We made it to Svishtov, Bulgaria! We are in a small town within walking distance to the Danube River which separates Bulgaria from Romania. We are seriously living the life this month. We are staying in the church that our ministry hosts started-New Life Protestant Church. There are two beds, a pullout couch and a full size air mattress, a kitchen, a bathroom/shower, and plenty of space for us to spread out. Plus there was food waiting for us when we arrived (Bulgarian Nutella…yum). We feel so appreciative (and spoiled) of everything they’ve done to make us feel so warm and welcome.
First let me share some brief background on Bulgaria and what we’ve learned since being here. You can still see the effects of communism in this country. So much was put on hold socially, economically, educationally, and politically during communism that Bulgaria is still developing. 95% of Bulgarians (maybe more?) associate themselves with the Orthodox Church, but that doesn’t mean they attend church. It’s similar to people in the US saying they believe in God, but only attend church on Easter and Christmas. The Orthodox Church is very ritualistic and involves no relationship with God. Our ministry host says you can talk to someone all day, but the minute you mention church/invite them they think you are part of a cult. Between the effects of communism and the huge Orthodox association, it can be very hard to reach people here. They are untrusting and building relationships can take years. Wow! Can you imagine being a full-time missionary in this place? I have so much respect already for this ministry and the people involved.
As for what we have done so far, this week we have visited a disability center for children and adults. This is an amazing place, and we have all fallen in love with it. We’ve been doing a lot of yard work to improve the appearance outside. There was a day where some staff we hadn’t met yet saw us working and genuinely took interest in us. They invited us in for coffee/juice, and we got to share our stories. The idea of volunteers/helping people for free is a foreign idea here (again, the effects of communism). People do not look out for each other; it’s more of a ‘fend for yourself’ kind of mentality. I love that us being here turns heads and makes people wonder, “Why?” We also had our first English club this week. Some of us helped with the children and some the adults. I loved practicing English with the kids. There’s something about children that makes language barriers seem non-existent. When I have a better grip on what I think it is, I’ll share.
Right now our days are not jam packed with ministry. We have actually had quite a bit of down time, which has been great for exploring around town, team bonding, and spending time with our ministry partners. We are having fun cooking Bulgarian food, learning Bulgarian phrases (and attempting to use them), making friends on the streets/in cafes, walking EVERYWHERE, and simply living in community. A teammate and I got to participate in a Japanese Taekwondo class-so fun! It’s already starting to feel like home here in a strange, but good way.
I’ve come to the conclusion that Bulgarian people are similar to people from Jesus’ day; they need to see a miracle, something tangible in order to believe. I’m praying God would heal someone while we are here. I think that would just knock the socks off their feet! Peter says in Acts after he healed the beggar that it is through the name of Jesus and through faith in Him this man was healed. Why can’t we heal someone in the name of Jesus if we have faith God is the ultimate Healer? I think it would be incredible and display the greatness of God if we were able to pray over someone in Jesus’ name for healing, and IT HAPPENED! Maybe you all can be praying for a miracle to happen in this town. We all need Jesus, and there is a desperate need for Him in Bulgaria.
Fun fact: Lattes/Macchiatos here are between $1-1.50. We’ve been spending a lot of time at coffee shops lately 🙂
