Wednesday, June 15, 2011

I woke around 4:30 and quickly cleaned up and spent a few hours doing laundry, Bible study, prayer, and fixing my online picture account so that I can share photos with you all from here on out. Around 9am people started to show up at the office and around 10 we had a chance to meet for prayer and I recounted my time in Kardzhali. Some things from the trip from this point forward I will forego sharing, and so my updates may be a bit thinner. But, I will not cease to share with you the joy of God in people coming to salvation and the many chances I have to learn from churchplanters and their wisdom and sufferings. The reason for my doing this is that my writing often functions as a processing activity, and it’s as much a portion of my prayers as it is of my testimony. But, I don’t want any of you to get confused about the mission because of those things that might prove confusing to me and my heart. I am sure that as my journey and work comes to a close, that I will be able to share some of the thoughts and experiences that are happening in these moments with greater understanding and with the power to testify how God worked through them to show Himself glorious and the Master architect of this mission and its continuance. My request is that you pray for me as I call upon God during this process, that He would continue to comfort and encourage me through the brothers and sisters I meet, and that He would give me insight to the needs of the organizations. I need the power and presence of God to persuade people effectively, to not be embarrassed or quiet when I need to be forceful and resolute in sharing information that’s not the Gospel. I am not here just to observe but to help organizations change. This is hard work for the hearts of men. To change is risky and scary. It's all the more for organizations that are in the midst of other changes and might desire to keep a little (that’s no more secure) than to risk for everything. ---> Back to the story. After our time praying, we had a little bit of a work morning and spent time removing rocks from the outer edge of the office so that we could reinforce the wall/fence on another side that had fallen apart. After an hour or two, I had to go clean up and get ready for a meeting with Ivador, who’s a worker in Sofia. I met him at a movie theater food-court and we spent a couple hours eating and talking about what he’s been doing (work in prisons, getting housing for ex-inmates, starting groups that are no longer exclusive to inmates, and starting businesses that will help the church and its families). In September, he will open an art school (painting, dancing, music) with some famous instructors around the region. The school will be private and cost quite a bit, the tuition profits will go to help with at risk youth and single mothers in the city alongside the church and the youth in the church. Another business that will be starting in the same building will be a kind of health and wellness center (like relaxing environment with massage chairs and stress-counseling). Both will be intentional as giving the platform for the Gospel’s proclamation in relationship with those hearing. After we finished spending time together, Ivador had to leave for a meeting with a realtor about rent for this building, which would also house the church’s administrative work, another brother and sister arrived. They were “T” and “I”. They are directors of a youth movement in Bulgaria and the Balkans. They work with youth and are trainers with New Leadership Initiative. They train through the Balkans, and recounted to me the work of the Arab countries’ political leaders to deceive and manipulate leaders and people in the Balkans, specifically in Albania so that a plan to bring the Balkans under the power of the Arab countries could ensue. This is serious; it’s in process and has been for at least 10 years. There were rumors about it, but the evidence of its reality are abundantly apparent. You can see the incredible mosque-building expansion throughout these villages: 1 mosque for every two Muslims. Think about that. These people cannot afford these buildings. Where do you think the money is coming from? Pictures are forthcoming. Our meeting began a little shaky, as I wasn’t very aware of them or their work prior to the meeting, and so I think they were a bit hesitant to share. As our time together progressed, however, I think we warmed to one another, and I found out that their son is an MBA student in strategic management, and will be heading to the U.S. next month. He an I may have an opportunity to meet when I return to Bulgaria in August at the 10th anniversary of this youth movement’s primary event (like CDYC on a massive scale for the Balkans, meeting on the Black Sea coast for 10 days for worship and preaching and prayer). When they understood that I was much like their son both in my life focus and fogginess of vision in some areas, they became like parents to me and spent a good deal of time giving me good advice and encouraging words for walking faithfully and using what I am passionate about for the Kingdom. They gave me good examples to thoroughly explain these truths. They invited me to a young men’s prayer group that evening that one of the youth initiated, and I was going to go, but I didn’t have a ride back from the young man’s house, and so I was unable, but at the same time, I received an invitation to stay at Marjan and Zoya’s home for the evening. Thus, I was hugely blessed in another way. I returned to the BL office and packed for the trip and worked on my picture account, so that I have space to upload in the coming days. Marjan and Zoya arrived a couple hours later, and we drove around and visited some of their relatives. Then, we had dinner at their place and I showed some of the younger boys and girls some dancing, because they love the rap music. It’s evil that the music is so full of sin, and it’s ridiculous how the culture is infused with this, both in our home and being exported across the earth. But, I was able to share with them some Christian rap that is both of high quality in music and lyrics. Because the English is hard to understand and it’s rap, I don’t think the youth understand the depth of these messages, but I sure do. It’s almost suffocating. But, it allows me to have greater compassion for these youth. Marjan and Emmanuel, their older son, and I went out to the mall around 11pm and went to a club to play some pool. The music blasted and smoke filled the air, and music videos played on LCD screens all around us. We had a great time in the midst of the circumstances, but Marjan wanted to give me a good understanding of the situation. O how I understand that culture so well. We came back and were very tired, and so we all just headed for bed.