Here We Stand

Coming to America!

2012-01-26T07:09:00.001-05:00

We will be traveling back to the U.S. for a three month visit with family, friends, and supporters. We will do a fair amount of traveling, as we want to share with our partners what God has been doing in Bulgaria. We are in the process of setting our schedule and contacting people and churches for visits. If you are a supporter and you haven't heard from us, please send me an email. It is our desire to meet with as many of you as we can. Our support account has dipped and so we will also be trying to make new contacts. We are excited about the direction of ministry in Bulgaria. There is much work to do. We are looking forward to spending time with our friends in the States: and yet, we are eager to pick our work here again in June. To God alone be the glory!

Hasta la vista, baby!

2012-01-11T12:04:00.002-05:00

So I was in an autoshop yesterday for the mandatory annual inspection. This is the first time that I have gone through the process so I didn't know what to expect. I was told by Vlado where to go for the inspection. I parked my car in the lot and walked inside. There was noone at the desk so I wandered around until I found someone who could help me. I used my best Bulgarian to ask where I should go for an inspection. She pointed me back to the desk and went to get a man to help me. When he came out, I gave him my documents, but realized that I did not have everything. We were having trouble communicating, but he got me to give him my telephone number and I put my name on a list next to a number which I assumed was the cost of the inspection - 16.00. I returned around 2 pm with the missing document. This time another man was at the desk. He spoke even less English than the other and I was struggling to find the right Bulgarian words for the situation. Finally he brought out the sheet on which I had previously placed my name and number. He wanted me to give him my information again, but I showed him that my information was already on the sheet next to the inspection price of 16 leva. When I showed him, he seemed bothered and then, all of a sudden, I began to understand the sheet. Above 16.00 was 15.30, and below it was 16.30. These were appointments. At 1 pm, I signed up for 4 pm, but returned at 2 pm. I tried to ask if I could leave my car and return when the inspection was completed, but this only created more confusion, so I called Vlado for help. He spoke to the man and the man explained to him that I could do this, but that I would have to leave some of my personal documents behind. I agreed and then asked if I should pay now or later. He was very happy to accept my money, a 100 lev bill, but when I asked for a receipt, he told me that he couldn't give it until the inspection was completed. With no verification that I had paid, I declined paying up front. In response the man gave me back my documents and told me that I could not leave my car, but that I would have to come back at 16.00. What choice did I have? I complied with his directive because he was in control and he knew it. At 16.00 I returned and stood in line at the desk where both men were now working. When I got to the front of the line. The man said something that I could not understand and pointed to a bench. I sat as directed, but I was very confused. He then turned to the lady who was now sitting next to me and said "OT Dyordya." She smiled and he laughed. In case you are wondering, yes, he was laughing at me.

He remembered me and that I had trouble understanding earlier, but I understood those words. They meant "from Georgia." Actually that is the literal translation. The meaning was more like, "The reason he is such an idiot is because he's from Georgia." I sat not knowing what was going on and feeling very uncomfortable. I wondered if they would make me wait all day because I didn't trust them with 100 lev earlier. They looked at me and smiled a lot, occasionally chuckling. I had a hard time understanding most of what they were saying, but I felt like I was being mocked. Then, out of the blue, a change occurred. The first man said,"Yul Brynner? Magnificant 7!" I responded ,"Da," indicating that I knew who he was. The man continued with other American icons: "Steve McQueen?" He asked about another actor and seemed disappointed when I didn't know him. I offered, "Clint Eastwood," but he didn't seem to care for the gunslinger. The mood lightened. My Bulgarian began flowing more easily. He introduced me to another customer and we spoke briefly. Finally, the inspection was over and my new comrad led me to my car. He gave me my new card and placed a sticker on my window. He turned to me and said, "Arnold Schwarzenegger..... Hasta la vista, baby!" He walked away, but quickly turned back, tapped on my door before I could drive away and said, "Ne!....I'll be back!" I smiled and said, "Dobre (good/ok)," and then I drove away.

After Christmas Blues

2011-12-31T14:16:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite podcast preachers is Matt Chandler. I was listening to one of his pre-Christmas sermons. He was warning people about the potential for the post-Christmas blues to hit. He described the problem as a focus on shadows rather than substance, leading to an after Christmas, after gifts, after meals, after guests experience of "Is that all there is?" He is so right. It's like preparing for a wedding, but not the marriage. The beauty of Christmas for believers is that after Christmas, we still have the Christ. We know the baby who was lying in a manger in Bethlehem on that first Christmas. We remember the life He lived, without sin. We know the warmth of His love as He spilled his own blood on the cross. And because of His perfect sacrifice, we who were far away have been brought near to the God who created everything. We have cried out for mercy because of the sins we have committed. He has forgiven us and He has adopted us. So the after Christmas blues do not have to be ours - we, who are the sons and daughters of God!

My language helper, Kremi celebrating Christmas for the first time

Which Stefka are you?

2011-12-30T15:09:00.001-05:00

Here's a "made for blogging" story: A few weeks ago I met with my language teacher, Stefka, for what was the last scheduled session before the Christmas holidays. As we wrap up the last session of the week I always take a few minutes to pay her for the week's work. On this particular occasion I simply forgot and being the polite person that she is, Stefka did not remind me. I was not sure if I would be able to meet again before Christmas and so she told me to call her if I could meet. Things were starting to click for me so I decided that I wanted to squeeze in at least one more session. It was the night of the MTW Bulgaria Christmas Party when I realized that I hadn't contacted Stefka yet. I thought to myself that I would call her when the party was over and ask if she could meet the next day. The problem was that we stayed at the party longer than planned and by the time I remembered to call, it was much too late. Instead of calling, I sent a text message to Stefka that said, "Can we meet tomorrow? Tell me when and where. I still need to pay you." I didn't get an immediate response, but the next morning I was awakened by a call from Stefka. I was having a hard time understanding her, but I didn't think too much of it at the time. She told me that she would like to meet at her office and suggested 2:30. Until now, we have been meeting at McDonald's, but she had said that during the holidays it might work for us to meet at her home in the Geo Milev neighborhood. We also typically met at 10:30, so I was a little confused. I told her that I didn't know where her office was and asked if we could meet at McDonald's instead - at 10:30. She was very insistent on meeting at her office and really wanted 2:30. I asked if her office was in Geo Milev and she said that, of course it was - on Kosta Lulchev Street. Finally, I reluctantly agreed, knowing that I didn't know how to get to her office. I figured that I would call when I got close and she could help me from that point. I said "good-bye" and hung up- very confused. THEN IT HIT ME. I sent a text message to Stefka, the landlord at my old apartment, not Stekfa, my language teacher. No wonder I had a hard time understanding her, she struggles with English whereas my language teacher speaks nearly perfect English. Then I reviewed the conversation in my head. She must have thought I was completely nuts. My old apartment was right nextdoor to her office, and now I am telling her that I have no idea where her office is. "Can we meet at McDonald's?" I asked. We had always met in her office or in our apartment beside it. THEN I THOUGHT A LITTLE MORE. Why would she even call me? I haven't lived there in 6 months. Oh.....right.... the text message! Okay, what did my message say? Remember, remember, remember! "Can we meet tomorrow? Tell me when and where. I still need to pay you." Oh great, I called my old landlord, asked for a meeting, and told her that I still needed to pay her. That's why she called! Oh, how do I explain this to her. She will never understand my explanation. My next step was to call Vlado. He works in our office and helps us out when we need him. I was so glad that he was willing to call Stefka, landlord, and explain to her that my message was for Stefka, language teacher. BTW - I programmed my landlord's number into my phone over a year ago. When I started working with my new language teacher, I switched my input language to Bulgarian and entered her name in Bulgarian. After everything was cleared up, I realized that I still needed to get in touch with my language teacher...But which Stefka do I choose?

Ain't got no place else to go: medical missions week

2011-12-23T19:15:00.001-05:00

God Has Not Forgotten You!

2011-12-22T15:39:00.000-05:00

This was my second year participating in the Pazardzikmedical clinic. Last year I was the onlytherapist and so I tackled many wide ranging issues. Most of the people I saw complained of painwith backs, knees, and shoulders. Because I have spent most of my professional life working with childrenwith disabilities such as cerebral palsy and autism, last year was verychallenging. This year I was joined bythree other therapists, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist who isa certified hand therapist, and a pediatric occupational therapist likemyself. We divided the team between thechurch and a local children’s home. I spenttime at each location. At the church myparticular skills were not in high demand, but I was able to help a few peopleand pray with them. Much of the time Ifelt like a student learning from more experienced medical missionaries how togo from meeting physical needs right into meeting spiritual needs.

At the children’s home I was more in my element and felt like I added to the value of the services being provided there.The needs of the kids (really they were young adults) were so significant, but two very positive things stood out. The staff was so loving, so compassionate toward their kids and they were extremely open to us being there and documenting the experience. I expected restrictions on pictures and video, but there were none. I expected reservation toward spiritual matters, but instead I saw openness. Boyan, who translated at this facility all week told me that the director extended an open invitation for us, for me to return and that if we needed it, they would help us with accommodations. I worked at the children’s home on Tuesday and Wednesday, but helped to cover the church clinic on Thursday so that Cornelia could go over using her expertise as a hand therapist to make some splints. Cornelia relayed to me that on that day, she and others made clear to the staff that I would be able to return to address many of the issues that were identified, but left undone. It is my desire to return soon. I want to follow-up on a few projects, but more importantly, I want to build on the relationships that were established by our medical team. As we finished our work on Friday, the staff came over to the church to express their gratitude. We had a short time of prayer and then said our goodbyes. The story that most encapsulates the week for me was what happened to a young man named Ivan and what happened to his mother. On Monday evening, meetings were planned with some of the parents of the kids at the children’s home. Dave and Vlado were going over, expecting that there might be some conflict with a particular parent. This would not be the case. I asked about tagging along and was encouraged to do so. We walked into one of the rooms where Brad (the child neurologist on our team), Mallory (occupational therapist) and Boyan were sitting and talking with a parent. At that time there was really nothing for me to do and so I drifted toward the meeting and began listening in. I listened to a mother open up about a lifetime of guilt, about self-doubt wandering what she could have done to make her son’s life and his health better. Brad was so gentle with her. He explained that there were only a few things that a mother could do in this situation and that there was conclusive evidence that she was doing those things. Brad prayed for her and he told her that she had to find a way to let go of the guilt and pointed to Pastor Rangel and said that he was someone who could help her work through it. Rangel knew nothing of the conversation and had just walked in the room in time for Brad to connect him with the mother. God’s timing is perfect! They spoke quietly together for a few minutes.

The next day, Mallory and I worked with Ivan and got him into some new and healthier positions. Normally he lies twisted on his bed. We also began making modifications to his wheelchair that would be completed later in the week. Ivan was up and smiling. He looked really good. The next day, Ivan’s mother visited and the team continued to work with both Ivan and his mother. I was told that she said that she would never have imagined that this could happen for her son. She said, “It’s like a miracle.” She also said that she wanted to visit with Rangel at the church. The last time I stood in front of my home church before we came to Bulgaria, I referenced John 9:1-3 where Jesus is asked by his disciples, “Who sinned this man or his parents that he should be born blind?” His response was “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” I told them about a man and his son whom I had met on our first visit to Bulgaria and I posed this question, “What if this father began to grasp the truth of this passage and stood against the tide of his culture that says his son has no value and he began to tell people, ‘I don’t know all the reasons my son was born this way, but one of them is that the work of God might be displayed in him!’?” It just pierced my heart to hear that Ivan’s mother said, “It’s like a miracle,” and immediately I remembered posing this question to my church. If nothing else happened during that week, this was enough because it sent a message to a hurting, lonely, and tired mother. That message was, “There is a God in Heaven. He has not forgotten your son, and He has not forgotten you.”

The Darkness Does Not Comprehend It

2011-12-16T12:08:00.000-05:00

On the last day, Susan had an opportunity to come to Pazardjik and put her therapy skills to good use.
Mallory is to her left and Lyndsey is on the right.

The Medical Team (L to R), Back row: Sam, Vlado, Dave, Vladi, Boyan, Greg; Middle row: Heidi, Teddi, Lyndsey, Betsy, Cheryl; Front row: Cornelia, Mallory, Brad; Unfortunately I didn't get any good action shots of the three people who did the most behind the scenes work, but you can see them now: Dave, Cheryl and Betsy, who were very active, just not in front of my camera.

Dr. Sam chatting with Lyndsey and one our great translators, Teddi

What can an engineer do on a medical team? Ask Heidi.
She is helping us to customize this wheelchair. Great contribution!

Vlado chatting with a patient at the church-based clinic

He sure looks good sitting up like that! It was a group effort.

On Friday, the staff from the children's center came to visit our team at the church.

Pastor Rangel chatting with Mallory and Teddi

Who is the therapist here? Vlado is demonstrating a hands-on approach to translating.
At the bottom of this picture you will find the therapist, Cornelia.

All week, Mallory and Dr. Brad were singing the praises
of their translator, Boyan (center of the picture). I got to watch him work
and I can confirm that he did a wonderful job.

Greg (pre-haircut) with Vladi, who helped translate.
He would also like for you to know that he is from Plevin.

Not only did Teddi do a great job translating,
she also did a fantastic job cutting my hair after a long
day of work.

Pray for Medical Team in Pazardjek

2011-12-04T16:41:00.000-05:00

I should be sleeping now, but I have a few more things to pack before heading off to Pazardjek to participate in a church sponsored medical clinic. I participated last year and was tested by the variety of issues that I was asked to address. This year there will be other therapists who will bring expertise in areas where I am weak, so I am thankful for that! This year will be a little different. Last year we saw people who came into the church seeking help for a variety of aches and pains or to get a blood pressure check or a pair of reading glasses or just to get a second opinion. We have a new opportunity to go out into the community and serve in an orphanage. I am really excited about the opportunity. The director of the facility has been in touch with the pastor of the church in Pazardjek and has pursued this relationship. Pray that we would love the people well whom we will serve this week and that we would honor Christ in our work and in our words. Pray that doors would open for the gospel and that lasting relationships would form through this outreach. Taking pictures and video can be controversial here, particularly after Bulgarian orphanages were embarrassed a few years back by a BBC documentary. We will try to ensure them that we are friends and that we are here to help. If they grant permission for pics and video, I will share them. If not, I will do my best to paint a picture with my words! God bless you and thank you for praying. If by chance, you read this after the team is finished with its work, please take a few minutes to pray because ours is a long term view. We expect God to work and for fruit to grow far into the future.

.....No Better Place to Go!

2011-10-30T17:50:00.000-04:00

It has been a good long stretch since my last blog entry. It has not been that I have been too busy or that I haven't had much to write about. The opposite is true, in fact. There has been much to say, but frankly a lot of it has been negative and rather than air a bunch of raw, confused emotions, I opted not to submit entries during that time. Now that a little time has passed, I will try to recap what happened when I went dark in the blogging world. Over the summer, Susan and I took our kids to Bansko to live in close proximity to some of our Bulgarian friends for one month. The intended purpose of this trip was to give us a boost with our command of the Bulgarian language. While we came away from that experience hearing a little better, it was not the breakthrough experience that we had hoped. We had passed the one year mark for language study and had heard of and seen others who were far more fluent in a much shorter span of time. When expressing discouragement about this observation, some would say, "Yeah, but he is single and that makes difference," or similar such statements. Then there was the unintended punch in the gut. A well meaning Bulgarian friend said, "You're not studying Bulgarian are you? Because you don't seem like you are getting any better." Around the same time, during a contentious moment in an argument over a small sum of money, a Bulgarian lady insulted me by saying, "I'm sorry you can't speak Bulgarian!" A day or two after that, I stood next to Susan in the grocery store when a similar criticism was thrown out at her. She was more gracious than I. I just turned and walked away steaming and hating Bulgaria. We have been going to classes on good days and bad. We have been studying in between caring for our kids and getting them educated. We have been getting involved with our community and going to our Bulgarian speaking church and participating in a family group there. And we, I in particular have been falling apart. I spent a great deal of time pleading with God for help and a great deal of time being angry with Him for not helping. You can see, these are not the happy things that missionaries usually write home about. I have not hidden these things from my team and many of them have been very supportive and understanding. Many people have been praying us through this time and though I felt very alone and questioned God's help, His help and His comfort have come.
Susan and I have had opportunities to serve disabled children in a few different settings. We have invitations and opportunities to do more and we are excited for how we see God shaping our ministry here. No, it hasn't been pretty for the past several months, but it has been necessary. I have been shown my great need for God and spending time in solitude with no one but Him. This has been good for me. It has been good for Susan and it has been good for our kids. Paul and Liz Meiners (MTW Europe Care Coordinators) were here for our team retreat in August. During that time, Paul interviewed me and asked what I felt like I needed to be most successful in ministry. My response was, "I need to feel like my life is not unraveling." Well, I can say that I no longer feel like my life is unraveling, but I have been humbled by how easily and how quickly I could be there again. Without going into too many boring details, I will say that my family and I needed a readjustment. There were practical things about daily life that had to change - that we continue to work on, and there are spiritual disciplines that needed to be picked up and given priority. SO HERE WE STAND - We are not gifted language learners, but we press on because learning the language well will improve our ability to talk with Bulgarians and the deeper we can go in conversations the more opportunities we will have to discuss matters of the heart - and when you get to the heart, there is no better place to go, but to the gospel.

The first 14 months in still pics (click here)

2011-07-22T05:44:00.006-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbjyisR_bYU

Therapy Conference Week

2011-05-16T04:58:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday and Thursday, Susan and I benefited from the work of some local therapists in cooperation with a missionary from another organization. They arranged to have Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson come over to deliver a two day continuing education conference. In addition to benefiting from the high quality of instruction, Susan and I were also able to save on travel expenses. We saw some familiar faces and made new contacts in the community, including two instructors from the University of Sofia. I will be meeting with them on Friday to discuss ways that we may be able to assist them in their work. One of the things they mentioned was that they are interested in working in orphanages. This is something that Susan and I were hoping to explore before we came here. Pray that this meeting bears fruit.

On the day following the Rosenfeld-Johnson conference, we spoke at a professional conference (International Conference on Early Childhood Development) where the speakers wrote papers and shared their research. My understanding is that many of them were doing this as a requirement for their advanced degrees. While we opted against full participation in this conference, primarily because of the language barrier, the titles of many of the presentations indicated to us that this was a serious conference and that the presenters did a lot of homework to prepare. We also did a lot of homework to prepare, but it seems that no matter how much preparing I do, I always wish I had a little more time. We agreed several weeks ago on a one hour presentation, but realized in the days leading up to the conference that we were likely to run out of time - which we did. Another hour could have been really useful. I left the conference feeling pretty good about the presentation. The time was a limitation, which I had already accepted, but I was pleased that we were able to lay out a framework for diagnosing sensory processing disorders and give some examples (though I would have preferred to do more - if time permitted). The audience appeared to be entertained and engaged.I felt good about this, too, that is until I heard from a friend that often Bulgarians will discount the value of a presentation if it is too entertaining. Apparently, in some circles "fun" is the opposite of "educational." To quote Nacho Libre, "Whatever." As we were walking to the bus after the conference, Susan and I started talking about how much progress it appeared that Bulgarian therapists had made from the time that we first came here in 2006. At some point, we don't know when that will be, our skills and knowledge base will not be unique here. Susan asked, "What will we do then?" This was a challenging question, but one I had been thinking about. This is what God has been showing me: Our skills, whatever they may be, can be tools for serving others and working our way into this culture for the purpose of establishing relationships, but they are not what makes us most valuable to the people around us. Our greatest value is that the Holy Spirit is at work in us, teaching and motivating us to serve others and to share the love of Christ with them.

Nina, the organizer of this conference told me that she would be making a video of our presentation available to us in a few weeks. Some of that material may surface here when it is available. In our biographical information advertising the conference, we mentioned that we are in Bulgaria on invitation of the Evangelical Union. Though we do not shy away from our Christ-centered view of the world, there was no intent to present anything other than a therapist's approach to diagnosing sensory processing disorders, but it was out there that we are "church workers." I never know how people will react in this culture when they hear that I am a missionary. I hear that people tend to disengage, but so far, my experience is that most are simply indifferent or apathetic. So about 30 minutes before we spoke, a lady came at sat down next to me in the breakroom. Susan and I had spoken to her on previous days, so she was at least a familiar face. Her first question was, "Are you missionaries?" Now I pray for such questions, but when it was asked, for a split second my anxiety level shot up. I told her that we were and her response was that she, too is an evangelical and she lives in Vergas (on the other side of the country). She expressed a desire to meet with us if we are ever there. Sorry, I have no pictures of the event, but hopefully the video will be coming soon.

Educating Themselves

2011-04-11T07:32:00.000-04:00

While I was in the shower, Eli and Paul were busy at work. Paul came and knocked on the door and asked, "Is 99 high for a dog?" What?!?! I had no idea what he was talking about and so I quickly finished my shower and yelled out, "What are you talking about?" I opened the door and Paul was standing there. He said that Eli held down Happy, our dog while he, Paul checked his temperature with the ear thermometer. I first chose to deal with the scientific inquiry. "I don't know what a dog's temperature should be." Then I asked the parenting question, "Why did you do that?" When the response came back, "We wanted to see if he had a fever," well, I had nothing to say. I guess I was impressed. No, I was more than impressed - I was down right proud of their inquisitive minds. Imagine what they could do with a college education. The more I thought about what they did and the more I imagined what the scene must have looked like, the more I smiled. We have been searching for a Vet's office closer to our apartment. Who knew that Johnston & Johnston Vet Clinic was already opened for business?

Eye-Opening Reminder

2011-04-05T17:28:00.000-04:00

A lot has been going on here since my last blog entry, but this entry will not be about those things. Our kids are on spring break and unlike most of the other missionary families, we opted to stay in town. It has become increasingly obvious that having a car will be very helpful with upcoming ministry opportunities, so we decided to save our money and prepare to make a purchase. Still, we wanted to have some vacation-like experiences so we have been getting out and exploring the city. For instance, today we visited an ancient art museum in the basement of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, where 16th century church related pieces were common place. Joshua mixed it up with the locals riding his skateboard in the park. Yesterday we found a different park where we drew a lot of attention from the locals playing our version of wall ball. It was great to get out and have fun, but prior to locating the perfect wall ball site, I got a little ahead of everyone else in a desperate search for a public bathroom. As I came to a dead end where I would have to turn right or left, I decided that I would need to stand still and wait for the rest of the family to catch up. As I was looking down the street, a very well dressed man walked up to me and asked a question. When I told him that I didn't understand, he switched to English and asked for the time. I told him and then he walked around the corner. A few seconds later he returned and said, "Let me give you my business card." I took it and before I read the first word, he said, "We have the most beautiful girls in Bulgaria." I promptly handed his card back to him and told him that I wasn't interested.

I told Susan about the incident and said that I wish I had been a little quicker on my feet. I would have liked to have asked him how they find their girls and how they retain them. You see, Bulgaria has a huge problem with international sex slave trafficking and prostitution. Our team is involved with an organization called Daughters of Bulgaria that is working to address this problem. Our team members have been involved in prayer groups and reaching out to some of the girls who have been working out on the streets. Some of them choose this lifestyle and some are deceived or sold into it. It is very sad. Please pray that God would work powerfully and that unimaginable changes would come and break the back of the sex trafficking and prostitution industry in Bulgaria.

2011-03-08T07:13:00.002-05:00

News from Bulgaria on Orphans

2011-03-08T07:04:00.000-05:00

Too Big to Fail

2011-03-01T11:27:00.001-05:00

The First Evangelical Church of Sofia has a prime piece of real estate in the city center and a vision for serving the community and advancing the gospel. As you look at the pictures below, notice the fully developed plots on each side of the street. The working name of this endeavor is the "Gladstone Project." Gladstone is the name of the street where the property resides. It is near an intersection of three streets. I took a picture looking down each street. If you were to walk through the center of the city and you turned down Gladstone St., you would be struck to see such a large undeveloped lot.

I tried to take pictures that showed the size that the new building would be (as required by zoning ordinances, but the pictures don't do it justice. Even though the property is a short distance from the church, I had not been there. After one of our first committee meetings, Elka who has been a central player in the early stages of the project, walked with me to look at the property. As we stood across the street from the property (now currently functioning as a paid parking lot), Elka explained the dimensions to me. There are three tall buildings, with smaller structures built against them. The smaller buildings will be demolished to make way for the new facility. It will be required to be the same height as the other three buildings and must be built to touch each of them. Wow! I don't know if you will get how massive that must be from the pictures I have taken. Elka said that when she is working on the project at home it can seem manageable, but when she walks down to look at the property and the enormity of the space, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. I felt it, too! In preparation for this blog entry, I spent a morning walking around the neighborhood, taking pictures and visiting some nearby shops. I settled at a cafe around the corner from Gladstone and ordered a cappuccino. I opened my Bible and began reading in Genesis where I had left off from the day before. I began in chapter 11. This is the chapter that covers the Tower of Babel. As I read about the pride of the builders of that project, the sense of being overwhelmed a few days before became strangely comforting to me. We have not come to a place of saying, "Watch us! We can do this!" The mood from the beginning has been that we need to pray and trust God through this process. What a sad thing it would be when all is said and done for us to be impressed with the work of our hands and to have forgotten our God. The Tower of Babel is a sober reminder that no matter how big the building gets, no matter how many skilled people we gather for the work, we can do nothing without our God. May He never bend down on a knee to get a closer look at "our" work and decide that we have become too proud. The truth is that we can make our plans in great detail and we can consider all knowable variables, but there is no project, no building, and even no ministry plan that is too big, too important to fail. But our confidence is not in our plans. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7)." We trust in the name of the Lord our God. This is where our confidence is in this life and where our confidence must be with the Gladstone Project. And we can be confident in the will of God because unlike people and plans, He alone is too big to fail.

Insights from Starbucks

2011-01-28T19:24:00.000-05:00

A few days back, I took Joshua out for a little one on one hanging out time. We went to a nearby mall that on first glance would not be out of place in any mid-size/large town in America. This one comes complete with not one, but two Starbucks. While their brand is a little pricey, it is nice to drop in for a cup of Americana. Joshua walked over to buy some corn in a cup (very popular fast-food item here). While he was gone, I placed my order in Bulgarian. It was going so smoothly, but then i got hung up on how to say "hot chocolate." As it turned out, I knew the words, but didn't realize it until the young man taking my order helped me. He then said, "You should have started in English." I replied that I needed to practice my Bulgarian. We than began talking about why I was here. He seemed unfazed when I told him that I was working with the evangelical church, but when I told him that I was a therapist working with disabled children, he said that Bulgarians are not so interested in working with disabled children, that they are much more concerned with careers where they can make lots of money. This prompted me to ask what his career goals were. I asked, "Do you want to own a Starbucks or do you have other plans?" He told me that he was a pharmacy student. We talked a bit more about his hometown. Then he gave me my drinks and moved on to the next customer.

I have heard others talk about the indifference that Bulgarians have toward disabled children. The young man at Starbucks was relaying a sentiment, but I didn't get the impression that he was one who lacked concern. I also know that there are Bulgarians who are actively praying and taking steps to improve the situation for disabled children here. I am very happy to say that many of these people are active in the churches we have visited and see the connection between loving God and their fellow man, even the "least" among them. Tomorrow morning the church I attend is considering a proposal that will include outreach to families with disabled children. As you read this, pray for our church, that they would be led by the Holy Spirit to reach out to the fringes and share the love of Christ with the people around them, whether it be through the proposed project or some other means.

Matthew 25:39-40:
³⁹And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' ⁴⁰And the King will answer them,'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

History of Sofia - Very Interesting

2011-01-23T14:28:00.000-05:00

Elvis Has Left the Building....Almost

2011-01-20T11:02:00.001-05:00

A year before we began our term here in Bulgaria, Susan and I came over for a team retreat, packed full of strategic planning with some great fun and fellowship mixed in. It was during this time that Susan and I got the chance to know some of our team members for the first time. A couple of them were single ladies, Stephanie and Rebecca, who have since left the field.

Rebecca's Superstar impression

Susan with Mike & Susan Hershberger

We just got word that Rebecca is engaged and we are very happy for her. After arriving on the field, we learned that Stephanie was the go to girl when we needed to get things done. Almost as soon as we began leaning on her, she returned home. And now we are experiencing another goodbye. We had a chance to meet Mike Hershberger when he visited our church a few years back, but we had not met his wife, Susan and their kids until we came here for that retreat. They were very easy going and hospitable. Mike has shown himself to be a kind and thoughtful person. I really enjoyed the few opportunities we had to hang out. Our wives connected instantly. Susan H. taught Susan J. a few tips for shopping and cooking in Bulgaria, a gift that keeps on giving. Though our time with them was short, we are grateful for that time - only wishing it could have been longer. We pray and we ask you to pray also that God would bless their ongoing transition back to the states. They left for HMA over the summer, unsure about their return. They came this week to gather their belongings and say their "good-byes." Susan and their children have gone home. Mike has stayed behind to tie up loose ends. He will be leaving in a few days.

The Elvis reference: At our first team retreat, we had a fun talent night. Mike had a reputation for doing a pretty good Elvis routine. The karaoke music began playing and he went for it! Oh yes, there is video! It has been seen by a limited audience. Keep checking in - there may be a curtain call soon - with permission, of course.

Another footnote: As a member of a church that has supported the Hershbergers, I can say that this is the kind of family that a church should support. They live conscious of the need to put Christ in the forefront of all of their relationships. I know they have meant a lot to the people they have served during their four years in the field. Having spent only a few months in the same town with them, they have meant a lot to us.

Zach Hershberger

Ellie and Zach H. to the left

Войната орел! A Strange Thing to See

2011-01-13T15:06:00.000-05:00

I admit to staying up all night to catch the Auburn-Oregon game. It came on at 3:30 am local time. It was an entertaining game with a satisfying result. I watched a little of the post game analysis and celebration, but there was one that really caught my eye. I was watching the local newscast here in Sofia the next day when they did a spot on the game, completely in Bulgarian, of course. Surreal is the word that comes to mind. Войната орел!or Read phonetically: Voĭnata orel! Use google translate to find the secret meaning.

1st Hospital Visit in Bulgaria

2011-01-13T14:26:00.000-05:00

A week ago I was getting a language lesson from a lady in my family group. I knew she was a doctor and spoke with her a little about my work with disabled children. She insisted that I use the Bulgarian that I knew. I was glad for the opportunity to practice and pick up a few new vocabulary words along the way. I asked how to say hospital. She responded "Bolnitza." The L sound is barely audible. The closest word I've heard to that is "bonitza." Bonitza is this great little breakfast food that is sold by vendors all over town. When she said "bolnitza" I couldn't help but smile and wonder how many times I had ordered a hospital for breakfast. Anyway, a few days after learning the word, I found myself in Dal's car traveling with the rest of my family to take Joshua to the bolnitza. Everybody in the house has been sick lately, but Joshua's case was more intense and involved swelling of his tonsils amongst other things. We paid 35 leva to see the doctor. The wait was probably no more than about 30 minutes. Joshua went in to see the doctor with Susan and came out with prescriptions to treat tonsillitis, bronchitis, and laryngitis. A few days have passed. Joshua is back in school and doing well. I confess that I had a great deal of anxiety over the situation, including fears about the quality of care and red tape. None of my fears were founded. Joshua was treated well and the process was surprisingly smooth. It was nice to have Dal with us to help point us in the right direction and to get us to and from the hospital. Interesting side note to this story - It may surprise you to hear that the place where we went was a Japanese hospital.

Christmas 2010 Afterparty in Plovdiv

2010-12-30T14:43:00.006-05:00

It has been hard to be away from the people we love, especially around Christmas, but it was great to be able to Skype with family and speak with friends on the phone. We share this experience of missing loved ones with other missionaries. There are three families on our team who spent their first Christmas away from home. It was nice that we were all able to spend some time enjoying each others company. Joshua spent 2 nights with Gary and Tammy and one night they were so kind to watch all the children while Susan and I went on a double date with Pete and Renee. This morning before we jumped on the train, Pete made a delicious breakfast of biscuits & gravy, bacon, and eggs - almost like being at home! Then it was back to Sofia. I had a conversation on the train with a guy who insisted that I understood more Bulgarian than I actually did. He gave me his newspaper, his phone number and some advice. I must confess that since he spoke no English, I am not entirely sure what that advice was, but nonetheless, he was friendly and gave me an opportunity to stretch my language learning skills. When we got to Sofia, I introduced Susan to the post office, where a couple of packages were waiting. When we got home and opened the packages, we were surprised and touched by the generosity of some dear friends. The timing was perfect and made a special ending to Christmas 2010 for us.

Merry Christmas to All

2010-12-25T02:32:00.003-05:00

So this is our first Christmas in Bulgaria. It came up on us rather quickly. Susan and I found ourselves scrambling to make last minute purchases and wrap presents this week so that there would be something under the tree for a few days. We thought we would have a white Christmas. There was a lot of snow on the ground a week ago, but it has been steadily melting away for the past week. Last night we had a private Christmas party including a dancing segment American Bandstand style where we all showed off our best moves. We guessed gifts, ate sandwiches, watched fireworks from the balcony, and read from Luke 2 and Matthew 2 of the Savior's birth. We got up this morning and tied a ribbon around Happy, Eli's dog. The boys made coffee for Susan and me. By the time we came down, they had already checked out their stockings. They were anxious to unwrap presents, but we insisted that they wait until we could get Skype up and share with the grandparents. Nothing doing - neither set of G-parents were online. We took a few minutes to pray for our family, here and there. Uncle Matt was on so we Skyped with him and LeighAnn. Then Susan's mom and dad got online and watched the kids open their gifts. The boys all seemed very pleased with their gifts and ran off to play with them. Right now, I am sitting next to Susan with Christmas music playing gently in the background. I can hear Joshua upstairs playing with his new guitar, but here we sit, relaxing, sipping on coffee, just glad to be together and enjoying a quiet moment. Merry Christmas to everybody!

Thy Mercy, My God is the Theme of My Song

2010-12-20T10:45:00.000-05:00

Things are not happening the way we planned. When Susan and I were first invited to Bulgaria, it was with the idea that we would be providing therapy services and consultations based out of newly established resource center called Lomidol. We figured that we would be working side by side with a Bulgarian couple. We really liked them and we liked the idea partnering with them in a gospel-driven ministry of mercy. But much has changed since we started down this path. Our Bulgarian friends had to make decisions for the well being of their family that led them away from Lomidol and Sofia, the city where we now live. Lomidol is no longer in operation. Our team's leadership changed while we were raising support and since that time there has been an ongoing effort to recast the vision of what our team is doing. Susan and I have spent a lot of time praying and wondering about the shape that our ministry, both team and family, would take. We have been telling people that our primary job this first year is to learn the language, but I have become increasingly aware that our first job is the same as it has always been, to know God and walk with Him. Everything else follows. My pastor used to say that he was praying that God would make us desperate for Him. I can't help, but wonder if he has been praying that prayer a little more frequently since we left for the field. For the most part we have adjusted well to life in the field, but there are days and seemingly minor events that sometimes create a great deal of stress for us, like finding a cab on Sunday morning and being turned down because our family is too big or he doesn't understand my Bulgarian.
With everything that has happened, and all the changes, God has been faithful to our family and even now, on this day, I have a strong sense of Him drawing us closer. Though we have spent much of our time here like blind men wandering around, God has opened doors into relationships with Bulgarians. We are now part of a family group in our church that is taking seriously their responsibility to help us learn Bulgarian by limiting their use of English, though most of them speak it well. From our visit in 2006, relationships have been rekindled and have led to opportunities for us to meet with and support families with disabled children. Just over a week ago, I went with a medical team to the nearby town of Pazardjik, where we worked for a week. Though I had opportunities to serve and to encourage people who passed through this church-based clinic, I felt very much like a student watching nurses, doctors, translators and various church members share the love of Christ through encouraging, sometimes challenging words, compassion,and prayer. It was such a blessing to me to be a part of this team. There have been other opportunities. We got a call out of the blue from Tsvetan who referred a family to us. Susan and I invited them over and we spent maybe an hour and a half with them and their little girl who has cerebral palsy. They were a delightful couple and their little girl was as cute as she could be. We talked and played and made recommendations. Before they left we exchanged contact information and an offer was extended to connect us with families in Vergas, on the other side of Bulgaria. Through our involvement in a family group at our church, I was asked to help proofread an English version of a proposal for a community center on church property. I expressed excitement about the proposal and was quickly invited to be a part of the team, particularly to help develop an outreach component focused on children with disabilities.

So it is true, things are not happening as we planned. Our vision was small and neat and manageable. Though we are looking dimly as through a glass, we are beginning to catch a glimpse that maybe God's vision is large and messy and completely unmanageable in human terms, though very much under the control of an all powerful, merciful, and loving God! In all of this what does God require of us "but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God?"

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=98409&id=1348898632
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

Why Language Learning Matters

2010-11-19T04:42:00.000-05:00

If you have ever wondered why we are investing so much time, money, and effort into language learning, read the article linked below. It was written by a guy who was very encouraging to us during the evaluation and support raising process that led us to Bulgaria.

http://www2.mtw.org/home/site/templates/mtw_invision07.asp?resolutionfile=templatespath|mtw_invision07.asp&area_2=public/Resources/Invision/2010/11/LanguageLearningMatters

Tough Place to Grow Up

2010-10-30T15:57:00.001-04:00

Susan told me that a group of students and a few parents were traveling to an orphanage in a small nearby town on Friday. She told me that she thought I would be welcomed to go. Because she was teaching, Susan was unable to go. We had spent a lot of time talking about investigating the situation with orphanages before we got to the field and this was our first opportunity to visit one. When our team arrived, we were treated to a drink that tasted very much like good ole southern sweet tea, only it was hot. The lady who hosted us gave us a brief overview of the situation of the kids in her facility. Though the facility was identified as an orphanage, most of the children either went home each evening or lived in dorms during the week- returning home on the weekends. My impression was that the facility looked and operated like a school, though the workers were far more involved in the social welfare of these children than would typically be observed in the states. These children are Roma, also known as gypsies (though the term "gypsy" is akin to a racial slur). They live in very poor conditions. It is a common practice for Roma girls to be sold into marriage and sometimes prostitution by the time they are 14 years old. If the family that buys the girl doesn't like her, she is often returned home with any children she may have had. Education has very little perceived value. We were told that there were some children from a home for disabled children who come over for part of the day. I was very curious to see those children.
The game plan of our team before we arrived was to engage the children in games. A soccer ball and a small nerf basketball were brought along and came in very handy. Because it was cold outside, the kids were given the option of going outside with the boys and playing soccer or staying inside and playing games in the classroom. After watching the games and seeing that some of the disabled children were not following what was going on, one of the ladies on our team suggested that we go across the hall and play with the children who had disabilities. In our group were four children, one of who was in a wheelchair. We began playing games and I was told that the smallest girl in the group did not talk, but the more she played the less shy she was. She began making vocalizations as she got excited. At one point, we thought she was saying some words and so we began playing games to get the kids to make animal noises, which this little girl did with no trouble. Though my Bulgarian is very poor, it appeared that she was speaking to her friend during our games. As our time was ending and everyone was heading outside, one of the ladies asked if this girl with whom we were playing had a coat. She was told that she had been given lots of coats, but her mother (who was reportedly mentally disabled) said that she burns them for heat. What a tough, challenging environment for this precious little girl.

Down Syndrome Support

2010-09-28T14:36:00.000-04:00

At the close of our meeting, A lady in the group approached me and asked if I would be willing to consult with her on her 5 year old son. I took her contact information and told her that I would like to help, but that I needed to talk it over with my team leader because of my commitment to language study this year. I spoke to him earlier today and he gave me the go ahead, so a few minutes ago, I sent out an email to this mother to offer my help. I do not wish to make her name public, but I do ask that you pray for her and her son. Please pray that the grace of God would pour over the families here in Bulgaria who are raising children with disabilities. There is still more to say about this meeting....

Parent Support Group

2010-09-25T15:21:00.000-04:00

Earlier today I had an opportunity to speak to a Down Syndrome support group. It was great opportunity to offer insights and strategies from my perspective as an occupational therapist. Tanja, a missionary with Send is a member of the group and arranged for me to speak to them. Susan and I prayed for the group before I went. We also spent some time talking about doors that God is opening for us. It has been a busy, tiring stretch, but one that has been full of joy. All along the way, I have been reminded that God has been at work here long before we showed up. It gives me great confidence to see his hand at work and to know that he has brought us here at this time for this purpose. I suspect I will have more to say about this experience in the coming days.

A Man Like Job

2010-09-15T16:33:00.001-04:00

Last night at bedtime, Eli asked if I would read to him from the Bible. I said sure and then thought to myself, "What shall I read?" I have been taking Eli and Paul through Sinclair Ferguson's Big Book of Questions and Answers. My first thought was to pick out one of the passages from one of Ferguson's recent lessons, but instead I decided to read from the last few chapters of Job. Scott Barber, an old friend and lawyer turned pastor once said of this section that it is the greatest cross examination of all-time. I sat just outside of Eli's room using the hall light so that he could hear, but more easily drift off to sleep when the time came. I began reading in chapter 38: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me....." Then began a long series of intimidating, no, overwhelmingly intimidating questions. When chapter 39 rolled around, I was thinking that the point was well made, but the cross examination was only beginning. At some point, Eli's attention waned. I had hoped that he would fall asleep, but instead decided that he was thirsty and asked for a drink. I allowed him to go to the kitchen and get some water, but I sat and continued reading. I was amused when Job tried to end the barrage of questions by saying that he was of small account and would not speak any further. In essence he was saying, "Maybe I should just keep quiet." But God pressed further and in the end, when Job was faced with the greatness of God, Job was humbled and repented of his arrogance toward God. Then God turned to Job's friends, and this is what really grabbed my attention. He said to them that His anger burned hot against them because they have not spoken of Him what is right "as My servant Job has." He tells them to go to Job and offer up a burnt offering for themselves. "And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."

This passage reminds me to be still before God and know that He is God. It reminds me that "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Looking at God's advice to Job's friends, I am reminded that He "delights in showing mercy." He was displeased with these men, but told them that they should get Job to pray for them because He would accept Job's pleas to show them mercy. I have been reminded recently that my prayer life is not what it should be. It is time for me to spend more time being overwhelmed (like Job) with who God is and what He has done. At our team retreat, George Stulac preached a series of messages about prayer. The theme that was repeated over and over was from the words of Jesus, "...apart from Me, you can do nothing (John 15:5)."

So here I am - a missionary in a foreign land. I don't know the language and there is much I don't understand about the culture. My wife and children are here with me trying to adjust to a new life. Our schedules are getting full and mixed up. Tomorrow, Eli and Paul will be starting school (part-time) in a Bulgarian speaking Christian school. In the next few weeks I will be speaking with parents of children with disabilities. One will be a private meeting. The other will be a presentation before a Down Syndrome support group. Our team is preparing for a new direction with lots of unknowns left before us. What shall I do? Apart from Christ, I can do nothing. I need some serious prayer time and I beg you to pray as well. When you pray for these things, pray that our ministry would be marked by love and that God would use us to advance the gospel here in Bulgaria.

Life in Geo Milev

2010-09-03T09:09:00.000-04:00

Riding the No. 5 Trolley, a daily event

Most of our team members are living in apartments a short distance from the Metro subway system. When we began our apartment search, we also hoped to find a place near the Metro, but there were few places that met our criteria. When our agent suggested a place in the Geo Milev District near the Pleeska Hotel, Susan and I were game, but knew that if we liked the place we would be moving away from the convenience of the Metro. Not only did we really like the place, but it was also the cheapest of the options presented to us. Now that we are in Geo Milev, we use buses far more frequently than the Metro. They are not always the timely option, but they take us to more locations than the Metro. And then guess what happened yesterday. We were invited by Tonya, a missionary with Send, to go to her son's therapy session and meet his speech therapist. Being pediatric OTs, Susan and I were naturally very interested in seeing the clinic and the approach of the local speech therapists. We met with the executive manager, Nina who is also a speech therapist. She has a large team of psychologists and speech therapists who engage in a variety of strategies to support children with disabilities. She is committed to equipping others and improving her approach. She extended an invitation to Susan and me to observe her team and provide training if we were interested. The environment was very child friendly. The children we saw were treated with much compassion. Did I mention the location? Geo Milev! I don't know what will come of this contact, but it seems very promising. When I think of how we ended up in this apartment and Tonya's son receiving therapy just up the road from here, the one word that comes to mind is "providential." It's almost like there is a god orchestrating all this! ;-)

Friends, Romans, Countrymen!

2010-08-25T05:18:00.001-04:00

Today we are packing our bags and moving out again, but this time we plan to return in a week. Two days ago the Elliotts and Romans joined our team in the field. Pete, Renee, and Leora Roman have been our guests. It has been a joy getting to know them. Susan and I stayed up late last night with Pete and Renee laughing and telling stories about our experiences getting to Bulgaria. It was a reminder that God has been faithful in providing for us when we have needed it the most. He has given us many experiences that bring a smile and a laugh when we recall and share them. We are now hours away from heading off to Bansko for our annual team retreat. We have much to pray over, discuss and consider. As was the case last year, we anticipate that this retreat will include a mix of team worship, fellowship, strategic planning/preparation, and fun. Please pray for our team as we head out. We are here for the sake of the gospel. We need your prayers and God's grace as we move with intention into the communities and into the lives of the people here.

Now that we are here

2010-08-10T14:42:00.000-04:00

This video was put together for an upcoming event at CrossPointe. It is short and to the point. Watching it will give you a feel for what we are doing right now.

Rumor has it....

2010-07-16T12:32:00.000-04:00

Can it be? After arriving in port on June 25th, we here rumors that our container will arrive in the morning. If you happen to see this anytime on July 16th or 17th, we ask you to please say a prayer that the delivery would be completed soon. There are certainly other things more important than a container full of personal items, but it is a major step in allowing us to get settled in the place where we plan to be long-term. We are all doing well, picking up a little Bulgarian here and there. This week the boys got started playing baseball. The format is quite different, not bad, just different. In any case, the three of them are glad to get out and toss the rock around the diamond.

Let it be, let it be

2010-07-09T02:00:00.027-04:00

Susan & Mike Hershberger talking with GregMKs L to R, standing: Ellie and Zach Hershberger; sitting: Mary Hersberger Johanna Stanton and Owen Taylor

The Hershbergers (a little younger in this shot)

I sat outside of the University Metro stop at McDonald's waiting for the Hershbergers to arrive. Susan walked over to the bookstore. The kids had a babysitter and so I had a few minutes to sit and observe the culture. As I sat, I listened to a couple of street musicians performing the Beatles' classic "Let it Be." I've never heard this version. It's an instrumental via classical guitar with accordion lead. Except for a pause between songs I wouldn't have noticed the more beautiful sounds being produced by a celloist across the way. He may have been more talented, but when it came to volume, he got slammed.

Accordion player, not the one at McDonalds, but Bulgarian (didn't have a camera at McDonalds)

When the Hershbergers arrived, we wandered around until we found an outdoor hotdog stand. We opened an umbrella, pulled up some chairs and just enjoyed being together. They will be leaving for the states in a few days and do not plan to return until January. We will miss them very much. They have been very kind to us in the short time we have been here.

Before meeting up with the Hershbergers, we had a meeting with the leadership of the Solunska church. This meeting included the members of our team who worship at the church. Besides Susan and me, Dal and Dave C. were in attendance. We received a very warm welcome from Daniel and Stanislov. We shared our sense of call to Bulgaria and expressed our desire to be used in whatever capacity advances the gospel. Ways for our team to be active in the life of the church were discussed along with broader concerns about impacting Bulgaria as partners. I know that language learning is the most important job Susan and I have right now, as it relates to serving Bulgaria, but I also got excited as Daniel talked about ways Susan and I could use our skills in the life of the church and to serve the community. I was also very appreciative or Dal stating that he was going to guard our language learning time during this first year.

The Church Bells Peal

2010-07-05T07:43:00.000-04:00

Before church started yesterday morning, I sat listening to the beautiful melody of "Majesty." Then, from outside, the bells rang out announcing that the worship service was about to begin. Because we are learning to rely on public transportation and because we live a pretty good distance from the Solunska Church, arriving on time has been somewhat challenging. Typically we have been just outside of the building when the bells begin to ring, though last week we could hear them a few blocks away. Yesterday was different. We made it to church with plenty of time to spare. Hearing the church bells peal while sitting and anticipating worship was quite satisfying. We did not, on this day, hear the bells two blocks away while dragging little ones through rain and dodging puddles.For the first time since we've been here, the pastor did not preach. In the U.S., this would have been no big deal, but as I was waiting for the pastor to get up and preach - I had learned to take notes from the projection screen and decipher later - it dawned on me that the man who was now speaking had not been making announcements for the past 15 minutes. He was preaching! And I hadn't been taking any notes. Certain clues allowed me figure out that he was preaching from 1 Cor. 9:24-27.
When the service ended, a few of the men from the church came over to speak with me, including the pastor who expressed that he was looking forward to a meeting with the MTW team at Solunska that was scheduled for next week. I, too am looking forward to that meeting and I told him as much. A man named George has made a point to speak to me every Sunday. His English is quite good and so it has been nice that at least with George, my lack of Bulgarian has not created much of a communication barrier. I try what little Bulgarian I know and he politely smiles. He wished me a happy 4th of July and told me that he has two children living and working in the U.S. A preacher from a near by town was in attendance. His name is Emmanuel. I enjoyed talking with him. He invited us to visit his church after we have had time to settle in. Sounds good.

It's my job!

2010-06-15T07:25:00.002-04:00

A few days after settling in here in Bulgaria, Paul asked a very important question, "Dad, when are you going to go to work?" My response was "I'm working right now!" I think my answer was a bit confusing to a kid who remembers that when Dad worked before, he went somewhere - usually alone. In as simple a way as I could, I explained my job to him, at least the first few objectives of the job. I also thought that I should probably give an explanation to our supporters back home who are wondering what we are doing now that we are actually on the field. For the first year my primary job is to learn the language. There are a few options, but at least for now I am following the pattern of current team members. I have hired a language instructor. Her name is Elka. She has a reputation for being tough, but her students learn. What can I say? I love a good challenge. So far I have had two private sessions. Elka has told me at the end of each session to do my homework and come back knowing the material "like a song." I am praying that God would grant me favor in language learning. The plan is to take four sessions per week. We have not been able to nail down the schedule as of yet because Elka has responsibilities for a very sick cousin. I would ask you to pray for healing and grace for him as you read this entry. In addition to class time, I have ventured out and used the few phrases I know with people around me. I have gotten help form cashiers and old men on buses. Kids on the playground have taught me during soccer, sorry, football games in the courtyard. I am also playing on a men's baseball team. I have always loved baseball, but thought my playing days were long gone. I have always felt at home on the diamond, but when the language is unfamiliar, I have found that even on the baseball field I feel a little disoriented. So what does baseball have to do with my job? One of my assignments from Elka is to find Bulgarians with whom I can speak Bulgarian. The men who play baseball here play from sometime in April through September. Not many show for practices, which are leisurely at best, but they have three scheduled days a week where they get together. I am learning that you can speak Bulgarian or English on the baseball field. For instance, on a pop up you can call "I got it!" or you can call out "Topka!" which means ball. While English is acceptable, Bulgarian is preferable and necessary at times, like when I was standing next to an open gate and everyone on the field including the umpire was yelling for me to close it. None spoke in English. I never understood them until I noticed a teammate pointing at the fence. Then it made sense, "They want me to close the fence." So I did.

Dave Culmer, along with many others on the team gave me this piece of advice. "The most important thing you can do is learn the language and learn it well." The point being that getting below the surface with Bulgarians, down to the heart issues, will require really understanding them and learning the subtlties of their words and expressions. When I ask a Bulgarian how he is doing, the only answer I am currently prepared to hear is "Dobre/Good." If he doesn't say "dobre," I won't understand. That's a problem and that's why language is my job this year, Paul.

As for Susan, she will be teaching the younger two and teaching a class at SCA (school for missionary kids) as well. She too will be putting a lot of effort into language learning. I have to show her how to access this blog so that she can share experiences from her perspective. Chao.

Worship at Solunska - Sofia, Bulgaria

2010-06-08T10:08:00.003-04:00

Maybe you've heard this song before, but probably not like this, unless of course you live in Bulgaria.

A Video Worth Seeing

2010-06-07T07:45:00.000-04:00

Click on the title above to learn a little about Joshua's school. Who knows, maybe God could be calling you to serve missionary kids in the classroom.

We Are His Personal Concern

2010-06-05T02:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we settled on a more permanant residence. It is near the busiest bus stop in town. There is plenty of room for visitors so y'all come! This place was the 7th apartment we looked at since we've been here. It was our favorite. It had more room than most and was the best value. All did not go smoothly, however. We were reminded that we are living in a foreign land. There was a problem accessing our money and a miscommunication at the real estate office. Susan and I felt powerless to handle either situation. Thank God that the miscommunication was worked out and everyone involved was very gracious in the matter. We are still not completely sure about the other problem, but we were relieved to check at the end of the day and find that our account remains intact and secure. Though the day brought us some anxiety, we rest well knowing that our God was not surprised by any of it and that we are his personal concern.

A Taste of Bulgaria

2010-06-03T16:36:00.000-04:00

We have been in Bulgaria now for about 8 days. The family is adjusting well. We are over the jet lag and have a great team that has helped us with a lot of things that require knowledge of the Bulgarian language. We have learned to use the public transportation system with only minor difficulties. Our team made sure that Susan and I each had a cell phone right away. This gave us confidence to get out on our own and explore the city. I have been surprised to find that fewer people than I remembered speak english. Still, when we are hungry and someone is selling food, a little thing like a language barrier is not going to get in our way. Joshua was off at school. Susan and I took Eli and Paul up to the produce market. Behind the market there was a little deli that sold very little that I recognized. I had learned one word that was helpful. The Bulgarian word for stuffed peppers is chushski. When I saw it, I said, "chushski" and held up two fingers. The message was successfully delivered. I pointed at a few other things and they were scooped up and put on a plate for me. As I was getting ready to pay, a lady came in and ordered a sandwich. The worker got a knife and scooped up a little sandwich spread and rubbed it across the inside of the bun. I looked down at my plate and wondered if the worker thought it odd that I had just ordered a large spoonful of that same spread (a mayo or mustard equivalent) to be eaten by itself. We did get some bread. As it turns out, the unknown spread tastes pretty good with fresh bread. No one went hungry that day, though we knew not what we ate.

What have Paul and Eli been doing in Glennville?

2010-05-21T11:18:00.000-04:00

The time is drawing near

2010-05-19T23:59:00.000-04:00

It has been a long time coming. Three years of support-raising has led us to this point. We have been saying goodbye to our church, family members, and dear friends. I have been more emotional during this time than I can ever remember. It has been hard, but God has been showing me that there is a blessing in tough goodbyes. It is evidence of a connection. Because we are going so far away and for a long time, I have felt the desire to let the people I love know exactly how I feel. I have found that most of them have been just as open. What a blessed man I am! I know that Susan would ditto my comments here.

Coming up: A few more goodbyes and then a long plane ride on Tuesday, the 25th. Pray for our family as we travel and pray for the spread of the gospel in Bulgaria.

Our Visas Have Arrived

2010-04-11T23:01:00.000-04:00

We got word yesterday from Susan's mom that our work visas have arrived and we have been approved to live and work in Bulgaria. We are $600 a month short of our support goal. When those pledges are received, we will be cleared to go. Pray that support would come quickly.

Dennis Barnard carries cross to honor Christ and raise support for Haiti

2010-04-04T22:38:00.000-04:00

Missions Conference Season

2010-03-16T15:38:00.000-04:00

We are right now in the middle of the busy mission conference travel season - sometimes tired, but always glad to get an invite. This season is a little different than some of the others however. We are pretty much visiting churches for the second or third time, some supporting and some we hope and pray will. Susan and I were talking a few days ago about how much more comfortable we have gotten and how much more we have been enjoying the conferences this time around. From the very beginning, conferences have been extremely encouraging events. We have been prayed for, loved on, and fed very well wherever we have gone. The increased enjoyment has come from a growing awareness of the sense of community shared between God's people in all places. We have discovered friends in places we've never been and we have come to look forward to these weekends for that reason. Also, there was a fair amount of anxiety that went with not knowing what to expect. We have been asked to speak for extended periods of time with diverse groups in some places and then for only a few minutes over an entire weekend at other places. In short, the variety of speaking opportunities has made us much more flexible. Susan has always been more comfortable rolling with the punches. I on the other hand have had to grow a great deal in this area.
Tomorrow Susan and I will be heading to Chestnut Mountain and then to a couple of therapy conferences on back to back days. Her parents, primarily her dad, have agreed to keep the kids this time around. Churches like to see the whole family, but with all the travel, it made more sense to let the boys stay home this time.
Support Update: We are about $500 per month in pledges short of our goal. We are praying that the remainder of our support will come in by the time we receive our travel visas. We applied in January.

Our Hearts are Knitted Together

2010-02-01T01:45:00.001-05:00

Today ended a wonderful missions conference. St. Andrews is our home church and it is always good to be with our friends there. Scott Barber who was an elder at St. Andrews, left his law practice to answer the call to be a pastor. Upon graduating from seminary, he and his family moved to Florence, Al. where he is pastoring a church. He was the keynote speaker for our conference. In addition to being a gifted teacher/preacher, he brought with him a history of growing and living amongst us for many years. He spoke of the freedom he experienced in his law practice when it became clear that he was not going to be practicing law much longer. He said that it was when he got to the point of not worrying about losing his practice that he began to practice law as it was meant to be done. Of course this is a reference to something Jesus said in Matthew 16: "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Scott talked about teams that play "scared" or "not to lose." He had many great things to say, but this was the point that stuck with me most. Susan and I talked about it after leaving the church. I had to admit that I often "play scared" when I should be living this christian life with great boldness. The clearest example of that over the past few years was how timidly I have approached support-raising. However, God has been gracious and He has continued to raise up supporters nonetheless. It was great to see all of our friends and worship with them. God has without question knitted our hearts to theirs. It is always hard to leave.

The Plastic Nativity

2009-12-27T15:33:00.000-05:00

So what did we do on Christmas? Well for about 13 minutes we watched a movie on which Joshua and I collaborated, finishing up on Christmas Eve. I have since edited it back to around 10 minutes for youtube. Now it is available for your viewing pleasure. I'm sure Joshua would love to hear your feedback.

These lights have no right to burn, unless.....

2009-11-23T21:10:00.000-05:00

Since moving to Glennville in route to Bulgaria, we have been attending the church where Susan grew up. We have learned lessons about the unity of the church. The nearest PCA church is a pretty good drive for us. We prayed over the issue of where we should go and settled on attending church in the community where we live. Over the last four weeks I have been teaching a Sunday School class based on Eugene Peterson's book Eat This Book. As anyone who has ever taught would say, I benefited more than anyone else in the class.The style of worship is not what we were used to when we came and there are obvious differences in doctrine and teaching emphasis between the PCA and the United Methodist Church. Still, we have found it to be a place where the name of Jesus is held high. There is a strong community of believers with whom we have been able to connect. This past weekend was Harvest Sunday. The church decided to direct a portion of the giving to our ministry. We were blown away by the generosity. Just a few short weeks ago I expressed discouragement related to support-raising issues. Now I find myself very encouraged by the way friends have stepped up with kind words and how support has come from unexpected places. Susan and I reviewed our status earlier today. We are solidly at 85% in monthly support, but we also have several promising contacts. Our next milestone is 90%. This will allow us to head to D.C. to start the visa process. Please pray that we would meet that target soon as it often takes a few months to get visas in hand. We have good reason to believe that our current contacts could get us to 90% and beyond. The preacher for Harvest Sunday was John Haney (former pastor of the Glennville UMC). He was very engaging. The one thing he said that stuck with me was this. He pointed up at the lights in the sanctuary and said, "These lights have no right to burn, unless they help advance the gospel in some way." Man, I believe that! Don't you? For a wandering missionary such as I am, I need words like that to focus and invigorate me.

Follow-up on previous blog entry

2009-11-23T19:43:00.003-05:00

http://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school/greenville-coach-a-rock-210300.html
Unfortunately things didn't go so well for Greenville. They got knocked out of the playoffs last Friday night at the hands of Wilcox Co. Please continue to keep Jeremy and his family in your prayers.

Rooting for an old friend

2009-11-20T19:18:00.003-05:00

Many of you may have heard about Jeremy Williams. He and I played high school baseball together, but he also played football, and played very well I might add. He started as a freshman for a division I college program. He has been making news of late as a very successful high school football coach. His team in Greenville, Ga. is undefeated and at the time of this entry moments away from starting a state playoff game. However the reason he is garnering so much attention is that he has been battling ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) for some time. He and his wife also have a disabled child. Through a friend on Facebook I learned of an article written about Jeremy in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The article highlighted many of Jeremy's accomplishments and praised his determination. Jeremy did not miss the opportunity to give glory to God. In talking about his condition, he said that he would one day be restored in Jesus. I brought him up before my Wednesday morning men's group to put him on our prayer list (something I would encourage you to do as well). One of the men in our group, here in Glennville, Ga. already knew the story. In exchanging an email with an old friend, I told him that I know Jeremy is walking a hard road, but he is honoring Jesus as he goes. Inside sources tell me that this is the way Jeremy runs his football program as well It would be nice to see his team go all the way. During this playoff season I am rooting for Greenville and praying for their coach. Win or lose, in good health or poor - To God be the glory! I think Jeremy would agree.

So what's taking you so long to get there?

2009-10-26T20:56:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I got a Facebook friend request from a grad school classmate. We finished school in the summer of 2006. At that time, Susan and I were not very far along in our training with MTW, but far enough that it was official - we were on track to relocate to Bulgaria and begin our lives as foreign missionaries. My former classmate and I got along really well in school, but because he was commuting from a long distance, graduation meant that our paths would no longer be crossing. It was great to hear from him and I am grateful for Facebook because it will allow us to keep up in ways that would not have been practical 10 years ago, especially as we move to the field. But because we haven't been in contact and it has been so long, he made the assumption that we had already gone and were now back home. This is not the first time we have had that conversation with people we haven't seen for a while. It can be a depressing exchange. They expect that we should have gone a long time ago, and so do we. It brings to mind questions like: How long Lord? or Where will the rest of our support come from? And in the darkest moments: Will it come? Another difficult encounter that we have faced has been when we have let old friends know of our need in the course of exchanging emails or comments on Facebook. Pleasant exchanges have ended abruptly with no additional comment after we mention that we need additional support. This has been especially hard for me to take when those friends have been people with whom I have felt I could be completely open. Is this just sin on my part -fear of man, or is it appropriate to feel the hurt of such moments? I don't know, but I do know that I could use your prayers over this struggle (and so could Susan). Please pray that God would raise up supporters and that He would direct them toward us.

Boots in the mud

2009-09-24T13:37:00.000-04:00

Susan and I have just returned from a week in Bulgaria. We spent our time there with other members of MTW Bulgaria, some already in the field, some just returning and others like us, hoping to get there soon. Each morning we gathered for worship and then began a day of strategic planning. Dal, our team leader told us that we were special forces. Though there was much joking, the comparison stands. We are on mission. We are in Bulgaria to claim it for the Kingdom of Christ, with Christ leading the charge, of course. Much of our time was spent reviewing our history and drilling down to uncover our core values. We came away with four that will guide our efforts at spreading the gospel in Bulgaria. Our central value is that we will be gospel centered (Colossians 1:18). The cross of Christ is central to our interactions with each other, as well as our relationships with the Bulgarians we go to serve and equip for living lives devoted to our God. We will be body focused. This means that we will live as a family and community cultivating the life of Christ in each other, respecting and valuing the unity and diversity of gifts, talents and abilities of each member (Romans 12:4-8). We will be apostolic driven (Matthew 28:19). We assume that God is raising up Bulgarian believers to serve effectively in every role in the local church. As such, our task is to empower Bulgarian partners to carry out every aspect of the ministry of the local church. Finally, we will be supernatural expectant (Philippians 2:13). While seeking His direction, we plan and strategize our ministry in Bulgaria, yet we hold our plans loosely affirming the essential supernatural core of life, recognizing that the Holy Spirit may choose to use our stated plans or guide our ministry into unexpected paths. We are on mission and the King of Glory is leading the charge. Huah!

Worshiping in Statesboro

2009-08-09T20:19:00.002-04:00

This morning Susan and I got up really early, got ready for church woke up the kids and hit the road for Statesboro. It's not all that far away (about 40 minutes), but we committed to making it to the early church service which started at 8:30. Just before the service started, Susan and I got a brief moment to meet our contact person, Associate Pastor, Robert Wagner. He preached both services and soon after headed out of town for vacation. We are grateful that he was willing to work us into the schedule on short notice. We are also thankful for the prayers that he prayed for us. We had the opportunity to meet some delightful people. A young man came up to me dressed in a nice suit and tie. He wanted to know how to keep up with us. He let me know that he would try to send contributions to us when he could. Since he was only 11, I assumed he didn't have a job and told him that praying for us would be a tremendous way to help. He agreed, but insisted that he would like to make financial contributions as well. What can I say? He is the kind of supporter we need. He was a blessing to me this morning. Others came up sharing personal stories that really connected with our own. It is great to be with God's people. I am continually impressed that when we go to new places and meet other believers we have never known, there is a bond, a bond that we share in Christ. It is one thing to know it intellectually and quite another to experience it!

2009-07-28T18:39:00.000-04:00

JOHNSTON REVIEW

2009-07-28T17:41:00.001-04:00

07/28/2009

We are headed for Bulgaria!

Yes! We are going, however this will only be for a short trip in September to meet with the team during the team retreat. There have been many changes to our team since we were last there. The resource center Lomidol is no longer in existence, so we are redefining what our work will look like. Helping us make these decisions is our new team leader, Dal Stanton. We are very fortunate to have him as our team leader and look forward to working with him during our time in Bulgaria. During our short visit to Bulgaria, we will be meeting with the team to more clearly define the team's vision, and how best to support that vision. This is an exciting time for our team, but one that needs to be bathed in prayer so that we will go in the direction that God is calling us as a team.

So when are going to Bulgaria for real?

Greg and I need about $2000 dollars more a month. Please be in prayer for this money to come in soon. This is why. We need to apply for our Visas. This process takes about 2 ½ months and we only have about 5 months to get into the country after we get them. If we have not raised our support by then, we will have to start the whole process over again and it is not cheap. It is our desire and that of our team leader to be in Bulgaria by December or before. Now, our pastor, Bill Douglas, pointed out to us that it should be no problem since we only need 2000 people to pledge $1 a month. I, however, am thinking a little more on the lines of 80 people at $25 a month, 40 people at $50 a month or even 20 people at $100 a month, or somewhere in between. If you are already supporting us, Thank You! If you aren't, please consider supporting this ministry financially and prayerfully. To find out more information, here are some web sites that you can visit: www.mtwbulgaria.blogspot.com. This is a site where Greg writes updates about our journey to the field. Another website, http://www.mtwbg.com/mtwbg/Team_Video.html, shows a video about Bulgaria and what the team is doing there. It gives a great overview of the challenges that face us there and also the opportunities.

For those of you who don't know, our ministry is one to families with disabled children and while we hope to help them physically, we know that we can't cure these children. So the question then becomes what now? We hope to share with these families that we are all like these disabled children, except that our brokenness is not visible on the outside. We have hearts that are crippled with sin. And just as there is only One who can restore the bodies of these precious children, there is only One, THE Great Physician, who can mend our brokenness, and release us from the bondage of sin. This is where our hope lies.

What is going on with Greg?

Some of you may know that Greg had surgery to repair a hole in his eardrum. This was his second surgery and unfortunately, it did not work. He now has an appointment with a specialist on Aug. 3 to see if he can repair his eardrum. Also, this past Friday (July,24) Greg was playing basketball and turned his ankle badly. We know it is not broken,, however, he has been in a lot of pain and has just begun trying to put weight on his foot again. Hopefully, this will be the end of it and it will continue to heal, so that he won't need any other medical care. Please be in prayer for his ear and his foot.

New video explains why MTW is in Bulgaria

2009-07-21T11:53:00.005-04:00

This video was produced by Matthew Blick, an intern with MTW. It features Bulgarians talking about their country and also includes comments from our team leader, Dal Stanton. It is very well done. Watching it has made us anxious to get to the field.

Caring for Bulgaria's Disabled children

2009-07-09T07:24:00.002-04:00

Check out this link. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=105551 It was sent to us by Beth Stanton who is the wife of our team leader in Bulgaria. It is about a lady with ties to Bulgaria who is engaged in the struggle and has started a foundation to change things for the disabled children there.

Visiting CrossPointe

2009-06-14T23:17:00.003-04:00

Joshua and I packed our bags and hit the road to visit a new supporting church, CrossPointe. We were greeted warmly and truly enjoyed our time with these new friends and partners. The pastor, Brad Evangelista preached one of those sermons - you know the ones, where everybody else could have gone home because it was just me to whom he was preaching. If you are a sermion junkie like me, you will want to go to the church's website and hear from Brad. Joshua said that Brad was the most intense preacher he had ever seen in person. Brad said he gets that a lot. I was given a few minutes to share our vision for ministry during the worship service. I went totally off script and caught myself saying lots of "ums" and "wells," but Joshua said that it was the best presentation I've done so far. I think he was just being kind. What a good kid! Many people spoke words of encouragement, for which I am very appreciative. Even though we had not visited this church before, we did see some familiar faces from our time in Columbus. Joshua and I were treated to lunch with the Mullins and Evangelista families. It was enjoyable to sit and talk with them in a relaxed environment. As I watched the Evangelistas do their best to engage in conversation and manage their young children, it made me smile as it reminded me of my family not very long ago. I think they pulled it off better than we did, however. Still, it made me appreciate all that Susan does for our family. Once again, Joshua connected with some kids (the Evangelista children). God has continued to bless him in that way and he has needed it so much.

Went to church this morning....in Valdosta!

2009-05-31T22:52:00.002-04:00

Joshua spent the weekend with the Danners in Valdosta. This morning Susan and I loaded up the remaining kids and headed down for the day. It was a chance to visit our friends at a supporting church and give an update during the worship service. I stood up and spoke for a few minutes and then sat down next to Joshua. He leaned over and whispered, "Is that all you are going to do?" "Yes," I said, "did you want to hear more?" To my surprise he said that he did. Who knew? After church we were treated to grilled hamburgers and some great potato salad. The boys all swam after lunch while the adults looked on and enjoyed each other's company. The time flew and before we knew it, it was time to say good-bye. We all piled in the van and headed home. We were all tired by the time we got home, but what a great day.

Christ plays here!

2009-05-30T12:37:00.005-04:00

I've been reading Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson. I've not gotten very far, but already it is one of those books that has influenced my thinking. I notice it in quiet private moments when I am thinking about nothing in particular. I notice it when I look out the window and watch the cows across the street passing on their morning commute from one end of the pasture to the other. The great truth that has captivated me is that Christ matters in all of creation. A week ago, on a Sunday afternoon, Eli opened the door and announced, "My dog is dead." He said it with such calmness that my first instinct was to think he was joking, but I stuck my head out the door and when I looked to the right, there she was lying still on the edge of the road. Hoping that she had not suffered, I walked over to her. She was silent, but her labored breathing told me that this had not been quick and that she was still struggling. As I moved closer, her right eye caught mine. "Oh, Iggy!" I whispered. I gently petted her on the back, careful not to cause any more pain. She lifted her head and for a moment I thought, "she is going to be okay." But just as quickly she lowered it, unable to move her legs. I knew it wouldn't be long. I grabbed a blanket and wrapped her in it, then picked her up and carried her to a shady part of the backyard. Soon after, she died and Susan helped me bury her. Everyone was very sad. Joshua took it harder than anyone else. This marks the first time we have had a family pet die. If it is true that Christ plays in ten thousand places, I began asking God and myself, "How does Christ play in the loss of a family pet?" I found that it was an opportunity to remind Joshua of the beatitudes which we had recently memorized as a family. It was a chance to see God answer a promise from scripture in a very tangible way. "You remember the 2nd beatitude, Joshua?" "Yes." I quoted it, "Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted." Then we remembered how Aunt Anne Marie and his cousin Abby were there when he heard. We remembered that MeMama was there, too and treated us all to a trip to Dairy Queen. Susan and I continued to tell him that grieving is appropriate at a time like this. We read from Ecclesiastes 3 about there being a time for every matter under the sun. We focused in on verse 4, "a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." We sat at the kitchen table and told funny Iggy stories and we laughed. It is true, Christ plays here, where there is sadness and death, laughter and dancing! Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.

81%? Oops

2009-05-14T22:55:00.004-04:00

Correction to the post below: Some of you have seen this and have expressed to us the same excitement we felt when we got the news. Unfortunately, the adjustment was made in error. We are solidly back at at 75%. With one-time gifts that will be added at the end, we are anticipating an additional 6% bump. So for practical purposes we are around 81% - just not technically. Sorry for the misinformation.
I decided to keep the original post up so as to limit the confusion of these conflicting reports. Here it is:
My lovely wife just informed me that MTW has reworked our SQW. Usually this means a cost increase, but not this time. We went from somewhere around 75% a few days ago to 81% today. I know we still have many miles to travel, but with this news it just feels like we are getting closer.

These pics will make you smile

2009-05-13T10:00:00.005-04:00

Over the past three weeks it has been my habit to get up early on Wednesday morning and drive to Claxton (approximately 20 minutes away) to take part in a men’s accountability/ Bible study group. After meeting for an hour, we all go our separate ways. For me that has meant driving back to Glennville and setting up a makeshift office in the local McDonald’s. I buy a cup of coffee and then do a variety of things including a devotional, preparing a talk, responding to email, checking the news, and writing blog entries. Now if you are very astute, you might have picked up on the fact that I haven’t posted a blog entry in the past three weeks. That’s true. I haven’t posted any. I have written one each week, but because I am a slow learner, I made the same mistake twice. One reason I go to McDonald’s on Wednesday mornings is because our internet access at home is very slow and remarkably undependable. I get better access in town using our Verizon wireless card. Still, access comes and goes. The first week, I attempted to write a quick entry before leaving. I pulled up the blog, fired off a few sentences and hit “post,” only to find that I had been disconnected and lost almost all of the entry. The second time it happened, I wrote a very lengthy entry, trying to get in everything that I had previously left out. When I finished, I was discouraged to find that again only a few sentences had been saved. As proof that an old dog can learn new tricks, this entry was typed in Word and posted upon completion.
I have so much to say, but Susan has encouraged me not to go long. I will leave you with a few prayer requests and praises:
Pray for Katherine Long. She is a college student looking to serve on the mission field short-term (2 years). She is currently visiting multiple ministry teams in Europe, including the one in Bulgaria. Her heart is for ministries to families. Susan and I spoke with her recently about the possibility of joining us as we reach out to families in need. We are hopeful that God may be calling her to join us. Pray for her safety as she travels and that God would make clear to her the direction she should go (whether it is with us or with another team).
Pray for Travis Cobb, that his support would come in quickly. He is preparing to spend 8 weeks in Bulgaria this summer with the Well ministry (a guided/mentored internship). Pray also that God would use this time for great spiritual growth in Travis’ life and in the lives of those he touches.
We are somewhere around 75% of our monthly support needed to head to the field. We are making lots of contacts and finding opportunities to share our vision with people all around. Pray that these contacts would yield support and that God would move us quickly to the field.
Praise God that He has continued to answer prayers for our desire not simply to live in Glennville, but to find community with the people around us. Thank him for the friendships that have developed.

Friends

2009-04-27T18:01:00.002-04:00

This past weekend was great. I went to the Gospel Man Conference. Since last year I knew that if we were still here when the next one rolled around, I would go back. The power of the gospel in the lives of messed up men is on display. The honesty with which they share their failings and the boldness with which they claim Christ as their only hope is just not seen very often. One of the speakers asked, "Why when we need grace the most, does the church pull back?" The clear call of the G-Man conference is to authentic Christian living. The speakers model it so well.

This year, the most cherished time was spent at dinner Friday night and then in small group disscusion on Saturday. It was because I was there with my brothers from St. Andrews. Another man in the group talked very emotionally about how special the friendships were in the room. I silently agreed with him. Though I thought about how much I missed being around them on a regular basis, I was very glad to see and to be reminded of the strength of that fellowship. I was reminded that I didn't have any close friendships with men where I now live. The speakers kept emphasizing the need for men to gather for accountability and encouragement in their walks with Christ. Somewhere along the way - I don't know if it was at the conference or on the long drive home that I prayed for such fellowship in my life. I couldn't believe that the next morning before church in Glennville, Paul's T-ball coach invited me to join a small group of men who gather on Wednesday mornings for devotion and fellowship. I hope my eagerness to accept didn't scare him! It was a reminder to me that God is faithful and that He is good!

New support!

2009-04-17T00:07:00.002-04:00

This will be short: We are super excited to have just picked up a new church partner in Columbus! We are also very excited for Travis Cobb who has been accepted for The Well, a mentored 8 week internship in Bulgaria this summer. Pray that his support will come quickly and support him if you can. See - short.

Whew! Take a breath...Take a breath…Now go!

2009-04-11T21:55:00.005-04:00

The last three weeks were a blur. I guess the pace really picked up beginning with a weekend visit from a friend. Monday morning it was off to see my sis for a few days on the way to the Chestnut Mountain Missions Conference on Wednesday. Driving through the night late on Saturday we had a day to recover before Joshua’s friend Jackson came for the week. We met his folks half way. Spoke at a church in Glennville Wednesday night. After speaking I packed my overnight bag and headed for Columbus, arriving sometime after midnight. I had an appointment with the Doc the next morning. The news wasn’t so good, but no time for that. I headed to St. Andrews. I had some work to do and some support-raising packets to drop off. The day before I called a local church and told them I would be dropping off a packet while in town, but I hadn’t put the packet together before arriving in town. Chris Jennings helped me to get my work done. Much appreciation to Chris. Though the stop was brief, I loved seeing familiar faces of my church family. Then it was off to drop the packet (resulting in the scheduling of a face to face meeting). Before heading back home, I dropped in on my mom and dad for a few hours. I couldn’t stay long, though. I had to get back so we could head out again on Saturday. Susan’s parents set up a trip to Orlando and a Braves Spring Training game. The best way to enjoy a game I might add. Ask me about the game. It was awesome. The game went into extra innings and the kids stuck around to run bases afterwards. We got back to the apartment around 4:30 to switch vans. We were back on the road by 5 and drove straight to Flowery Branch stopping only for food and gas. The Bishops, who hosted us for the missions conference a few weeks before, graciously offered to put us up for the next two nights and watch our kids during our Bulgaria team meeting. It was during those few days in Flowery Branch that we met our new team leader and another family for the first time. We also got to reconnect with David Pervis, the Elliotts, and the Taylors. The meeting was challenging and weighty, but we were glad for the time and saw great value for us personally and for the work in Bulgaria moving forward. The Bishops offered to let us stay over for another night, but we needed a day to prepare for a visit from our good friends the Painters. They came Friday. As usual, we had a great time with them and we hated to see them go, but at least this time we knew we would see them again soon. We kept Bryson with us for the week and took him home on Friday with a stop at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins. It was a Johnston School of Excellence field trip and we were glad to have an exchange student with us for this learning experience. When we got to town, Leslie and Richard cooked for us. About the time we got ready to head over to my mom’s house, the tornado siren sounded. The weather passed and we darted out to my mom’s house. That was last night. I sat today reading my Bible, watching TV, playing with the kids, and napping in the Lazyboy. Tomorrow is Easter. Right now the kids are painting eggs with my mom and their cousins. Susan is relaxing on the couch watching some chick flick and I am glad to have finally updated the blog.

Please pray for a time of physical and spiritual rest for our family. We ask you to be deliberate in praying for our Bulgaria team as we go through a change of leadership and we work through some important team issues. Remember especially our new team leader, Dal Stanton and his family. Dal has challenging work ahead of him as he helps us all to come together and sharpen our focus as a team. Please pray that we would continue to pick up support and move quickly to the field.

Grace and peace,

Greg

Johnston Review

2009-03-26T13:32:00.006-04:00

Recent Activity

Our first move away from home and toward the mission field took place in February. God has been faithfully meeting our needs as He is moving us closer to Bulgaria. You may remember that our house sold in August, just before the housing bubble burst. A friend offered us her pool house for a few months. Our stay extended longer than we planned. We were anxious to find other options so as not to wear out our welcome. Around that time, Susan’s mother told her that the tenants who had been staying in her late grandmother’s house were planning to leave. They offered the place to us rent free. We only needed to pick up the utilities. What a great provision! Susan was really excited to return home for a time before leaving for the field. For me it represented the first step to the mission field as we were leaving our church family at St. Andrews, as well as my parents and my hometown. Still, I saw a lot of positives in the move. I was really glad that we all would be able to spend a little extra time with Susan’s side of the family. The pace of life is more relaxed, giving us ample opportunity to concentrate on the important spiritual disciplines we will need in Bulgaria. Also, we hoped to make new connections for support-raising.

Just about the time we got settled into our new place, it was time to hit the road. So far we have only been to three missions conferences this spring and only one was a non-supporting church. Susan and I have come to enjoy these conferences, especially the new friends we have made along the way. Sometimes they are a bit long for the kids, but they always have a good time and the churches are always aware of the need to take special care of them. Almost everywhere we’ve been, Joshua has really connected with someone his age. However, at our last conference, Chestnut Mountain, it was Paul and Eli who made connections. It was fun to see them walk into the dining hall and say, “Hey there’s my friend. Can we sit by him?”

On the Calendar

The first week in April, we will be returning to Chestnut Mountain where our Bulgarian team will have what is being called a “Nuts & Bolts” meeting with our new team leader, Dal Stanton. Again God has provided. Our host family during this missions conference heard of the busyness of our travel schedule and offered to watch the kids for us. This really helps us because we will be leaving Orlando sometime around 4 pm and must be at our meeting by 12 noon the next day. Until that offer was made we were planning a significant detour to Columbus for an overnight and dropping off the kids with my Dad.

Support Update

We are currently at 70% of monthly support. The process has been long and at times discouraging, but we have caught our second wind, or perhaps you could call it our third or fourth at this point. Missions conferences have a way of encouraging us and inspiring us to persevere. We have also been encouraged when unsolicited support has come our way. A church in Glennville recently contacted us to let us know that they planned to make a contribution. Such occurrences are reminders that God is sovereign in our lives and in this process.

Prayer Requests and Praise Reports

Pray for Travis, a member of our church and the son of our friends Clark & Pilar. He is pursuing a summer internship in Bulgaria and will need to raise a significant amount of support in a short time. We are very excited about his interest in missions and pleased that Bulgaria is where his opportunity seems to be.

Pray that our support-raising efforts would yield much fruit in the coming weeks and months and that God would soften hearts and move people to support our work.

We are in a busy traveling season with a mix of support-raising and reconnecting with family and friends. Pray that God would keep our family safe and that much joy would accompany our visits.

Praise God that He has been opening opportunities for us to share our vision with potential supporters.

We are grateful for the quality time God has given us to tend to the needs of our children during this time of transition. In the same way, we are grateful that God has been working in our hearts through the joys and struggles of living this new life where very little is certain. Thank God that His love never ends and that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.