First, for anyone who didn’t read my last blog, what is no host month? This means that as a team we have no official ministry host. No church or missionary family that we are partnered with through Adventures in mission. Practically that means we are not provided a place to live or what ministry we do. (Yes AIM gives us a budget to find a place to live they don’t make us be on the streets)
So first things first….
As a team we had to pray about where we felt the Lord was leading us. Because we have no host we can be in any city in the country of Bulgaria! Our team prayed a lot and got many images of water and of cities so we found the beach side community of Burgas, Bulgaria. This was the first of many decisions we have to make as a team without any assistance.
Then we booked an Airbnb and an overnight train and hit the ground in Burgas.
Then the hard part…
We are also in charge of our own ministry. This means that no one tells us what to do with our days. We are not required to do anything! It is a lot like being at home. Ministry is all around us but it is up to each individual to find it.
So for our team this looks like walking around the streets a lot and just talking to anyone who would talk to us! There were many days that were honestly discouraging because all we did was talk to people and may not even have mentioned God or Jesus.
We also, thanks team Sheppard Lauren, connected with two local churches to attend on Sundays. This was a great way to get plugged in to the community. After going to church we were able to meet people and get connection to youth groups and women’s groups that meet in the area.
We also learned that drinking in excess and partying very young were big problems in this city. So we have been doing bar ministry. This means that we go out to bars and try to talk to people there and minister to them however we can. This was very hard at first because we could not find the right atmosphere for conversation. A bar that plays *doosh doosh doosh* music super loud was not the best for conversations. We had to learn that the hard way! Finally we found a place where local teens hang out and were able to make friends with some of them.
Lastly….
No host month means doing whatever the locals are doing in their day so you can talk to them. Sometimes this looks like being the swim team mom and sitting through an entire swim meet so you can talk to three 16 year old girls. Then when they go to the mall after, guess what, you go to the mall after!
Overall, it can be hard finding ministry but it is so wonderful to let the Spirit lead every day and to allow Him to direct my steps!
Question and Answer section
(On my Instagram I opened it up for any questions about no host month. These are what I got and my answers… if you have any more ask them in the comments)
Q: What kinds of ministry opportunities are you seeking out?
A: I tried very hard this month to just be open to what God had for me. So I tried not to seek a specific demographic or “ministry type”. I went out each day and just waited to see what the Lord put on my plate!
Q: What is your favorite ministry thing you have done so far?
A: This month one of my favorite things was bar ministry. I got to meet 15 and 16 year olds who spend almost every night in a hookah bar. I just feel God tugging my heart so much for this group of girls and guys who are confused about Gods love, grace, and goodness!
Q: How have you grown?
A: This month I have grown in my discernment. Sometimes it can be hard to know what things just sound like cool ministry and what is what God is actually asking me to do!
Q: How do you decide what to do each day?
A: Deciding what to do is a combination of following through with plans made with locals, meeting up with people teammates have met, partnering with local churches and attending their groups, and just walking blindly where God is leading and seeing what happens.
Q: Was there no daily routine centered around faith without a host?
A: As a team we centered ourselves by having a morning prayer meeting each day. This allowed us to come together as a team each day and have us focus on what God had for us that day!
Q: Did this experience without a host open your eyes up to something within yourself you didn’t know was there?
A: This is experience showed me how much I like to focus on results and checking off to do lists. With no host a lot of times it feels like I am just wondering around and at first that became very discouraging to me. As the month has gone on I am beginning to realize that it is about following where God is asking me to go and not about what happens when I get there!
Q: Has this experience opened your eyes to what you want to do when you get back?
A: In some ways, yes. It has reminded me of my passion for youth. I have missed my middle school girls very much throughout the race and this month God has put so many upper age youth kids in front of me that I can’t help but see that as something I need to continue when I return to America.
Thanks for reading and I hope that gives you guys a glimpse into my past month and what a “no host” month looks like on the world race!
