My blog title was supposed to be the optimistic me. The truth is, I am in my eighth month on this trip and it is starting to take a toll on me. Exhaustion has hit me pretty hard. Things have changed this month, my teammate left the field and went home after the first week here in Bulgaria and so the dynamic of team has of course changed. The idea of befriending our contacts and Bulgarian people for three and a half weeks and then leaving them seemed too tiring to me.
As I was thinking of the topic I wanted to share at bible study, it made sense to me to talk about exhaustion. While meditating on the idea, I realized it’s not about me at all. I didn’t come on this race to serve or glorify myself. On the contrary, I came to serve the people of the world and glorify God. For some reason I had buried this little detail this month. I had become somewhat desensitized to the gospel because I hear it so often. I had lost sight to the reason I am on this race. And without the gospel, this trip would become quite wearing quickly.
I found Psalm 51:10-12 to be very encouraging:
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
And grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
And so I am able to continue this month with my mind and my heart in the right place. We are working with the organization Mission Possible this month. We are living in their offices and helping them while they remodel it. This involves a lot of painting and cleaning. In the evenings we usually join local youth groups and churches for their gatherings. We have shared our testimonies and messages to several churches already.
Introducing ourselves at church.
Sharing my testimony at a church
Wendy and I cleaning in the office.
A Roma church we attended on Easter Sunday.
We dyed eggs on Easter 🙂
Thank you everyone for your prayers and support!
