It’s been five years since the Lord, during the pandemic, introduced us to the Mien family from the Raglai tribe, who later (eight people) were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Mien, the head of the family, and his wife cannot read, and their children would tell them and read to them the Word of God. But they don’t understand all the words in Vietnamese, because they have their own tribal language. The parents work hard to understand what we are trying to convey to them. To explain one truth of the Gospel sometimes takes us several hours to make it clear. Relationships also play a big role — the ones the Lord builds through love, food, and improving their lives. And now five years have passed, and our brothers and sisters have started sharing their faith with relatives and neighbors. And of course we see and are inspired by how the Lord blesses us.
Just the other day, the church evangelism team took the Chung and His family and drove them (5 kilometers) to the Nguyen family. There they introduced them to each other, read the Word of God, and prayed. Our team came back on wings of love, even though it was pouring rain and it was very hard to get back home — the trip was 30–40 kilometers. Beloved, we thank you for your labor of love in the work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
I want to tell you the stories of some of the children, about how they came to our shelter: David is now 12 years old. On the second day after giving birth to him, his mother brought him to her sister. She asked her to look after him for a couple of days while she handled some paperwork. After that, the mother disappeared, and no one ever saw her again. Some say she died, others say she’s in prison, and others say she went to work in Malaysia. The fact is, she became pregnant with David in Malaysia, where she was working and living with a Malaysian man.
In short, let’s not dig into David’s mother’s life — the fact remains that his aunt took the newborn boy, raised him, and tried to give him everything she could while she herself was unmarried. Her first husband left her a few years after their wedding, and she married a second time. She had her own children, and unfortunately, a year ago her second husband left her as well — leaving her alone with a one-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl. Plus David, who was already 7 years old at the time. It became too hard for his aunt to care for three children, so she began looking for a shelter that could take David in. Her acquaintances got in touch with us, and that’s how David came to live with us.
A small room, full of people. The windows and doors are closed! Men, women, and children — all were praising God with loud voices and hearts full of joy. They are refugees from Myanmar. Some still live in camps. Others have found shelter in this area and have founded a church. Among them, many are getting to know Christ for the first time.
One by one, they shared testimonies — about how God is working in their lives, how He takes care of them, strengthens them, and urges them to trust Him. Some children bravely told us that their parents don’t know they go to church. For those from non-Christian families, following Jesus can have serious consequences. And yet they come — joyfully, with faith and courage. The doors remain closed — not only because of the heat, but also because the neighbors are against the church. After each service they gather together, eat, and share how God worked throughout the week. We held a special camp for children and youth from refugee families. The joy and freedom these children experienced were unforgettable.
Thank you to everyone who prayed, helped, or supported. Every gift, every prayer, every cent made a difference.
For over 15 years, we have been faithfully serving the Lord among the Turkish diaspora in the southern part of Bulgaria, especially in the town of Gotse Delchev. Following the example of the Apostle Paul, who preached the Gospel to the Gentiles, this ministry reaches people unfamiliar with the Good News. We have held worship services and evangelistic meetings in public places, children’s and youth camps, as well as seminars for new believers. With joy and thanksgiving to the Lord, water baptisms are regularly performed for those who come to faith. The local church in the city now numbers over 80 members who have accepted Christ.`
To strengthen this young church, the mission is focused on training future leaders — ministers and deacons — through Bible seminars and mentoring. At the same time, a missionary music group has organized benefit events in the United States, with proceeds directed toward building a house of prayer in Gotse Delchev. Our main goal is to continue preaching the Gospel in a region where, in many villages, the name of Jesus Christ has yet to be heard and no local churches exist. God is calling us to be a light in these places, and we ask for your prayerful support for the spread of God’s Kingdom among the Turkish people of Bulgaria.
We’ve just returned from a trip to the village of Mondomil, located in the mountainous Jiwaka Province. The journey takes 6–8 hours from our home — depending on how badly the roads have been washed out, whether there are bandits along the way, or if the mountain pass is closed. But praise the Lord — He blessed our journey, and we were able to travel there and back safely! Over the course of three days, we were able to:
Hold 4 evangelistic services
Provide medical assistance and an eye clinic
Host children’s and youth programs
Perform skits and creative Gospel presentations
Show the classic but powerful film “Jesus”, which becomes even more impactful when the Papuans hear it in their native language. The Lord performed many miracles during this trip — but the greatest of all was the people who accepted Him into their hearts. One of our pastors, who is originally from this region, felt a strong calling from the Lord to return to Mondomil in July — this time with his wife and three children — to continue ministry there. His plan is to begin with discipleship groups and gradually work toward planting a new church in the village. May the Lord bless this new beginning!
When we are joyful, we have the strength and desire to live. This is such an important truth — especially for children who have been through trauma. This month, a new room was opened in the children’s oncology ward — a space where kids can rest and spend time with us. The head doctor of the department says she can’t imagine her work without our presence. We thank God for this favor — and we thank you, too. Your faithful support has made this ministry possible! On the day the room opened, it was Ksenia’s birthday. We bought her a big stuffed animal, dressed up in her favorite animal costumes, and threw her a celebration. Although Ksenia is in very serious condition, her mother told us she had never seen her daughter so happy.
We are praying for them, as they soon must travel for a bone marrow transplant. We would like to help raise funds — they have no way to pay for the trip or the medications. Ksenia’s mom is now actively involved in our gatherings and has even come to church. At the Artyn orphanage, we also met Sergey. He was 9 years old when we first met him — angry and always fighting. Now he’s 14. A year ago, we bought him a keyboard, and he fell in love with music. He started playing, learned a few hymns from the hymnal, and now when we visit the orphanage, he plays them for us. It’s a miracle to me. Jesus heals! Thank you for your open hearts and your help!
