This is the first blog of a 11-blog series. With a little less than 11 weeks until I leave, I want to explore and highlight one country per week. I thought it would be cool to learn a little about each country and share it with you all, so we can all be in prayer together over these people and also discover some things about distant lands around the world.
Bulgaria (Month 1: July 1-July 31, 2012)
• Size: Slightly larger than Tennessee.
• Population: As many people live in Bulgaria as do in Alaska…that's less than the amount of people in New York City alone.
• Capital: Sofia
—Sofia's Population: Around the same as Dallas, TX, though I'm sure their hair is not of equal size.
• Religion: The Bulgarian government, like the USA, allows the free exercise of religion. The official religion is Bulgarian Orthodox and approximately 10% classify themselves as Muslim.
• Language: Bulgarian, but if you were to see the language written down, I doubt you would recognize it. здравей Which, according to Google Translate, means "Hello."
• Government: Parliamentary democracy, like Germany. My guess is it is like a mix between England and the United States.
• President: Rosen Plevneliev
• Prime Minister: Boyko Borissov
• Unemployment: Almost equal to that of my home state's, Georgia.
• Value of the dollar: While it is generally more expensive to shop in European countries than in the US, using your George Washington dollar in Bulgaria will actually save you money. Forget Venice and Paris, come to Sofia!
*More information can be found here.
I know your life was not complete before you read those facts about Bulgaria, but I am so excited to learn these simple things about the countries I am going to. While I am researching the countries, my energy, mind and heart become consumed with each country I will call home for one month. Also, I begin to see where the Lord may move and what I can focus my prayers on now.
Some things the State Department does not talk in their factual reports of this country are the struggles with human trafficking as a result of low income rates, organized crime, corruption in the government and a weak judicial system. Men, women and many children have been taken from Bulgaria to other countries and within for the purpose of forced labor and sexual exploitation.
This article describes a situation in which traffickers are taking pregnant women from Bulgaria into Greece with the purpose of selling the newborn children. This is something that I cannot even fathom, but that does not mean it isn't real. I am continuously praying for the Lord to break my heart for what breaks His, and I know He is appalled by thousands upon thousands of situations in which girls are tricked and trapped in prostitution, men are forced to work with little or no money and children are enslaved in forced labor.
Human trafficking is something I learned about only recently through Passion, but in the short time, the Lord has created more unrest in my heart that will no longer allow me to be ignorant to this atrocity. While I know it will be hard to see human slavery face-to-face, I welcome the opportunity for the Lord to use me to play a tiny role in the war against it.
If you want to learn more about the trafficking situation in Bulgaria, the US State Department created a report. Becoming aware of the facts and reality of human trafficking is one of the first steps to fighting it. Human trafficking is not confined within developing and third-world countries, it is happening within the US. Atlanta is among one of the cities that sees the most trafficking. If you want to learn more or volunteer to help end this evil, please explore a few of these organizations websites that are working to eliminate human slavery in the USA and around the world.
Not For Sale
The A21 Campaign
Wellspring Living
IJM
Hagar International
There is hope. Hope in a God that made a fortified wall crumble to grown simply by having musicians walk around it. Hope in a Son who not only showed unconditional and accepting love to prostitutes, theifs and liars; He then went and allowed Himself to be tortured and killed for the salvation and restoration of those same people/sinners. Hope in a Holy Spirit that calls us to action by creating a unrest and uneasiness in us when we are faced with situations that the Lord desires for us to be a part of in spreading His hope, forgiveness and love.
Prayer Requests:
• I need the motivation and encouragement to continue learning about each country and be in intentional prayer over the people and my squads future time there with them.
• That human trafficking would be completely eradicated from Bulgaria and every country. Let the recent attention and awareness of human trafficking continue to permeate the media.
• That there would a be unrest in everyone, so we can fight and eliminate human trafficking— slave labor, sexual exploitation— all together. We will not stop until everyone is free. Not free by the world's standards, but freedom in the Lord.
• That the Lord will be glorified by the people of Bulgaria and that He use my squad to shower His love on the people of this beautiful country.
Photo of the day:
Courtney and I went camping with our other friend Catherine. We called it our World Race Prep camping trip, despite the fact that we will probably not be eating banana chocolate smores…who knows, maybe we will get to try some chocolate spiders in Cambodia? =)
