“The look on their faces was pure joy!” said Amy Postlewaite, IM missionary to Bulgaria. This was confirmed by a Bulgarian woman who, when asked how the conference was for her, said, “Can’t you tell that I’m flying right now?”
April 22-24, FWB Women’s Ministries had the privilege of sponsoring the first Bulgarian Women’s Retreat in many years. Seventy-seven women gathered from across Bulgaria to worship and receive “Refreshment from the Lord.” Most were Bulgarian, but the group also included representatives from nine other countries: U.S., U.K., India, Ukraine, Nigeria, Russia, Belarus, India, and Kazakhstan. The group exhibited a beautiful mosaic of ages and spiritual maturity, with a wonderful harmony over them all. What a joy to enact our mission statement and “fulfill the Great Commission at home and abroad.”
All who participate in the Great Commission are blessed. Those who go, those who hear, those who pray, and those who send — all play a vital role in spreading God’s Word around the world. This event was a perfect example of that truth.
As we prepared for this opportunity, we were asked by missionaries on the field to provide both a speaker and financial scholarships to enable the ladies to attend. Bulgaria is not one of Europe’s wealthy countries, and even the nominal cost of this weekend retreat was beyond reach for most. Of the $130 cost for the Friday evening to Sunday lunch getaway, each woman was only able to pay $30. At the request of the missionaries, we stepped out in faith to raise $100 per woman to supplement her ability to pay. Planners expected 50-60 women to register. This was an ambitious goal for our organization, but we began praying God would provide everything needed.
We planned a Facebook Live event, though we’d never tried one before, and got our smartest and youngest experts on the project. Despite some technology glitches, God and His people came through. Within 12 hours, we raised $7,700, enough for 77 women to attend. We followed the Old Testament example and said, “Stop giving. We have enough.”
Did you notice the amount we raised and the number of attendees? Yes, that’s right. God provided exactly the amount needed for the women He knew would come. And to prove His faithfulness, He provided a trickle of a few hundred extra dollars which allowed us to underwrite the entire event.
The generous U.S. believers who gave to support this event came from many places, churches, and women’s groups from coast to coast. Most gave $100 to sponsor one woman, but some gave a partial sponsorship while others sponsored multiple ladies. They all gave according to their ability so Christian sisters they had never met would be strengthened and refreshed in the Lord.
They also followed up their donations with prayer. Each donor received the name of a retreat attendee and details about her. Tasked with praying for “their” lady, they covered her in prayer before, during, and after the retreat. Many attendees broke down in tears when they learned someone across the world was praying for them.
One Bulgarian believer named Vessie said, “I can testify on behalf of everyone, that the entire event was absolutely God’s idea and was carried out by Him. From the idea to the realization of it which happened through prayer and giving from many people on the other side of the ocean, to the amazing atmosphere, excellent food, D-I-Y craft time, worship, prayer stations, and the Word [that was shared] which the Holy Spirit continues to bring to our minds.”
Two women from the U.S. were privileged to attend: WNAC Director Ruth McDonald as speaker and WNAC Board Chair Amy Johnson as coordinator of crafts and activities. IM missionary Donnie McDonald provided encouragement for the missionary men on the field. (Amy and Donnie sacrificially made this trip entirely at their own expense.)
During the ten-day trip, the American representatives spent time with each of the IM missionaries on the field and met many precious Bulgarian believers. Ruth presented three sessions to the ladies at the retreat, Donnie preached at the Good News Church in Pleven and in a nearby village. The group carried suitcases bulging with craft supplies, goodie bag treats (donated by local WAC groups), and Easter treats for all.
One especially God-ordained appointment stood out for Donnie and Ruth, longtime missionaries to Japan. The church in Pleven has a thriving ministry to international students at the medical university nearby, and one of the Bulgarian young women is an avid student of the Japanese language. The McDonalds were able to spend an evening conversing with Elvira in Japanese, answering many questions about the faith and how to live out the Christian life. Only God could orchestrate a conversation between two Americans and a Bulgarian…in Japanese.
Amy especially enjoyed connecting with the women and children in Bulgaria and was particularly befriended by one of the young missionary kids. One lady commented at how God surprised her with new friends from the West, something she never thought would happen. “Sunday evening after our worship gathering, when Amy Johnson shared with me how wonderful it is that she now knows so many Bulgarians personally, I realized I had never thought about that. We got to know each other better, we have new friends, and we love our American sisters,” she commented.
The retreat attendees were, for the most part, first generation followers of Jesus. It was refreshing to see their eagerness to learn and listen, and to engage in a lively question and answer session with them. Young and old alike yearn to know how to reorder their lives and relationships around their newfound faith.
Missionary Lydia Awtrey shared, “The retreat was a wonderful experience for the women of Svishtov. They are still talking about it, and many of them have stepped up, serving in church more actively since the conference. They really liked your honest sharing and encouragement. And a few have said you made them cry.”
Other comments included those by Lily, who said, “I truly feel so refreshed. I know the words Ruth shared were from God, that they were meant for me to hear.” Attendee Vanya P. said, “All the little things about the conference made it just wonderful. At home, I have some physical breathing problems. But here I could breathe in multiple senses!”
We thank God for the work of FWB Women’s Ministries as it seeks to “help every Free Will Baptist woman find and fulfill her role in the Great Commission, both at home and abroad.” As Amy Johnson said, “There are so many ways for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We’ve always heard some are called to go, some to give, and all to pray. FWB Women’s Ministries expands beyond the local church walls, farther than across the street, and well beyond the ocean shores! Thank you for the part you play.”
Women’s Ministries is doing it again, and you can be a part. October 26, 2024, we will head to Mexico to sponsor the first international Shine! event. As the branch of our ministry that focuses on
reaching girls aged 12-18, Shine! is an important way WNAC obeys the Great Commission.
If you would like to donate to help us show Christ’s love to 50 girls at the Getsemani Children’s Home overseen by John and Paulina Bivens, please visit our website and choose “Mexico Shine.” Your gift will help to provide biblical teaching, personal needs, and a
day of refreshing for those who live there.
