Bulgaria's Impact

By Darren Walker

In 2008, I took my first trip to Bulgaria. An educational and encouragement trip, five other men from my church and I met with new missionaries Tim and Lydia Awtrey. We spent a great deal of time with the Awtreys and the people in their church. Drinking coffee at the café, eating dinner in various homes, sitting in local high school classes, and walking through the city opened my eyes to a world about which I had previously known little. I had no idea the impact Bulgaria eventually would have on my life.

During that first trip, I witnessed a sadness and hopelessness in the eyes of the Bulgarian people that changed my view of missions. I didn’t just want to return home and move on to the next mission trip. I wanted to bring joy and hope to this people who seemed to need it desperately.

In 2010 and 2011, I traveled with men from my church to complete various projects for the New Life Church in Svishtov. On each visit we met new people, saw new smiles, and took advantage of new opportunities to offer joy and hope. In 2012, I was thrilled to lead a team of adults to Bulgaria on behalf of The Hanna Project. I introduced a new team of volunteers from other churches and states to the people I was growing to love.

Since 2012, I have returned to Bulgaria every year with THP, leading teams from several states and completing different projects around the city of Svishtov. Along the way, I developed a three-part personal goal in leading these wonderful teams of volunteers for The Hanna Project:

• Each team should learn how to better pray for missionaries after seeing them in action.
  

• Team members should provide better support when missionaries visit their churches after seeing missionaries’ needs firsthand.
  

• Pray someone on our team might surrender to full-time missionary service.

   

Serving with THP in Bulgaria, our teams have:

• Conducted English clubs for school-aged students and adults;
  

• Held sports camps for students;
  

• Refurbished a park in front of a school for people with disabilities;
  

• Provided and installed a playground for disabled students at the Children’s Center for Children with Disabilities (pictured above);
  

• Painted the fence and installed a greenhouse and covered picnic table at the Center for Social Rehabilitation and Integration;
  

• Painted and installed new beds at the Svishtov hospital in the children’s ward and internal medicine ward;
  

• Taught American food cooking classes;
  

• Completed painting and construction work at the New Life Church.
  

When our teams first began working in the city, many people watched us, but few acknowledged our presence. After eight years of working around the city, people now smile and wave. Our teams have brought credibility to New Life Church, which greatly excites us! We have met with two mayors, professors from the local university, teachers at the high school, directors and staff at the adult and children’s disability centers, hospital directors and various medical staff, and many store and restaurant employees. I have been encouraged to see the Bulgaria mission team grow from a single missionary family to seven missionary families.

I have laughed, cried, and even mourned with the many Bulgarian families whose lives I have shared. I have witnessed new babies added to the church, baptisms in the river, communion services, new church buildings, and the illnesses and deaths of friends to whom I have grown close.

In 2017, our team met and worked with Radostin Tsvetkov, or “Radi,” as we called him. Radi was one of the most humble persons I have known. That October week, Radi worked alongside the THP team painting a fence and building a greenhouse and picnic area. We watched him play with the kids each night, caring for them while our team taught a cooking class. He loved working with the youth of the church.

Radi planned to move to Shumen and work with the Provows as they started a new work. Our team was so impressed with Radi that we gave him a large gift to help him purchase a car for his new adventure. Sadly, Radi died suddenly in April 2018, while playing basketball with the youth. I am blessed to have known him, if only for a short time. I wouldn’t have had that chance without my first trip to Bulgaria.

In 2008, our team held a prayer time and feetwashing service with a young man in the church as he prepared to travel for work. In 2019, I ate dinner with him, his wife, and daughter who attend the New Life Church. Today, I call him a good friend.

As a pastor, these trips allowed God to open my eyes to the reality of missions and why it is so desperately needed. Missions is not about missionaries who give up comfort, security, and family to go to another country, although that is a big deal. Missions is about families and communities who know absolutely nothing about Jesus and the gift He offers to each person. It is about people who live without knowing the hope and joy only Jesus can give. How will these people ever know, unless someone goes and shares this Good News with them?

Not everyone is called to go overseas. But everyone is called to help share the gospel through praying, giving, and going. How will you know how to do this, unless you are involved in it? I have experienced firsthand how a short visit can encourage and excite a mission church that often feels alone and isolated from outside involvement.

Because of our involvement in trips to Bulgaria, our church has been impacted. Several people now share in the joys and sorrows that go on in Bulgaria. Our church gives more towards missions—and specifically towards Bulgarian missions—than before.

Many church members have partnered with New Life Church in Svishtov:

• A ladies' group raised money to supply kitchen appliances for the church.
  

• One family helped pay for airline tickets for missionaries.
  

• Our church has sent flower arrangements for funerals.
  

• Our church provided housing for missionaries home on stateside assignment.
  

• Our church has gathered on our knees in specific prayers for Bulgarian church families and for missionary families.

Our missionaries and mission churches need to know they are not alone. They need established churches to encourage and love them. Churches are impacted in positive ways when they actively participate in the Great Commission.

Later this year, I will make my twelfth trip to Svishtov, Bulgaria, my ninth as a team leader for The Hanna Project. Bulgaria has impacted my life and the life of my church. Come join us and see what it is all about.

About the Writer: Darren Walker is senior pastor at First FWB Church in Washington, North Carolina, and a member of the board of IM, Inc. Learn more about short-term missions opportunities (iminc.org/go) or join a THP team (hannaproject.com).