"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up." Thessalonians 5:11
Today I'm teaching a bunch of teenagers about what fellowship is and how to be in fellowship with one another. We have been at a teen camp in Bulgaria for two days now. After a sweaty game of volleyball I have some time to write a blog. Yesterday we shared our testimonies. Many of the children speak english but it is hard for them so their testimonies had to be translated. They had amazing stories of how they came to Christ and some of them were thoinking about committing suicide and just when they were about to, they heard God's voice telling them that He loves them and doesn't want them to die. There were lots of tears from both our team and the teens. I have been so encouraged by them and their stories, I'm looking forward to more.
Ivan our contact is a pastor of 4 churches that he has started in Bulgaria. He was born here and learnt english all on his own. He has an huge prayer (as he calls it) for his bible camp. Right now the camp has the basic. A building where we eat with a kitchen and up stairs is the bunk house. There is one shower and one toilet to share between all 17 of us. When I first got here I wasn't excepting much but I was still suprised at how rustic it is but now I have gotten use to it and find it to be a place of beauty. The beauty that God brings.
Ivan's dream it to disciple the teen here to be his helpers for the future camp. He wants the camp to grow to more than a hundred children, teens, young adults from all over Bulgaria. He want to build a swimming pool, more buildings, bathrooms showers and a sports court. Ivan is a Godly man who has a passion to see the children in his area find Christ and grow in their relationship with Him and each other.
Bulgaria is europe's poorest country. On the train ride here I seen what is comparable to the slums in Africa but it is also a beautiful country with with rolling mountains and green leafly trees covering the landscape. I'm exicted to see what God is going to do in this ministry and how this camp is going to grow and become a place where the flame is going to spark and spread over Bulgaria.
The teens here are wonderful and beautiful people. Please pray that they see themselves that way too and that they continue to grow in their faith to become future leaders in their community.
