How many of you like to keep busy? I know I enjoy when my days are full. Those days of Netflix binging can be relaxing, but afterwards don’t you feel like you need to DO something?
Our days in Bulgaria are not generally busy; they are not filled to the brim with ministry. One day this week all we had on our schedule was to have dinner with one of the missionary couples. Another day we helped teach English to 9th graders and went to another session of Japanese Aikido where we learned some simple tricks for getting away if someone grabs us (good to know for this kind of trip, I suppose). Tuesday all I did was hang around and read (it was a rainy day), pray, and watched some kids in the evening.
Right now my heart really wants to DO something. After all, this is a mission trip, right? Yes, but sometimes taking God’s love to the nation’s means encouraging and strengthening those who are already there. As I continue to read Acts, I see Paul doing this more and more. He travels from place to place, preaching the Gospel, making disciples, and building the church. After leaving a city/region, we often see him go back. Why? He encourages and strengthens the people and disciples there.
We do have some planned ministry here, but standing back and looking at it as a whole we have not necessarily been called to “do” here. We have been called to simply BE – be present, be encouragers and strengtheners, be prayer warriors for this place and our ministry partners, be examples, be a light, and be Jesus even if it is just through conversation. People in full-time ministry can get burned out easily. Their cups need to be filled before they can fill up others. We are here to fill their cups.
On a different note, Thursday and Friday have been my favorite days this week. We went back to the disability center to do more yard work. This place is just filled with overgrown weeds. It looks tremendously healthier than when we first started, although there is still more we could do if we have free days next week. I don’t know why I love this type of work so much. A teammate asked me why I liked pulling weeds so much. I wasn’t quite sure how to answer; I’m not really sure why I enjoy it. I guess part of me knows I am strong physically, and I like to offer that strength up as a way to serve. This is also hands on work, which I enjoy. Plus it’s simply SO satisfying when you are able to pull a weed out by the root.
I know people back home are going to ask me what I have learned from this whole experience, so here are a few things I am learning in Bulgaria about myself so far (or learning in general):
- I love working with younger kids
- I DON’T enjoy working with the high school age (my heart was pounding the whole time I was in the class with the 9th graders)
- I like hard work
- I actually have some musical ability (learning to play the piano-perks to living in a church)
- I’m learning to abandon things and be fully present (this one is hard)
- I’m learning it’s okay to not always DO
- I’m fearless, but have far to go in developing that fearlessness
- Praying out loud is hard for me
- There are weeds in my life that need to be pulled out by the root
- I’m learning to cook!
Please pray for Bulgaria, specifically Svishtov. There is an emptiness here that is so visible. Pray that God would stir up something in people’s heart here that makes them ask, “What if there’s more?” We all have emptiness in our hearts until we let God fill it. Then we are full! Pray for a revival here.
