This past weekend, New Life Church in Svishtov and Varna held their annual church retreat. We drove miles and miles through countryside, small villages, bigger cities, and up windy mountain roads to our camp location in the foothills of the Balkan Mountains.
The monastery we stopped at on the way up to the retreat.
There were about sixty of us. Sixty people gathered together to live in community for three and a half days. We lived in small rooms that held up to four people, sleeping on crappy camp beds. We ate traditional Bulgarian meals, filling our bellies mostly full of potatoes and meat. We played down at the creek, enjoying the cold mountain water. We took several long walks in fellowship with each other – one along the windy roads with views of the mountains and fields of cows, one down to the local village, and one up to a field with a stunning view of the mountains.
Of everything we experienced this past weekend, the one thing I over and over stressed about was not knowing who I would sit with at meals. The inability to communicate with the majority of the people attending camp was frustrating. Usually, I ended up at a table with at least one person I knew.
But at one particular meal on Sunday, I walked in and I had nowhere to sit. Well correction, I had nowhere to sit with someone I already knew. All of those tables were full. I looked around, beginning to panic. There was one seat open at a table with Pete and Jasmyn, a couple I had only talked to for maybe a few minutes. Pete and Jasmyn are from Northern Ireland, and let’s be real, if you know me at all, you know that I absolutely love Ireland. It has been at the top of my travel bucket list since I was very young, the Irish accent is swoon worthy, and my all-time favorite band is from just outside of Belfast. So I took a chance, I asked if the seat was open and it was.
Nearly everyone who attended the retreat this past weekend!
Insert a beautiful friendship with Pete and Jasmyn. This couple is incredible. I found myself sitting with them at most meals after the first meal with them. We talked about Northern Ireland, what it is like to live in the UK, why they prefer living in Bulgaria now, where they both traveled in their service with the military, what we are doing on the Race, where we are traveling to on the Race, and so much more.
One evening after the session (where myself and my team spent the time outside entertaining all the children), we stood outside with Pete talking. We talked a lot about the differences in American English and British English – sidewalk vs pavement, trunk vs boot, gas vs petrol, and more. We laughed a lot. He is a big goofball at heart, quite sassy, and full of fun facts he has acquired throughout life.
I was so anxious about where to sit at that particular meal when sitting with teammates was not an option. I took a chance. And y’all, Abba did not disappoint. He provided a friendship with a lovely couple from my favorite country. He provided a friendship with a couple who when we parted ways leaving camp, they sent us away like they were our parents as they told us to be safe and do good work. He provided a friendship with a couple who has already invited us to spend one of our off days with them and has offered their home up if we ever come back to Bulgaria to visit. I stepped out in faith and Abba answered my worry with a beautiful friendship.
So I ask you, where can you take a chance today? Where can you step out in faith? Do it, I dare you. It is so very well worth it.
