Slava na boga! Praise the Lord!

Hello from Bulgaria!  Once again, I have no idea where to start on this letter.  God is AMAZING, and I have so much to share.  First and foremost, as of this Sunday, we have another sister in Christ!  We befriended this woman who was working at a restaurant we went to quite frequently at the beginning of our trip, and she immediately labeled us as her friends.  Gallay speaks very little English and is a struggling mom of four children (one of which is my age and has a baby).  Her husband is in jail, and she has had a rough life.  In spite of this, she was seeking answers, and when we invited her to church and gave her a Gospel tract, she told us that she wanted to come.  While at the church service, she heard the testimony of a visiting man who was a former drug addict, and it really touched her circumstances.  She went up to the front for prayer afterwards (with an iron grip on my arm and the arm of one of the other team members).  There, she was asked if she would like to receive Christ, and she responded with so much enthusiasm.  She said that for the last few months, she has heard something like a voice in her ear telling her to go to church but she always had to work.  Then we walked in the restaurant... It amazes me that God orchestrated His own personal voice, a new job at a restaurant, and two missions teams who were not even working together to show her His love.  Praise God!!!  As we leave to move on to the second city next week, please pray for someone to disciple Gallay.

We have also been visiting several different Roma villages to teach Bible lessons to children, play games with them, and sing with them.  They have been a huge source of joy for all of us.  In one of the villages that we visited, we were getting ready to leave and people began to bring their children up to us one by one and asked for us to pray for these children.  I don't think I've ever understood Jesus' statement that "Whoever receives a little child in my name receives me" quite so well.  I was so touched with compassion for these people, and this one moment has been foundational in this outreach.  These people indeed have the faith of children, and I know that God sees them.  It was such a privilege to be able to pray for them one by one...

As some of you know, our team has been working with a missionary couple here.  The woman really has had the prostitutes on her heart, and so our team has been meeting to pray for these prostitutes and going out to befriend them a couple of times a week.  We try to bring them little gifts and verses and then just get to know them some more.  They are beautiful, and it is our prayer that they are able to get out of this way of life.  The first time we went, we had a scare because the pimp chased us in the car for a few minutes.  God protected us, and I think that he now realizes that we are there to bring joy to the girls so he leaves us alone.  He drives by every time we are out, but he has not attempted to stop us again.  There are a few people who will be continuing this ministry long-term after we are gone, so please pray for safety for them and that more people from the Church will build these relationships as well.  These girls are God's precious creation, and it is our hope that they begin to see this as well.

It would be wonderful if you could pray for God to seal up all these meetings (as well as for a last Girl's Night that we are putting on for the youth group tomorrow).  We have met so many people on the streets and would love to be able to see more of them come to Jesus!  Personally, I would also ask you to continue praying for rest for me and for the rest of my team.  I have been stretched so much and I am truly realizing what it means to rely on God to be my strength DAILY.  I am having to depend on Him for this more than I ever have, and it's SO good but I need you to pray.  My team would also ask for prayers for boldness, unity, and health.  Half the team is struggling with health issues currently.  Finally, one of the parts on our vehicle was stolen last night.  The part costs between 400-700 Euro, and we can't drive without it. 

I think that's it for this letter.... There is so much more, but this letter would be massive if I didn't end it now. =)  I hope you all are doing well!