Hello from Bulgaria! As you all know, or may not know, the Phenomenal Six have arrived here in Dupnitsa safe and sound. We have been blessed beyond measure by our amazing hosts with a home and other accommodations. Upon arriving and setting foot in foreign land, we were faced with jet lag and homesickness. However, after adjusting through the first week, we have been able to put everything we have into our ministry.
Our first week of ministry consisted of a lot of construction work in a 100-year-old factory that our pastor is renovating into a neighborhood church. There, we cleared wood out of the future sanctuary and did a lot of heavy cleaning as well. We even mixed and transported cement by hand with members of the congregation. The days when we did the hardest work seemed to be the most satisfying. We also began to teach English to all ages. There are three classes: young children, middle school, and adults. On the days that we did hard work, God used these classes to fill us up again with pure joy. We have also had the opportunity to minister to children in the church every Wednesday. We play games, sing songs, and act out Bible stories that we learned at their age. On the days that we aren’t working, we take the opportunity to visit handicapped children and their families, showing them the love that they may not always receive. Through this, we have also seen a glimpse of Bulgarian life. Lastly, we are involved in all of the church services in the villages on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
It is very humbling to even be here to help our hosts and to minister to the people of this community. All of us have had challenges of different kinds. We have faced discouragement when we felt like we weren’t changing anything for God’s Kingdom. However, through the small acts of the people we have met, like when some boys in our English class gave us fidget spinners and lavender, we have seen that our presence alone has made an impact. It also makes us feel better when our hosts laugh at our jokes (or maybe their laughing at us).
We are looking forward to what the next ten days hold for us here in Dupnitsa, whether it is doing spontaneous prayer walks, delivering flowers to shop owners, or playing sports with the neighborhood kids. We hope to be the perfect vessels for God’s love to the people that we see every day and that we will be willing to step out at every opportunity to express that love in any way that we are asked.
We know that God has already started a good work in Dupnista, and in us, and we are excited to join Him as He brings it to completion.
Slova na Boga! To God be the glory!
Sincerely,
The Phenomenal Six
#TeamBulgania2017
