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Kostov Prayer Letter – April 2006 Dear Friends, There is much to say, so feel free to scroll to the parts that interest you. This letter is about 3 standard pages, if printed. Reports --Prophetic School 3. We held our third prophetic Bible School. It was a time for teaching, fellowship and soaking in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Those who attended and those who organized the school, that’s us!, were very encouraged in our personal lives and our walk with Jesus. Here you can read a more detailed testimony from a brother from Wales who came along with Stuart to attend the prophetic school. --Ministry trip to Vesselinovo, Smyadovo and Plovdiv (Feb.27 - March 1). (See pics section). We had an awesome time in a small gypsy church in a small village in Eastern Bulgaria. Stuart and I shared from the Word of God. Yavor sang a couple of songs. Then I took the chance to sing a song. It went for about 45 min! I could not stop worshiping nor could the people there—especially the young ones. There were some kids outside the small room looking in through the window of the jam-packed room. They seemed indifferent for a while but soon caught the fire and started singing with us “Jesus! Jesus!” and jumping up and down. An older lady who complained the music was too loud miraculously had a change of heart and started singing along! It was a great party in the Holy Spirit. The next day we held another good service in the morning in a near-by town (Smyadovo). The plan was to hold 3 services of teaching and worship. That’s how our inviting pastor told us the day would go. We were in for a surprise. After a wonderful time of praise and prayer, Stuart delivered the message. At the end of the service a local pastor showed up and told the people that the meetings were cancelled. He was the regional supervisor and said that our team was banned from the region because we were teaching that people can grow in spiritual gifts. Although we felt this leader’s attitude was out of control and inappropriate, we called-off the meetings for the congregation-at-large. He wanted us to leave the premises because he had built that specific church. People were astounded that he was behaving in this way. By suggestion of the inviting pastor, we held a closed-doors meeting with his leadership team only. The supervisor found out and called the police. Obviously he told the police that we were intruders. The police showed up at our meeting and we had to go to the police station to give an explanation. After things were cleared up, the police officer apologized for the inconvenience yet made it clear that it was “one of your own who wanted me to find something to sanction you with.” Our meeting was ruined. This show of power and abuse of spiritual authority by this regional pastor was a sad example of the spiritual state of most of the organized evangelical churches in Bulgaria. Control, personal ambitions and manipulation are the driving force for many church “leaders.” We finished off our ministry in that town in the home of some of the church people. Our trip around the country ended on a happy note in a church in Plovdiv (Life Through Christ) where our team (Stuart, Yavor and myself) were able to teach and minister with prayer and worship. We also distributed our books and CD’s among the church people who were interested in our materials. The pastor was nice and friendly and did not call the police to arrest us!!! --Training youth workers from around the nation—1st training seminar in Sofia, March 24-26, 2006. First training seminar for youth workers ministering to abandoned kids and youths. We had a good time with 6 teams from 6 cities around the nation. Mostly women were present. Our goal was to provide training, encouragement and contacts for the difficult ministry of showing God’s love to abandoned youth and children in state-run institutions. We also started a web discussion forum for the participants. The feed-back from all participants was positive and encouraging. The second training event will be held in June, 2006. --Thanks for your prayers regarding the situation in Belogradchik—they called from the regional office of the ministry (government department) which is responsible for the homes and asked for a meeting which we had on April 19. They will be checking into our complaint – that the new director of the orphanage is not allowing us to enter in and continue our work with the youth. We provided them with photos and documentation regarding our work in the home. We had a meeting with the regional office and the ladies there were more understanding than the home director. Still we could see that the bureaucratic thinking and red tape are a serious threat to any good work and charity. They wanted us to “prove that we are a legal organization” and to provide “a list of all the volunteers national and foreign and photocopies of the passports of the foreign volunteers with the page in which it shows when they had entered and left the country.” This approach will not help our work, nor will we run to satisfy ridiculous requests. Yet, we both agreed that partnership, not confrontation, will benefit the work of both sides and the lives of the abandoned children. Now we’ll wait to see what they say. --The Spring VBS with Welsh teen missionaries. It was an awesome time. One day we went to Belogradchik and had some time of prayer. While Welsh and Bulgarian volunteers were sipping coffee, the kids from the home showed up and started chatting to us. Soon after the director appeared accusing us of manipulating the children and luring them out of the home with gifts. This was, of course, ridiculous. She even stated that if she had known we were coming to town she would have called the police! (Obviously the police has a special place in our ministry.) She engaged in an argument with Yavor in the public (outdoor) café where we were sitting down. After a brief exchange, Yavor and the Bulgarian volunteers had to finish the conversation which was leading nowhere. The time in Novo Selo was 180 degrees different. The director and staff were friendly and open. I gave them some of our designated funds to repaint and redo their living quarters and they were quick to put their plans to work. The Welsh team had prepared testimonies, games, and arts and crafts activities. Small and big took part in the fellowship and fun. We also had time of testimonies, where the Welsh group shared about their lives and walk with Christ. The presence of the Holy Sprit was strong during the times of sharing and those of having fun. After one such time, two 16 year olds gave their lives to Jesus. Pray that they will stay in the faith. Their names are Rumen and Niki. We ended with a garden party on the premises of the orphanage. We had a BBQ and gift-giving prepared by the Welsh group. It was a great time of blending of heart and work of Welsh and Bulgarian Christians as well. Thanks to the Christians from Antioch church in Llanelli, Wales, UK. They help a lot with short term mission, prayer and material stuff for the work (paints, arts & crafts items, a new guitar for Yavor, etc.) --The floods along the Danube are sparing Vidin so far. The whole time while we were visiting with the Welsh group for the Spring break VBS in Novo Selo, the level of the river was at unknown highs. The maximum level possible is 920 centimeters and we had 978 cm of water. However, the town was not flooded aside from some parts of the park near the banks of the river. Other towns in Romania and Bulgaria were fully flooded. We had Teresa and the boys, as well as Yavor’s family, stay in Sofia in order to be able to assist the Welsh team in case of an emergency - they had 10 teens and two 10 year olds. We even had an evacuation plan. Thank God we did not have to put it to work! --Our jazz club concert in Vidin. The first night the group arrived in Vidin we held a concert in a local Jazz Club. Yavor sang his 4 songs and after him Tim and Ann O’Hare sang worship songs. The audience was made up of young men and women. They were so touched that they stayed for prayer and a chat afterwards. One of them, Tony, said that he was overly excited in his soul and he had never felt that way. We had a good conversation and I encouraged him to seek for truth. Pray that he finds Christ. --On the Family Front. We met for the first time Triff Triffonov – the national coordinator for IFES, the student organization that was instrumental in Viktor’s conversion and in our getting married. We had a good time of reminiscing on old friends and events. Names and places popped up and gave us the satisfaction of looking back and feeling young again. …But from a position of wisdom and experience. We’ll be seeing more of Triff and his family in due time. Prayer points: --Plans for a family trip to Romania to connect with missionaries and Christian workers – hopefully to happen in June. --A new season ahead – changes in the youth work and orphan work dynamics. Many greetings from all of us – love, Viktor, Teresa, Danny, Matty and Noah
Photos
http://prophet.atspace.com/pics/2006-02ps3/page_01.htm http://prophet.atspace.com/pics/2006-02ttrip/page_01.htm --Youth workers' training seminar 1 http://thetransfiguration.net/pics/2006-04ywts1/page_01.htm --The Danube near Vidin in April 2006, Spring VBS with Welsh Team http://prophetic.mybesthost.com/pics/2006-04welshvbs/page_01.htm --Jazz Club Concert, The Welsh Team near the Danube and in Belogradchik http://prophetic.mybesthost.com/pics/2006-04wlshcnrt/page_01.htm
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