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Dear friends of the mission,
What must Paul have felt when, during his first imprisonment in Rome, he wrote the letter to the church in the city of Colossae in Asia Minor? Indeed, it was his desire that the believers grow in fellowship and in the knowledge of God. This is how he wrote to the Colossians:
“For this reason, ever since we heard about it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and please him in everything: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might to possess all endurance and patience, with joyful thanksgiving to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:9-14).
The brothers set off on the long journey to Bulgaria with the necessary building materials.
For us, it's almost a given to have a place where we can gather at any time to give God glory, praise, and thanks. Yes, the church is a place for believers to meet and a place of fellowship with God, the Lord. But what do you do when this space simply isn't enough anymore? What do you do when the family grows and private living quarters make gatherings impossible? This is what happened to our brother Milton in the northwestern region of Montana, in the town of Dondukovo. For over a year, a makeshift extension was built using the materials available and those collected during that time. On warmer days, the believers gathered under this shelter so they could continue to enjoy fellowship in God's Word and prayer.
During a visit from our brothers from the Guntersblum congregation, it quickly became apparent that holding a meeting under the existing shelter during the winter would be impossible. The structure had been hastily assembled with whatever materials were available, the roof leaked, and the side walls were only protected by fly screens. We therefore considered whether an extension could help make it possible to hold meetings in the existing space even in winter. As with all suggestions, we brought this one up in prayer and finally contacted our brother Milton. Completely unexpected and overwhelmed that this need had not been overlooked, he gladly accepted the proposal to extend the building with the help of our brothers and sisters.
Preparations began immediately, as the upcoming autumn holidays offered members the opportunity to participate in the project. Even in the search for windows, a front door, and other building materials, God wonderfully united the hearts of the members. Through God's grace and the willingness of our members to sacrifice, we were able to bring a considerable amount of materials from Germany. The first group of six brothers departed for Bulgaria on October 17th in a fully loaded bus.
One brother described the journey this way: “We had a great time. There were no problems at the borders despite the COVID-19 regulations. God be the glory.” Arriving on Monday, the brothers immediately began unloading the vehicle and conducting an initial inspection of the building. The assessment revealed significant water damage to the structure, so it was decided to remove the roof, reinforce the side walls accordingly, and seal them. Work began immediately, and after about three hours, the roof was removed and the first materials had been procured on site. They spent the night in Krivodol at our base. The next morning, the day began at 6:00 a.m. They got up, jumped in the car, and drove to the Kaufland supermarket in Montana, which opened at 7:00 a.m. There, they had coffee and breakfast, then continued directly to Dondukovo, where work began shortly before 8:00 a.m.
On Wednesday, another group of two brothers and four sisters arrived by plane. It was decided to end the work assignment in Dondukovo around 3 p.m. in order to continue the afternoon with evangelistic and humanitarian work. In the town center, we distributed sweets and clothing to children. The people's joy was overwhelming, and they accepted this gesture with grateful hearts. Afterward, we visited a sister who had recently been converted. There, we sang songs, shared testimonies, and provided assistance.
A nun who had only recently converted received aid supplies.
On Thursday, October 21st, the last group of nine people joined us. So, on Friday, work continued diligently on the extension. Around 2:00 PM, the first group began their journey home. Afterwards, we decided to divide the remaining people. One group continued working on the building, while the other group traveled to Belo Pole. There, a small but rapidly growing group of believers has recently begun gathering for worship. We enjoyed a wonderful fellowship in prayer, song, and the Word of God, deeply moved by the sermon about Jesus' marvelous act of love for humanity: his sacrifice on the cross. The theme of listening to God's voice and seeking God's presence in prayer and the Word also resonated with the group.
On Saturday, we took a trip to the Ledenika Mountains near Vratsa. There, we visited the caves and sang the trilingual song "To You Belongs the Glory." The rest of the group listened with great interest and were impressed by the song, as many understood the words.
A church service was held in the recently inaugurated prayer house in Krivodol.
In the evening, we had a wonderful church service with German accompaniment following the dedication in Krivodol. To our surprise and delight, Brother Milton also joined us with some of his family. Together with Brother Ivailo and the brothers and sisters from Dondukovo, we enjoyed a blessed meal after the service, featuring grilled steaks, sausages, potatoes, salads, and a delicious sheep's cheese casserole cooked over the fire.
What remains to be done? The extension in Dondukovo is not yet complete. A work crew still needs to be organized for approximately three days to finish the work on the exterior facade (reinforcement and plastering) as well as the interior. However, organizing this is currently difficult, as Bulgaria has been classified as a high-risk area by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) since October 24, 2021. This measure will remain in effect until November 30, 2021. Nevertheless, we remain in prayer and ask God to open the way for us to complete this work. In this context, financial contributions are also still needed so that, among other things, the upcoming Christmas package campaign and food aid for poor families can be distributed. We also ask you to continue supporting the project in your prayers. May God's name be glorified in all things.
The room was also renovated and insulated from the inside.
We wish you God's blessing.
The project team
“JESUS FOR BULGARIA”