I will be honest I expected eastern Europe to be my least favorite months on my race, because I didn't know anything about them. I had created all these expectations of what I thought it would be like and in doing so I made myself lack enthusiasm towards going there. I was so wrong, I really liked Romania, and I absolutely adored Bulgaria. In fact Bulgaria is one of my favorite places I have been so far. Why? I'm so glad you asked.
In Bulgaria I was able to serve along side of 5 incredible women of God. Each one of them brought a different dynamic to our team. We each possessed different strengths and weaknesses, and we became a complete unit because each one of us had something the others needed. We laughed, we cried, we bickered, but we always loved each other. We were constantly building each other up and helping each other grow in every way. We also never let anyone sit in their crap, we dealt with it together and moved on. These girls honestly became my sisters and I love them dearly.
Now let's talk about ministry. So at first we were told that we would be working with the youth, which made me really excited. Then we were told that instead we were working with the elderly, which I wasn't as excited about. Well we ended up doing a little bit of everything that month. We worked at an orphanage, we did manual labor, we visited elderly homes, made home visits, and worked with the youth as well. These may not sound like the most fun, but I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it, because I serve a great God and served alongside of great people.
Although originally I wasn't thrilled about the idea of going into the nursing homes to visit people I knew God was going to show up in a big way. I spoke with several elderly in the nursing homes we visited, and I really loved getting to hear about their lives, families, and their faith. I met one man that started to weep when I told him that God loved him. His reply back to me was "good because I love him so much." Watching that man be brought to tears because of how much he loved God was truly inspiring. These people have been dismissed and treated as a burden to society, when really they are no different than anyone else, just older. They have experienced joy, sadness, anger, and love in their lives. They have incredible life stories and are so open to sharing their lives with you if you just ask. They inspired me to be more open with the people in my life and remember that everyone has their own stories. Honestly, I would encourage you to go and visit these people, because all they want is friendship and for someone to care about them.
Another thing that I loved about Bulgaria was my church community and the friends I made. They were such precious people who made a huge impact on my life. They were so giving and truly showed is what Christ-like love really is. I got especially close to the teenagers in the church. They were so passionate about their relationship with God. They are all seeking His heart and are serving them with all their hearts. It was truly inspiring and I'm so proud to call them my friends. Overall, Bulgaria was a wonderful month and I hope someday to see these people again!
