Before the World Race I asked family and friends from home to write me letters that I could read while on my journey. These letters have brought me encouragement, covered me in prayer, made me laugh, helped me to reminisce on good memories, and asked me to reflect on my missionary trip in ways I’ve never thought of.
One of the letters written by my sister had reflection questions specifically for the 9th month of the race. During this month, we were in Bulgaria. There were many changes and news from home that I experienced this month so this letter helped me stay present when I needed it the most.
For this blog, I wanted to share the answers to the questions that my sister asked me in her letter. I hope it will help you understand a little bit more about my time in Bulgaria.
1. Spend 30 minutes to observe the nature around you. What did you hear, smell, and see?
The sound of the wind cutting through the leaves of large trees is a distinct sound. It makes low whistle, almost. I could hear the sound of birds chirping away. There’s a distant sound of a horse’s gallop as it pulls a wagon through the pebble-ish road. It’s about 2:30 in the afternoon and I am hanging bedding on the clothesline. It smells like freshly washed sheets, mixed with the floral scents of wildflowers and magnolia trees. We are in a small village called Dobromirka where the population is about 300 people. Our host site is called Mission Possible and the building was one of the largest in the area. It has 3 stories plus the attic/loft where we slept and a basement. The building was older, but undergone renovation and was well kept. It sat on top of a hill and was hard to miss since it’s location was the village square. It stood in between a small Greek Orthodox Church and an old library. While hanging the bedding I had a beautiful view of a large field that was on our property. It was a perfect spot for dancing and singing to the Lord! What I admired the most about our ministry site was how well it co-existed with a community with a predominant Orthodox or Muslim population. Traditions and individual beliefs did not stop us from showing people the love of Jesus.
2. Find 3 unique things about the place you are in right now.
We had a very large kitchen! This is incredibly rare for the race. We had eight sinks, two fridges, two stove tops, two ovens, and plenty of space to keep our snacks. We had a cappuccino machine that gave a full cup serving! This was just such a blessing for us coffee drinkers. We had cleaning supplies and lots of it! In most of the countries we stayed in we had to scramble around to find a rag or paper towels. We also didn’t have cleaning sprays so many times we would use water to wipe down tables. Brooms and mops like the ones we have in the United States were also hard to come by in Africa and Asia so this was a familiar surprise!
3. Try an unusual local dish. What did you eat? Describe the flavors.
On Palm Sunday our hosts took us to a Bulgarian Festival after church. We got to try Buhtichki which is a Bulgarian donut! This wasn’t necessarily an “unusual” dish but if you’re a self proclaimed Donutarian then it’s important to try donuts from different places. These donuts were about 1.5 inches in diameter. They are fresh from the fryer served warm. The chocolate syrup is not too sweet but compliments and amplifies the doughnut. The dough is very fluffy and almost pops as you eat it.
4. Create a piece of art out of something you found in your surroundings.
At first, I thought all I had available were colored pencils. So, I took some paper from my journal and made this card. Written on it is “Jesus loves you” in Serbian with the verse John 3:16. My prayer is that the Lord will lead me to the one that He wants me to give it to while in Serbia.
The next day, my host gave me access to more art supplies that they keep in the ministry site. She asked me to paint something for a newly wed couple! It was nice that God used my love of painting to bless them.
5. Learn something new from the local people.
During one of our ministry days I helped to make dessert for a women’s conference! I learned how to make apple dumplings. I’m not much of a baker, so this was a big thing for me! I’m so grateful that I got to prepare these yummy sweets. I’ll have something new to prepare for my family at home.
We also learned more about their culture by celebrating Bulgarian Independence Day. Unlike our Independence Day in the US where we are accustomed to cheering during fireworks or having BBQ parties, this memorial is celebrated in a more solemn way. We went to a small village called Tirnovo where we watched their light show and fireworks in the Tirnovo Fortress. The lights and fireworks correlated with music that played in the background. The song was a sad cry of women weeping and children crying. This represented the death of many families during the Turkish invasion of Bulgaria. This moment broke my heart knowing that there’s so many saddening memories in all of our history. Knowing that this was not a part of God’s original design made me more driven to share the Gospel with others. This world is full of brokenness that can only be made whole by true intimacy with the Father.
My time in Bulgaria was a special time as the Lord continued to give me a glimpse of what His future plans are for me. As I wait patiently for Him to give me the “go ahead”, I stay present as much as I can, enjoying ministry and spending time with my Bulgarian community. I shared so much laughter and memories with my teammates. I increased in my faith as I trusted and rested in the Lord’s faithfulness each day.
We are currently in Serbia for month 10 of our world race. Thank you for staying in touch and in prayer about what the Lord is doing through our missionary trip!
