6/28/2006 - Martin's Mission Team Update
Dear Friends and Family,
I hope this email finds you all well. I am sorry that I haven't written sooner. Part of the reason is that I have had a mission team here for over two weeks. They will be here until Monday, July 3. They have been doing Vacation Bible Schools for the last three weeks, and have been doing a great job! Their programs have begun by doing a training session with the church workers so that they will be able to do their own VBS's and/or start a Kid's Bible Club. They have provided them with training, resources, and special teaching and material on child evangelism.
The first week they did three simultaneous VBS's. One here in Lovech, one at a village, Goznitza, on the edge of Lovech, and one in Troyan. Each team member went to a different place, and worked with the workers there. Lovech was the biggest church, but had the smallest turnout. There were between seventeen and thirty kids that attended there. At Goznitza the VBS was held a bus stop in the village square. It was very busy there, but many kids came, and adults came to see what was happening. The parachute games were a big hit, and drew many more kids. Thank you, Nancy States, for making those three parachutes for us! We had between 35-60 kids at that VBS. Every night more came. The workers shared in the teaching, and helped with crafts and music. It was a real joy to watch them. At Troyan there were between 24-50 kids that came. I went to Troyan to preach at the Wednesday night service that followed the VBS. As the pastor drove me down into the gypsy village I saw all the girls wearing the bandanas that they had made as the craft that day. They had decorated them with beads, and they were so colorful! I could see that it was a real hit!
The second week was at a Turkish gypsy suburb outside of Sevlievo, and it is pretty much a Moslem neighborhood. At this VBS the whole team was there, and it was a good thing. There were about 40 children the first night, 60 the second, and over 90 the last night. This was at an outreach church from the church in Sevlievo. There was such a great turn-out, and so many kids came forward for salvation that the pastor and his wife felt that they had to act right away, and they are starting a Kid's Bible Club this Friday evening! Margo, one of the team members, bought them some Bulgarian children's Bible curriculum to help get them started. Please pray for Pastor Fezdi and his wife, Nellie, that God would give them great favor in that area, and that many more children would come to Christ.
This week they are doing two simultaneous VBS's in the towns of Dryanovo and Triavna. Last night there were 14 kids at Triavna, and 45 kids at Dryanovo. They are having the VBS in Dryanovo on the town square outside of the Police Station. Please pray for them. This is their third week, and they are getting tired, and Connie hasn't been up to full speed this week.
She seems to be fighting a virus. She is on antibiotics right now. She is not running a fever, but she has lost her voice and developed a cough. She is improving, but we don't want it to develop into something more.
I am so proud of this team. They have really come very prepared, and have given their all. We have also had an interpretter with the team all three weeks, Gigi, from Svishtov. She has been a great help and blessing to us all. She has served with joy, and it has been a pleasure to work with her.
This has been a great team to work with. This is their second time to come to Bulgaria, and the people here love them very much.
I am following this update with a special prayer request in a separate email. Please read it, and pray with me.
Be blessed in Jesus' Name,
Martin Sutton