Bulgaria!!

Wow... It's already been three weeks since we left Switzerland!  I have had very little access to internet (and very little time), so I've been unable to catch everyone up on what is going on here.  Our team has been working with children in Roma communities, attempting "friendship evangelism" on the streets, partnering with a local youth group, and brainstorming ways to reach out to prostitutes.  The language barrier has been tough, and many people have automatically assumed that since we are from America, we are Mormans.  Our team is also getting some opportunities to give testimonies in the local church (praise the Lord for good translation).  Even though we are three weeks in, we are still really trying to find out how to best reach out to those in this culture.  I have been amazed at just how receptive people are to building friendships with us, and it truly has been a blessing.

This Easter weekend, a few of us went out to the ring road (the road around the city) to drop off some gifts to prostitutes who are dropped of on a daily basis.  We are trying to show them the love of Christ while we begin to build relationships with them, and we were able to hand out gifts to three of them.  The first one was really reserved, but at the next stop, the two girls seemed very happy and grateful to have someone come talk with them.  We had to leave quickly because a man pulled up and seemed extremely unhappy that we were there.  We got chased in the car for a minute, but God protected us.  It is such a privilege to be able to make contact with these women who are so loved by God and so unaware of it.  We desire to help our contact here to gain the trust of these women so that she can continue to invest in their lives, showing them that they are worth more than this.  A couple more of us will be attending a Women's Evangelical Alliance meeting on Saturday to discuss the issue of sex trafficking since it is SO common in Bulgaria (especially among the Roma).

I have also been very touched by the children here even though the language barrier has kept verbal communication to a minimum.  I am learning that God can demonstrate compassion and tenderness and love through other means, and my team is really enjoying our time spent just playing with the kids.  I received the amazing privilege of praying over a little girl named Minka a couple of weeks ago.  When I had my hand on her leg, she just smiled and then gently reached over and stroked the side of my face.  In a mysterious way, this one thing moved me more than words can explain.  I had been struggling before then because my "outreach" had been so different than what I expected, and there are many barriers that keep us from reaching out in the ways that we had anticipated.  When she did this, however, God just showed me that if He can reveal His heart through a simple action of a little child, He can reveal His heart through me as well.  I don't need to strive.  I just need to rejoice in the hope that I have in Christ, and He can speak because He created me.  It is my hope to grow in this and that others can as well.

My prayer for all of you back home is that you can just sit at the feet of Jesus and learn more of who He is.  As you fall more in love with who HE is, He will mold you and make you into the person you were created to be.  Fix your eyes on Jesus.  Blessings!!