News from Kazanlak–2011-4

Dear friends, partners in the Gospel of Jesus Christ from all over the world. I have the privilege and joy to share with you of the wonderful works the Lord has been doing here in Kazanlak, Bulgaria through your support, both prayer and financial one. Please read and thank God for all the He has done

Building project

The first phase of the building project is complete. The exterior is completely finished. It looks really nice. Praise be to God.

  

 

Youth Bible Weekends (YBW)

HMBO (Christian Baptist Youth Organization) organized a youth Bible weekend here in Kazanlak. Many youth (age 16 till 40) who were at the young adults retreat came again, but there were also new brothers and sisters that come.

We were total of 50 participants! A big problem was a place to sleep. Many of the young people had financial difficulties paying the seminar fee and hoped to be able to sleep at church members’ places. On the other hand, because of the cold weather, church members were hesitant to open their homes, because that would give extra expenses for heating. (The majority of our church members live in winter time in one room of their house/apartment. There they eat, sleep and live.)

The Lord heard our prayers and the church members opened their homes to a degree that all the young people had a place to sleep without paying! It was also an encouragement to the young people watching how more and more people opened their homes. The weekend was a wonderful time of learning more about the practical part of Christianity from the book of James, having fellowship and being encouraged.

  

Soup kitchen

Our brothers and sisters from Germany have given us funds, to be able to have a soup kitchen again this year. We are very grateful! The church members and the people form the community are also very grateful for the possibility of getting food and in many cases being able to help feed their relatives.

  

Teenage meetings

Tsvety is a girl studying in Veliko Turnovo. She has not found a church there, and decided to travel to Kazanlak every weekend, which is a three hour train drive. Together with Beatrice they have been leading our Teen meetings. We are very thankful for that!

As a church we have decided to help Tsvety with her traveling expenses. She is from Montana (the part of Bulgaria that was recently announced as the poorest in the European Union) and her financial situation is not very good. We pray that someone in church will open their homes for Tsvety for the weekends. The teenagers are enjoying the meetings and there are always new girls showing up.

Through your prayers and gift, we are able to present the teenagers with tea, sweets and help them with food as they come from really poor families. We are doing a wonderful ministry with two of the girls who come from Muslim families. Their parents at first objected to their kids going to church, but as they saw that we are not a thread but a help, they have started to bring the kids themselves to church. What a joy!!!

 

CMA Christian motorcycle association

Pavel, one of our church members was asked to join the Christian motorcycle association (CMA). Pavel has always believed in evangelizing in the circle of bikers, but now he also has the support of the CMA. We were very happy when he was blessed for the ministry.

 

Thanksgiving

This year Thanksgiving was very special for us. We were worried that, because of the economic crisis, many people will not bring anything to church before the Lord. Were we surprised! All the church members brought different crops, fruits, canned food or goods and the pastors blessed them. We could give thanks for what God has given us and share it with people who are in need.

 

Medical clinic

We are very thankful that the medical clinic is still working. We have fewer finances for that, but we believe that God will provide. Like in the years before we could give flu vaccinations. Many people came.

We are very grateful that doctor Zdravka Gardeva is back in the medical clinic. She does not only take care of the physical needs of people, but also talks to them about God and helps their spiritual life. The medical clinic, in this last quarter was visited by 730 people.

  

Advent time cookies

The teenagers and Laura got together in our home and they made cookies for nine straight hours. These cookies and a cup of tea were given to every person passing by church in the Advent season. At some point, the worship team got out and was caroling to the people passing and/or taking cookie with tea.

   

Visit to the orphanage in Magliz

On our last visit to Magliz, we asked what the kids need most and the principal of the orphanage said – diapers. Many of the kids who are in the ages 5-16 were still using diapers, because they were either never potty trained or have a problem. We collected a special offering for Magliz and got the children a package with sweets. The children from our church decided to donate the money that would have been used for their Christmas presents to buy diapers. We managed to purchase 900 diapers.

A lady from our church have knit 39 pairs of winter socks for the children. She calls them “Prayer Socks” as while knitting she was praying for the child that would wear this particular pair.  She was very happy that God gave her strength to come and give each child a pair of socks.

   

Food packages

The Lord provided funds for food packages for the church members. We made a call from the pulpit, that if someone feels it on their heart to sacrifice their food package and let it be given to non-believer and non-church member let them do so. Out of 147 people church, only 90 came to take a package, which suggests that there are people who were willing to sacrifice for the sake of those not from the church who are really in need. The church board was really encouraged by that act of some church members.

 

Christmas time

It was an incredible Christmas time with many new visitors. We had sketches from our children, our teenagers and our youth, each emphasizing on the joy of Christmas and asking the question whether or not Christ was born in their heart.

  

 

 

New Year in Church

We have created a very nice custom, to celebrate New Year in Church with the youth and the teenagers. Everyone brought whatever they could cook or buy goods. We also celebrated the b-day of one of our teenagers, Monika.

   

Prayer requests:

• Please pray for Ludmil, one of the newly baptized. He has committed such a sin that after consideration the church board decided to put him under so called church discipline for three months. He is allowed to have fellowship with the pastors only. Please pray that Ludmil becomes stronger in that and not to depart from church.
• Please pray for the newly baptized. We are having hard time of finding willing old Christians to disciple them.
• Please pray for a Women Leader. Anetta, the lady that has been doing it up until now has grown old and is often sick and expressed a desire to retire from leading the women. We are considering of hiring some from the Bible School in Sofia, but we are not sure of the finances (salaries in Sofia are twice to three times higher than the ones in the province). We pray for a person called by God to serve, not just a person looking for a job.
• The first phase of the building project is complete. The exterior is completely finished. Please pray for funds that will enable us to finish it soon and make it available  and usable for the glory of God, as it is planned.

 

Dear friends, without God’s blessings on your support, none of this would have been possible. We all do this, praying, sponsoring and working for the glory of the One “Who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” He deserves it all!!!

 

May our Lord be with you and your families

Pastor George Gardev

 

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24