English Camp
It was a huge blessing being able to actually attend the camp this year. I must say that even with all the detailed preparations we made, I don't think anything could have prepared me for the spiritual warfare we all faced. The second night in particular was very difficult for many of us leading the camp. We all felt very tired and worn out at the beginning of the week! We all felt very under attack. I was really struggling with feelings of not wanting to be there, but fortunately, that night, I was able to attend a prayer time which Katherine and Lydia had set up for anyone who wanted to pray together. It was an amazing time where many of us were able to pray for the week, for the people attending the camp, and for each other. I know this helped me to feel refreshed and reenergized for the week.
English class
The basic schedule of the camp was an English lesson in the morning, followed by a reading comprehension using the Bible. We would break for lunch and then the afternoon was comprised of several electives to choose from (Volleyball, CPR, RICE, personality types, interviews, and time management). Then there was always some sort of team activity - volleyball tournament, dodgeball, etc. After dinner, we then had the Theme which was a time where a speaker would expand upon the Bible passage we read earlier in the day, and usually included someone giving their testimony as it related to the passage. The amazing part was that nearly every camper attended all of the these talks even though they weren't required. Each night we broke into smaller groups to discuss some questions posed by the speaker. There was then an evening activity - movie night, game night, and, my personal favorite, a dance night where we taught them swing dancing and they taught us some traditional Bulgarian dances.
The Yellow Team!
One of the most amazing parts of the week for me was actually the bus ride back to Sofia. That morning, one of my teammates shared about the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) and how that story has resonated with his life. On the ride home, I sat with my roommate for the week, a friend of mine from English club with whom I've been meeting for about a year and a half. After hearing so many testimonies during the week, she asked me if I could share with her my story. God completely opened the door for me to be able to share how the story of the Prodigal son reflects my own family, but that even through the difficult times, God brought my family through it. Earlier in the week, I had stayed up talking with her and a couple of other Americans until 1:30 am discussing all kinds of things from creation to Abraham willing to sacrifice his son to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross to heaven and hell. Please pray for her as she has expressed interest in reading the Bible, but feels she doesn't have the time.
My friend and me
God really worked through this week as many of the campers were asking amazing questions about Christ and our relationship with God.
The whole camp
The Well
As I've mentioned, each summer our team hosts an internship for Americans and Bulgarians to gain insight into missions and to learn about Bulgarian culture. This year, the interns ranged from ages 18-25, two Bulgarians, six Americans, three guys and five girls. Four of them just returned to the States a few days before me to continue their studies in University. Please pray for them as they readjust to their lives back at college and as they experience any reverse culture shock. Two of the young ladies are extending their time in Bulgaria through next May. Please pray for them as they adjust from a very planned schedule to one with more freedom which they are responsible for maintaining.
We really had a great group of interns this year, and I'm thankful that I was able to spend more time with them and get to know them. They were truly a blessing to me in so many ways!
The Interns on the ferry in Istanbul
