leaves alone, and he prays and reads his Bible and soaks in everything they teach at Sunday school and I was blown away by his faith and dedication, humility and obedience. He would like to be a pastor one day and I prayed for him and he prayed for me and it was so beautiful. God really placed in my heart that children will pray for one another and see miracles, and they will pray for adults too and be a real example to them. Anyway we met a lot of amazing people and we got to minister in many different ways and it was an incredible time of refreshment for me, I was really blessed to be part of the team from the moment I joined.
The Rhodopi mountain is so beautiful but spiritually we all felt such burden to pray against spiritual oppression. Therewere a lot of prophecies and words spoken over the area. Some areas are actually dangerous for anyone openly Christian and Islam has a serious stronghold, with support from abroad etc. What I didn't expect was how encouraged and inspired I'd be from the believers in these places. Their dedication and faith is really beautiful to me. A lot of the prophesies that came out were really building up for the church and nation. A lot of words about Bulgaria being a training, equipping and sending nation, that the faith of these people who feel isolated and often alone will touch the nations and bring healing and freedom to others, God will be glorified via this small and seemingly insignificant country. There is a few different evangelical activities going on this summer and I'd love it if Redeemer could pray over what God wants to do here.
Love and miss y'all, blessings from Bulgaria!
