A Family on Mission

Vanilla Latte

2008-11-19T13:36:00.000-08:00

Perched in a busy Sofia café with a steamy vanilla late, I feel transition in the air. Soon the smell of roasting peppers will envelope the city in their signature scent as Bulgarians pull out their Чушкопеки (pepper-ovens) and decimate the pepper population.

Of course, transition has a darker side. A street urchin of ten escapes the cold to wander into the trendy café as I read an article for my theology class. It asks if the Church can help save the world. He moves from table to table, his dirty face deciphering the answer before he voices the request. As I take him to buy a sandwich, the barrister smiles kindly at me, the gullible foreigner, “You don’t have to do this.” Over the rustle of packaging, I return her smile, “I know but if I don’t, who will?”

Admittedly, the hospitality I offer is inadequate. To be ruthlessly honest, it may be detrimental but this will not be the last stomach I feed as the October breezes transition. I understand that my wealth demands a responsible response and it seems right to embrace this moment of opportunity.

Through the steam of my coffee, I watch the world take his last bite, wave a ‘merci’, and walk out of the café. Clarity comes as I watch his receding figure: In this moment, in this café, I am the Church. The thought leaves me troubled as I return my gaze to the theological text. Can the Church in a wealthy, Euro-café ever hope to join God in saving the world?

A Dangerous Journey

2008-08-06T23:08:00.000-07:00

It seemed like a good idea and it began as it should have. After a summer of teams, guests, and eating whatever I wanted, August brought a full three weeks of being home, getting back into the routine, and control of my menu. It seemed right, natural, wise, and even heroic to slip into my sneakers for a jog that morning. Little did I know that I would be engaged in battle as those first loping steps carried me from the safety of my home.

I had a destination in mind as I set out that morning. It would be just a quick jog over the rutted, gravel roads of my neighborhood to a nice park where many take advantage of smooth trails for runners in the cool mornings. I thought I would do the same. My ever-present and brave side-kick, Wolly, the German Sheppard was at my side. I had only crossed the first intersection, a mere 30 seconds from my home when I realized the error of my ways.

With bared teeth dripping saliva and deep growls in their throats, a band of wild street dogs had heard my approach and were moving into military position. Before I realized the danger, I was just 15 steps from engagement and the dogs were edging forward. I then remembered that in the spring, Jay had walked this very direction and been attacked by three wild, street dogs. If it hadn’t been for a heavy computer case, which he used to both fend and wack, he would have been bitten. As Wolly began to bare his teeth with a thunderous growl being born somewhere in the caverns of his chest, I acted quickly and bent down while keeping my eyes on the enemy. Picking up several sharp rocks, in one fluid motion, I straightened, pulled back my mighty arm, and with a guttural cry of victory, propelled the arsenal through the air, scattering my snarling foe in several directions. I had won the battle but the engagement so early on in my epic tale convinced me to alter my course and destination. I navigated away from the enemy embedded terrain, and veered right toward a section of our neighborhood that is recently engaged in heavy construction.

My instincts proved correct for a time but as I moved out of the construction zone, I found myself in unchartered territory. Having relaxed into the rhythm of the jog, it took several moments before I realized that something was trailing me and gaining quickly. I turned in time to see three wild, street dogs, moving into attack formation. Without thinking, I stopped, turned, and gave a mighty yell as I frantically looked around for a branch. Wolly, who had been loping ahead and peeing on foreign branches, returned to my side and began to growl. The dogs, still snarling, slowed but continued to move forward. Not finding a branch anywhere, I swallowed my fear, and once again bent low to grasp several rocks. As I felt the sharp edges of a palm sized nugget, my fingers molded themselves around its coolness, and in one fluid motion, I rose and propelled. My strategy again found its mark as the dogs quickly disengaged and ran for cover. It was at this juncture that I decided to journey towards the safety of my home.

Just a block from safety, I saw three figures approaching in the distance. It was a man with two large, unleashed dogs at his side. Wolly had noticed too. Foolishly thinking that Wolly would obey my command, I moved into a hollow of the street with a garage door at my back and gave Wolly the command to sit and stay. He obeyed but as I began to praise him, the error of my decision became apparent. The other commander had no power over his two dogs. Despite his commands, they were running at full tilt toward Wolly and before I could move, the dogs were on top of each other and I was being pinned to the garage amidst the snarling and growling. Realizing that I was in real danger, I began to inch myself away from the dogs, held my breath, and waited for one of them to clamp down on my leg. Eventually, the other commander arrived and barked to disengage, which his dogs obeyed this time. Seeing his chance to flee, Wolly headed straight for home at full speed, leaving me to fend for myself. As I came upon the last intersection between myself and safety, I saw the first band of dogs again. Evidently spying Wolly’s great gallop home, they had once again chased him and they were now on a return victory march. Realizing that they were unaware of my presence, this was my moment of revenge and I picked up several sharp rocks to torpedo at the enemy unawares. The surprise attack was all that I had hoped for as they scurried and yelped in fear.

I had left my home that morning, a spineless woman without the ability to exercise courage or control over her own diet for weeks but I returned that morning a brave she-warrior.
As a side note, wild street dogs are a problem both in Bulgaria and Romania. In recent years, the governments have exercised some reforms and we have seen a decrease in their populations. Nevertheless, they still remain a relevant and persistent problem.

In my opinion, they serve as a significant symbol of the ongoing up-hill struggle of our countries toward a democracy that is being carved out of the rough-hewn stone of Communism. In the wake of the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, financial crises left most citizens virtually penniless. Overnight, life savings were relegated to monetary equivalents that could barely purchase a McDonalds hamburger. Unable to feed their families, many citizens turned their dogs onto the streets. Today’s generation of rampant street dogs are the descendants of yesterday’s family pet.

The heroic journey that Eastern Europeans have set upon is truly an epic tale of courage and sacrifice. Though most can now afford the price of a McDonald's meal, though we now are proud members of the EU, though modern high-rises are mushrooming everywhere, the enemy still lurks and barrs the pathway to true freedom. Inflation is growing at a rampant rate, the inability to stem corruption and crime has blocked EU funding, and a healthy middle class still struggles to define itself. In the villages, the picture is somber.

As a ministry focused on helping at-risk children and as a church focused upon planting and watering church growth, the fall of the dollar and the rise of inflation is a double edged sword. We struggle to find means to support the needs of the people we serve.

It is at this juncture that I am reminded that none of us journey this path alone and unprotected. We do have a mighty warrior by our side and it is he who does battle beside us and for us. We enter into the fray NEVER to battle people but to battle the darkness. It is in the midst of this pain and suffering that we pray, 'thy kingdom come', and believe that His kingdom is meant to come today into each of our lives and that it brings victory on the roads of our life frought with danger.

A Family on Mission: Unexpected solitude

2008-06-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

A Family on Mission: Unexpected solitude

Unexpected solitude

2008-06-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

Aaaah, the joy of a summer evening and limitless runs through the sprinkler. It is those shrieks of cool pleasure as the stream of water cascades over their warm bodies that make me smile. Yet, there are other emotions that vie for my attention as I sit on the patio with my computer watching my angels fight a make-believe battle against the lava monster. I feel frustration that this blog has remained vastly voiceless for these months. Time passes, events happen, and somewhere along the way, the journey becomes so involved that I don’t know where to be begin, so I don’t write anything. My pen is silent.

Tonight, I feel a strange mixture of relief and sadness. Another team has arrived and the girls and I planned on being with them as they traveled to Razgrad. Their plane was delayed and the 5 hour journey by bus pushed back a full 24 hours. Other events later this week made it rather unfeasible to go today, only to journey another 5 hours back to Sofia on Friday. So, I hear a melancholy voice in my ear tonight – wishing to be in Razgrad and yet, on another level, reveling in the fact that the only voices I hear in our home tonight are our own. We have had constant guests since May 14th.

Summers for our missionary family are filled to overflowing with people, teams, ministry, and activity. It is an endless rotation of exhaustion and joy, much like the rotation of that sprinkler that draws shrieks of delight from the hearts of my girls. From my melancholy moment of relative solitude tonight, I find that though I have so much that should be said, perhaps it is enough today to have simply dipped my pen into the ink of this moment and discovered joy.

Unrest in Serbia

2008-02-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

As I type this at 10:15 Thursday evening, I am watching coverage of the tanks roll into the main street of Belgrade, Serbia where the American embassy is under attack. If you are following the news, you know that fighting is erupting in Serbia over the Kosovar move to independence.

Serbia is our neighboring country. While the fighting is some distance from us, last time the war was raging against the Kosovars, a misguided missile landed a couple of miles from us - luckily it didn't explode. To give you an idea, the Serbian border is only 45 minutes from where we live in Sofia. At the moment, the fighting in Belgrad is roughly 6 hours from us.

Please pray for peace because if this continues to escalate, tragedy is not far away. The history of these countries and the tensions that today erupt have their roots in past centuries and in questions of ethnicity and religion.

Give hope with the new year

2008-01-02T03:04:00.001-08:00

You can give a gift of hope this year. Would you consider supporting us in our ministry in Bulgaria? As you read about our family and those being helped through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries and the Church of the Nazarene, we invite you to be a part of the answer.

We are working on a way that you can donate directly from this blog but please don't wait. Whether you would like to give once or periodically, please send us an email indicating your interest and we can provide details for easy donating. To donate, send an email to: teasunberg@gmail.com and we will contact you.

A forgotten generation

2008-01-01T23:58:00.000-08:00

They were born after Lenin carved his signature into the bloodied fabric of Eastern Europe. As Bulgarian children, some of them knew freedom for a short time. But for all of our babas (grannies), the majority of their lives were lived in the era of Communism. They were in their 40's and 50's when Reagan challenged Gorbachev to tear down the walls and now almost 2 decades later, they exist within a democracy but they are forever chained to their past. They are a lost generation.

The average pensioner lives on just $4 a day. Imagine trying to feed, clothe, and medicate yourself with this meager sum. In their golden years, most huddle under layers of clothing and blankets instead of turning on the heat in their apartments.

To illustrate the tragedy, one of our church grannies, baba Yona, had her leg amputated last year. She lives on the third floor of a communist era apartment building in which the elevator stops between floors. With no wheelchair nor ramps for a wheelchair, she has been a prisoner in her own apartment for almost a year.

Our five distribution centers across Bulgaria provide groceries each month to needy families. Our center in Sofia is run by baba Kostadinka and it serves several babas and single mothers with chronically ill children. Baba Kostadinka suffered a severe stroke three years ago that left her speech challenged. She suffers from problems with her hip that make it difficult to walk. Yet, this dynamic baba not only runs our Sofia center but she also pastors the distribution center families through Bible studies, home visits, and prayer meetings. Two days after Christmas, she helped organize and host a festive afternoon tea for our grannies and families.

Sunberg holidays 2007

2008-01-01T12:58:00.001-08:00

January 01, 2007 welcomed in Bulgaria

2008-01-01T03:49:00.001-08:00

During the Communist years, Christmas was just another work day. The birth of Christ was an ancient memory held to the hearts of but a few. All of the joy, all of the tradition, the gifts and the family celebration was focused upon the New Year's celebrations. In Bulgaria and across much of Eastern Europe, today is one of the two biggest holidays on the calendar. Nobody knows how to ring in the new year like Bulgaria!

Poised as we are at the foot of the mountain Vitosha, the fireworks display is breathtaking. As we stand in our back yard, we can do a full 360 degree panorama and watch the sky alight in a vivid array of colors. What makes it all the more amazing is the fact that these are individuals sending up their own sparks of genius into the new year's sky. There are no pyro-technic companies coreographing colors to rhythms. This is just raw creative talent and it is worth the freezing temperatures to take it all in.

Friends who live in apartments within the city mentioned that they had been 'enjoying' their neighbor's fireworks displays for days now - bottle rockets launched from their small balconies or firecrackers dropped from the 7th floor to the pavement below and more often than we care to think about, guns being shot in lieu of the chineese gun powder.

For us, New Year's has taken on a special intensity of celebration that surpasses the New Year's Eve pot lucks and board games that we grew up with in America. The New Year does not come quietly or peacefully to Bulgaria's doorstep but the eastern sky is indeed alight with the message of new birth.

Middle-class Bulgarians

2007-10-15T04:07:00.000-07:00

Meet Baba Tzona and Dyadyo Petar and begin to process the inclusiveness of Christ's embrace. While Ivanka and her family are ethnic Romanian Gypsies (see the blog below), Tzona and Petar are ethnic Bulgarians. Different heritages, different economic backgrounds, different languages, united as one body in Christ.

Tzona and Petar, relatives of Baba Stanka, and, you guessed it, led to the Lord by Baby Stanka 7 years ago, would have been the typical citizens of a Soviet state. Well educated, they represent the mainstream of society. Tzona began her testimony by saying that for most of her life, she was an Atheist. Today, she is acknowledged to be the backbone of the Ossenets Nazarene church. Petar is known for his out-of-this-world baklava!

Jay often comments that a glimpse of the first century church is evident within the Razgrad church and the village congregations surrounding Razgrad. The Ossenets church, with its variety of languages, ethnicities, and economic layers is a wonderful example of the united body of Christ.

Faithful servant

2007-10-15T03:27:00.000-07:00

Within this photo lies the story of a young woman sent to the mines by a Communist government, and there, by the grace of God, becomes a Christian. In her retirement, she returns to her village and prays for God to provide a church in the midst of her unbelieving neighbors. Eighteen years pass and her prayers seem to go unanswered. One by one, people come to know the Lord through her kitchen ministry as she waits for a church. That is the history of the Nazarene Church in Ossenets and it is the story of one faithful saint, Baba Stanka, who is now with the Lord.

As you glance at the photo to the right, meet the church for which Baba Stanka prayed. This weekend, members of the South Texas W&W team had the chance to visit homes in Baba Stanka's village of Ossenets and also victims of recent floods in the village of Tsar Kolyan.

Aunt Ivanka (seated), now in her 50's is one of many ethnic Romanian gypsies living in Bulgaria. Bound within her story are elements of a novel that would keep us turning pages into the wee hours of the night. A family displaced after WW II becomes foreigners in their own homeland as boundaries are changed and a young Ivanka becomes an orphan. At 15 she is given in wedlock to a young man of 14. It is an arranged marriage. Children soon follow and by the age of 19, she is a mother of two and pregnant with her third when her husband of 18 is called into military service for 2 years. Utterly alone, the third child is born and unable to care for him, Ivanka is forced to submit him to her own fate - he is placed in an orphanage until her husband can return from the army.

During these years of unrest and heartbreak, Ivanka is brought into Christ's family through a woman of prayer with a front porch ministry to her village; Baba Stanka.

The young girl sitting in front of Aunt Ivanka is her grandaughter (also named Ivanka) who she is raising. On the day of our visit, little Ivanka carefully holds her arm in an upright position. Days earlier, this 11 year old fell from her grandfather's small horse drawn cart. The family is treating the wound with a poultice of toasted bread soaked in vinegar, lined with onions, wrapped tightly in material and sealed with a plastic bag. Later on the night of our visit, the family broke down and went to the hospital, a difficult decision because of the money involved. The hand was judged to be broken and set in a cast. After spending the night in the hospital, they showed up for church on Sunday morning.

Standing behind Aunt Ivanka is a young mother with her 4 year old son, also in the photo. When asked to tell her testimony, Snezhanka shyly recounted her journey to faith, led again by Baba Stanka.

I am challenged by these stories, for is this not to what Christ calls us? A life of prayer and servanthood for those in our neighborhood who live with pain and sorrow today. In the face of a community that rejected her, though seemingly, it took 18 years for God to answer her prayers, Stanka ministered from her front porch. The result is story after story of lives impacted, now even to the third generation, by Christ's grace through the faithfulness of one woman.

We Have Transitioned

2007-09-28T02:47:00.001-07:00

"What have I done?" From the little window of the jetliner that carried us from the comforts of our all-American home in Kansas, I gazed at our new life, which lay before us in hues of gray. It was Moscow, Russia in the Autumn of 1994. The question skittered through my mind like a hamster on a wheel, refusing to be stilled. We were 26 years old and in our passion to live, we had chosen adventure over the security of a job and a home. Russia was birthing a democracy and we found a place within the incubator.

Now 13 years later, I find myself at a kitchen table gazing at the beautiful Balkan mountains before me in a place that we have called home for 9 years. We brought a baby girl to this place from the frozen tundra of Russia and then filled our home with three more girls. They know no other life than this. They do not know what it means to live the American life that Jay and I know so well. We can only imagine what it means to grow up American in another land. Together, the six of us are on a journey to discover what it means to be a family on mission.

Home Again

2007-09-10T01:27:00.000-07:00

From the front porch of Quincy to the corridor of Coffee Heaven, one of the many coffee shops adorning the malls of Sofia - this blog finds me sipping a cappucino while I am connected to the internet. It boggles my mind to relish the changes that have come to Bulgaria in the 9 years that we have lived here. More on that in another blog.

Six days into it and we are still recovering from jet lag. On the first night back, nobody went to sleep before 3:30 AM and that was after traveling all night on an airplane. Succeeding nights found our body clocks turning back in 1/2 hour increments but it was not enough. Today was the first day of school for the girls and still it was midnight before they had finally fallen off to sleep. Of course, first day of school excitement contributed to the difficulies. It occurred to me last night as I finished the dinner dishes that the girls made two overnight flights in the course of one month - that is quite a lot for their little bodies to endure.

As I reflect upon this furlough, I have to be honest and say that it was the hardest we have had. 'Exhausting' comes to mind. We saw the inside of more hotels than I care to remember. The girls slept 3 to a bed quite often. Somebody slept on the floor many nights. And we spent a summer as a family of 6 together 24 hours a day for weeks on end - together in the van covering miles and then together in one hotel room each evening. That is a lot of family time to be sure. So, furlough was in a word, exhausting. Yet there is a silver lining - there always is. We met so many dear people along the way that blessed us with their friendship, their openness, their generosity, their interest in our lives and ministry. It is an encouragement for lack of a more adequate word. Losing Jay's mom was a tragic end for all of us - the girls have cried many nights for their last grandparent. My mother's heart mourns that they now have no grandma and grandpa. Sadness fills me for Jay as well as he has moved through the grieving process. So many people praying has really been a blessing.

We have been amazed by the number of people reading our blog throughout the summer! You can anticipate one or two more blogs as we talk about our return to Bulgaria as part of the furlough experience. From there we will be transitioning to a blog about family life in missionary ministry.

From the Bulgarian gates of Coffee Heaven - Teanna

Finishing Touches

2007-08-29T04:46:00.000-07:00

For a mom who is a writer, it does not get much better than a strong cup of coffee and a stolen moment at Panera with my laptop. I have been following the mother of 6 who put the Pokemon cards on ebay - oh the thrill of impromptu celebrity. How I wish I had thought to post my mom moments on ebay!

With less than a week to departure, we have 7 containers packed and a few last minute shopping sprints left to complete. The Dakota District and our LINKS churches in Ohio generously gave us gift cards to a variety of places and this has been such a blessing. We have been 'back to school shopping' quite a few times. Honestly, without these gifts, there would have been very little shopping taking place this furlough. Lexi, being the oldest, was really desperate for clothes. God knows our needs! I really can't express how thankful we are for the generosity of the saints!

The end of a furlough is always a mixed bag. I hate 'goodbyes' and yet every two years we are faced with it again. We have grown close to so many in Quincy and they faithfully see us off each time we come home. We watch each other's children grow in increments of two years. Next time we come home, many of these kids will be teenagers!

"Packing up" is a learned art, I think. We came with a very small amount of clothes this time. In fact, each girl had one backpack with all of her clothes for a summer. Can you imagine how tired we are of those clothes? Over a week ago, I began sorting through these clothes - most that we brought will be given to charity. I have learned to never leave this kind of packing until the night before - much to stressful. So, each evening finds me in the dining room of our small apartment, which has been converted into 'the packing room'. It is a tricky business because you need clothes to wrap the breakables and yet with 7 days left, we still need clothes to wear as well. What can you do without for the next week? What is staying behind permanently? How much packing can you accomplish tonight? These are the questions that run through my mind.

Today will find us running errands, finishing some of that last minute shopping, and then relishing one of our last evenings with the McCabes (our former volunteers to Bulgaria).

Musings from Panera - August 2007

Catching Up

2007-08-27T05:19:00.000-07:00

It has been so long since I blogged last that I find it hard to know where to begin. How do I catch you up on all that has transpired since we hurriedly left Oregon to fly through the night and reach Thelma's side before she passed into eternity?

I had forgotten how exhausting grieving really is. The entire family was together, snuggled around her bedside as we sang hymns and said our 'goodbyes'. Sad it was and yet there is something amazingly beautiful about celebrating a life that has been lived for Christ. How sobering to realize that the torch has been transferred and we are now the generation that must carry it faithfully.

In the weeks that have followed we have settled into a rhythm here in Quincy, Massachusetts. I have to admit that it has been so good to just be in one place. I never anticipated that this furlough would be as tiring as it really was. The majority of nights were spent in a different bed, in a different hotel, in a different town. It was hard.

Yet, we are grateful for the new frienships that we made. God blessed our time in so many ways and we are thankful to him and to the wonderful people we met along the way who are passionate about missions. Indeed, without those people, missionaries like us would have to come back to the States.

And so it is that our eyes now turn toward our return home to Bulgaria. We are anxious to begin a new season there, anxious to hug those that are so dear to us, anxious to see
what God has in store this year for that great country and her wonderful people.

Penned from the porch in Quincy - August 2007

Going Home

2007-07-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how plans can change in a matter of hours. Just hours earlier, we were making plans to drive to California for a district tour and now, as I type this blog, we are counting the minutes until we board a plane to Boston. A call came this morning from Jay's brother Chuck who has been at the bedside of their mother. In the last few days she has undergone an emergency surgery from which she is not recovering. The doctors are asking the family to gather for a goodbye.

Our hearts are incredibly heavy. The girls have been talking excitedly for months about being with their grandma. Little Jenna has been planning to sing songs with her grandmother and fill her in on all of the events of her life in Bulgaria. There were many tears as we told the girls that Grandma would soon be going to heaven.

It is a difficult day for Jay and for his siblings. Please pray for them as they begin to grieve these next days. Prayers will be appreciated for her sisters and brother - it is so difficult to lose your sister. And we do covet your prayers for Thelma - that the Lord's presence would be an ever present comfort to her. She is a dear mother and a great lady of prayer - we have all depended on those prayers throughout the years.

This newly developing situation has dramatically changed our furlough plans. Our deepest thanks to Martha Lundquist and the Central California churches who graciously understand that we will be unable to make our committments to them.

We were able to get last minute tickets on a flight for all of us out of Medford, Oregon for later this evening - that in itself a miracle. We will fly all night, reaching Boston at 6:30 Tuesday morning. Please pray for grace for the girls as they travel throughout the night - they are experienced travelers so we hope it will be smooth.

Red Dragon Revenge

2007-07-30T08:51:00.000-07:00

I should have known I was playing with fire. I should have known that she would exact her revenge. I should have known that proclaiming myself 'victor' would have set her over the edge. When you play with fire, don't be surprised by the burns. The Red Dragon was not happy.

In the dawn of the morning that I blogged my fateful entry 'Taming the Red Dragon', a guttural cry of revenge bellowed through the annals of earth but the echoes would not reach my ears until dusk. We boarded the Red Dragon and traveled 90 minutes down the road to Coquille, Oregon without mishap. We gave her rest in a park, where she was wooed and calmed by the happy cries of children at play. We cleaned her and even gave her more gas on that unhappy day. Yet, under her metal skin, she seethed.

Her rage short circuited the powers of TMobile, rendering my cell phone incapable of use. She had set the stage for her coup. As I traveled the next 17 miles, in the night, through country roads, to Bandon, she would strike and I would be defenseless. Woe to her, she had misjudged the power of the shield of protection covering her foe (me). As dusk settled upon the hamlet of Coquille, I began to draw to a close the story of Bulgaria that I was privileged to share with the Coquille Nazarene Church. As the last words of my story bled into history, the knight of that church, Pastor Scott Dement, brought the bad news. A flattening tire had been spotted. Surely, she (the Red Dragon) had not planned on the eagle eyes of God's servant to spot her revenge prematurely but the knight was vigilant.

Together with other knights of the church, they forged a plan of rescue. Pastor Scott gave me he his faithful steed (a nice, blue van) and sent me into the sunset of Bandon to settle the family for the night in a beach house that the church had kindly reserved for us. Pastor Scott, took the helm of the Red Dragon, promising to right her wrong by mid-day.

Without an eagle-eyed pastor Scott and his willingness to aid a distressed family, imagine the situation as we traveled into the night: no phone in the middle of nowhere in the dark, just me and four little girls and a flat tire. What would I have done?

This is what I love about the Family of God. When one is in trouble, the others surround and protect. Pastor Scott took my van and had it fixed the next morning. Word has it that it was his day off. I am sure that the family had plans which were postponed so that he could fix my tire. Moreover, he and his wife, Sara, loaned me their van without missing a beat, without hesitating for a moment over the inconvenience. How humbled and blessed I felt when I accepted their gracious offer.

I am thankful to the Lord's protection for he did surround me with people who helped in so many ways last week. We are very happy to report that Jay has returned to the family from his short time in Oklahoma. In just a day, we will be headed to California. Yes, we will be driving the Red Dragon but no worries because she likes Jay.

More on the Red Dragon

2007-07-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

As I read my latest blog about the Red Dragon, it occurred to me that I had left out one vastly important detail. This van is God's answer to prayer and we are deeply thankful for it. Vehicles are always our biggest hurdle at deputation. We don't own one of our own. Renting is so expensive. Buying is over the top. Every furlough we wonder, 'How are we going to get our family from place to place?'

This furlough, a very kind donor has graciously lent us this van for the summer. We have put a lot of miles on it and it has been a huge blessing in many ways! We are thankful and fond of our 'Red Dragon', very thankful for God's provision, and deeply touched by so many who sacrifice to help missionaries and missions.

Baba Galya

2007-07-26T06:33:00.000-07:00

This witty and spry granny made a cameo appearance at the Colorado Children's Camp. She very courageously faced down sixty rambunctious third and fourth graders each morning to weave a little bit of Bulgarian life into some of Matthew's parables. The end result was, she hoped, a grain of spiritual wisdom that fit into the palm of each childlike hand there at camp. Her name was Baba (Granny) Galya.

She limped a little. Her back was crooked. Her hands shook (could have been from too much caffeine or possibly old age). Her voice was scratchy and her English wasn't so good but the grandkids seemed to love her. Who doesn't like a granny?

Baby Galya planted seeds, she built churches, she celebrated God's victories in Bulgaria, and she reminded the kids to let the roots of God's word delve deeply into their hearts. On the last day of camp, Baba Galya proved that one is never too old to play a little prank. The kids and their counselors, who had been pranking all night, were recipients of Baba Galy's Bulgarian humor as she played her own little prank on them. Here you see her, flour faced, cooking up her home remedy for a stew to revive their tired bodies. Many 'ewwws' and 'yucks' accompanied her cooking extravaganza as wide eyed eight year olds watched her pour mustard and vinegar into her soup. Ever unsteady on those aged feet, as she walked through the crowd, her wobbly arms began to give and the big kettle began to sway. All at once the pot tipped spraying the children with the 'soup' which was of course flour. Who knew Babas have a sense of humor?

Taming the Red Dragon

2007-07-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

Well I finally did it this week. What has taken over a month to mentally prepare for has finally come to fruition. I drove the Red Dragon. This is my somewhat affectionate name for the van that has faithfully taken us from point A to many point B's this summer. What she lacks in beauty, she makes up for in faithfulness.

To be honest, I was afraid of her. She is big. She barrels down the highway like a 4 ton truck. She is a little shaky on her wheels. She sucks oil and refuses to open her front windows. Her behind is big. Her body is long. She has her own personality and personna.

Putting me at her helm is a little risky to say the least. But as Jay left for SE Oklahoma on Tuesday, someone had to get her from Redmond, Oregon to Myrtle Creek. That is 3+ hours of cruising. It was either Lexi or me. I stepped up.

As Jay walked away, my heart sank. I figured out that the seat wouldn't go forward. On top of all my hesitations, I was now forced to perch my 5'5" frame on the edge of the seat so that I can reach the pedals. Looking very much like a granny in her oversized car, I toodled my way to Myrtle Creek without mishap.

I believe the Dragon has been tamed and I am the victor!

Bulgaria on the Bigscreen

2007-07-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

We have a video about the work in Bulgaria which we co-produced with a Christian company in Bulgaria. To be fair to them; we wrote the script and they did all of the important work. The title is simply, "God Answers Prayer".

This video has been very popular in the churches that we have visited this summer. It gives a good history of the Nazarene church in Bulgaria and highlights the exciting ministry that God is authoring in this wonderful post-Communist, newly membered European Union country. The video is approximately 14 minutes long and has some exciting footage of the Bulgarian moments following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

We would love to share this video with you. If you would like a copy, please email us and let us know. We will mail a copy to you, free of charge. NMI Presidents, this is a great way to do a 'missionary minute' for your congregation. We would love to see this video go across the country so, be you individual or congregation, please let us know of your interest.

Email us at: dobulgaria@aol.com Give us your name and mailing address and we will send you a copy. Please let us know of your interest before the first of September so that we can get it in the mail before we leave for Bulgaria.

Funny quotes from a 4 year old

2007-07-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

This is a funny quote from Jenna today. "Mommy, my tummy has a headache".

I love you Jesus

2007-07-08T22:42:00.001-07:00

On the rocks of the Garden of the Gods, "I love you Jesus. I love you God" erupted from the heart of Sophia as she scurried across those red testimonies to God's incredible creativity. It was as if her little body could not contain the emotion and the words of praise simply gurgled forth in sponteous wonder.

If anybody belongs on the rocks of Colorado, it is our Sophia who has faithfully collected bits of stone from every place she has set foot this summer. The exception was the Badlands of the Dakotas where it is illegal to take rocks of any kind. Her collection is growing by the day even as we remind her in equal portions that it will be impossible to get them back to Bulgaria. Her search continues for any rock that sparkles and reflects nature's beauty in some dynamic way. Her walking stick is her ever present companion as she scales pathways and mountains in search of her own version of a prescious stone. In the same way that her testimony for God's love erupted from her mouth, our own hearts swell as we watch our sweet girl discover and appreciate God's thumbprint etched across the landscape of our world.

Baptism

2007-07-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Our little girl took a step of faith today. Funny how just yesterday she was a tiny baby in our arms incapable of stepping at all. Today, she ran into the arms of Jesus. At the age of eleven, she was baptized.

When Lexi was a baby, before those tiny feet took their first tentative step, she was dedicated to Jesus. In a Nazarene church in Russia, her pastor grandfather, her pastor Uncle Fred, and her pastor Uncle Chuck led a dedication ceremony. Looking on, were Russian Nazarenes who had come to be our family.

On July 5th, her father prepared to baptize her in a pool at Golden Bell during our family reunion. The words would not come. To baptize your baby girl is no small step. Jay's uncle Branson, spoke the words that could not pass by the lump in her daddy's throat as he lowered his little girl into the water and raised her up again.

These milestones of life remind us of how quickly our little girl is growing up and they intensify our most heartfelt prayer. May our precious young girl grow up to love and to serve the Lord with all of her heart for all of her life and may she step faithfully with Jesus throughout her life's journey.

Sleeping in the same bed

2007-07-04T06:10:00.000-07:00

It is early morning in Divide, Colorado and all of us are reveling in the comfort of our beds. It sounds funny, sure, but this is the first time since June15th that we have slept in the same bed more than two nights in a row! It feels good to be in one place but it is also very dangerous. Every day that you are in the same location, you tend to unpack more. Departure is always inevitable so with every hairclip that finds a home on top of a cupboard comes the danger of it being forgotten. Hairclips don't mean much but we just realized that we left some clothes behind in Olathe. It took us 3 weeks to figure that out. One wonders what other items, which we originally considered irreplaceable, have inherited a new home over the past 30 days.

Happy 4th of July from beautiful Golden Bell Camp in Divide, Colorado.

Loving the Dakotas

2007-06-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

Big hearts and big water slides. Big fun and big encouragement. Big love for missions and for missionaries. That is the Dakota District.

This district is a church family excited about their mission to the world. We heard so much about new church starts with a variety of creative approaches to ministry. Nazarenes in the Dakotas are serious about God's call to missions everywhere.

We were overwhelmed by the love and the interest in Bulgaria. So many people asked about the work there, about our family, about life as missionaries. It was an encouragement in every way. Barb Jandl, NMI President, and her husband Steve were amazing!It was such a blessing to be a part of the Dakota family for a short time.

It was fun to be invited to a farm where we got to know a two-generation farm family. We heard stories of the great grandfather's sacrifice to open the Nazarene church in Ellendale, North Dakota. In Valley City, North Dakota we were touched by the pastor and his wife who met us at the hotel with a air mattress already inflated in the room. This kept the girls from sleeping on the floor or sleeping three to a bed. What a thoughtful gesture. Both of those congregations gave significant deputation offerings and we pray that the Lord will bless them abundantly for their great generosity.

The Dakotas were generous to us in so many ways. The churches showered us with gift certificates to Walmart, Target, Old Navy, and Barnes and Nobles. They will never know what a tremendous encouragement that is to a missionary family. We will be able to stock up on syrup, Dr. Pepper, licorice, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, and cake mixes before we leave in September. Even more exciting will be a shopping spree for the girls where they will be able to pick up some toys, books, and back to school clothes. An incredible blessing!

Our memories of the Dakotas are filled with so much more than the financial impact they made on us and on Bulgaria. It was the sense that these folks love Jesus and they have grasped the core mission of sharing his love - not because they have to or because they are supposed to but because they themselves are on a spiritual journey that envelopes others.

Not to be forgotten were the very fun days at the waterslide in the hotel. The girls couldn't get enough. Jenny was undaunted by the size of the slide after big sisters Lexi and Sophia paved the way for her. Lydia stuck to the safety of the lilly pads interspersed with frequent trips to the hot tub.

Our season in the Dakotas ended with a scenic drive through the Badlands and a memorable trip to Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument. Awesomely majestic pages in the American chronicle.

Texas Teen Camp

2007-06-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

What a week – a spiritual highlight and a great encouragement!

I had the great privilege of sharing in a missions seminar throughout the week. The apex came on the last day as the teens were invited to step forward in faith if they were willing to be used by God in ministry in their lives. It is beyond my ability to capture the emotion that coursed through my heart as I anointed over 40 teens who are specifically called to missions. The Church of the Nazarene has a wonderful future if these guys are part of it. More importantly, the pain and the sorrow that our world suffers in today will be impacted by these teens willing to be conduits of God’s grace.

If all goes as planned, a great group of Texans will descend upon Bulgaria next summer to do youth camp in Vidrare. We can’t wait! Paving the way for the teens, is a Work and Witness team from Texas, scheduled to come in October of this year.

June 2007

Yellow Stone

2007-06-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

“I’d rather see a swan than a bear”, moaned Lydia on the first leg of the trip through Yellow Stone National Park. While her mom and dad scoured the landscape on alert for wildlife, she worried that a bear would have her for dinner. Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending upon your point of view), we did not come focus to face with a grizzly. We did capture a buffalo and a moose getting in on some lakeside enjoyment though. It was a perfect way to end our day’s excursion through the nation’s oldest national park. One ranger commented that so far, this summer had been a very active bear season and we saw signs testifying to that fact.

The Wyoming terrain is breathtaking! Old Faithful and her fellow geysers are awe inspiring. It was a family day to be cherished with lots of photos and even an ice cream.

June 28, 2007

God's grace, protection, and answered prayers

2007-06-02T23:46:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 3rd / 1:45 AM Waco, Texas time

This is my rev down after a long day that actually began yesterday (Saturday, June 2nd) when we went to bed at 2:30 AM (Seattle time). Four short hours later we got out of bed and finished the process of packing up four sleepy girls and paraphenalia into the van for the airport. (Thank you Erica Reckling for a delicious breakfast and the entire Reckling family for your gracious hospitality!)

It was only as we stood in line ready to go through the x-ray machines that we realized that Sophia and Lydia didn't know that daddy was not going with us. Woops - not so good with the parental communication. It was a very rough good-bye as Jay left us at the airport. The five girls headed to Texas. Later that day, Jay headed for LA and then for Kansas City where he will spend two weeks on his DMin studies.

It was to be a very eventful day. Our seats were scattered across the plane so the attendant went to work re-arranging seats which when everyone had boarded caused great confusion! Do you know that people actually cringe when they see a mother with four children getting on the airplane? You can actually see their lips moving in devout prayer, "Please Lord, don't let them sit near me."

In Phoenix we had to leave our stuff on board and leave the airplane to re-do the seating fiasco for the second leg of the journey. I had 10 minutes to single-handedly get new seats, take the girls to the bathroom, and buy supper - we are still reveling in the European airlines who actually serve their customers meals on the plane. It was 2:00 in the afternoon by then, the girls were hungry, and we still had a 2+ hour flight. So, having visited a sandwich shop, the toilet, and the ticket counter, we re-boarded (again the prayers go up). For this leg, our seats were at the other end of the plane so we gathered all of our stuff and moved to row 32. We took an entire row save one seat. A shy little man hugged the window trying to put distance between the single mom with all of the kids. I took pity on him and sat in the middle to buffer him from Jenna's antics. Halfway through the flight, I was up with the girls taking them to the toilet for the 10th time in an hour. When I returned, my seat was wet. The frightened man had spilled soda on my seat. Would you believe that two different stewardesses asked me if he spilled it himself or whether the girls had been responsible! I replied brightly that my girls had been no where near his cola can when the dirty deed occurred. To date, we are innocent of spilling on any passengers (save ourselves).

Finally we landed at Dallas and all that was left was gathering the luggage, catching the shuttle to the rental car company (where I had reserved a car on-line) and then a 2 hour drive to Waco lay ahead of us. We were supposed to arrive at 7:00 but our plane was a little late and by the time we got to the rental car company, it was closer to 8:30. When our turn came, we were happily informed that there was no car reserved for us. Here I am, a single mom, four tired girls who have been traveling all day and a bevy of bags. I had mistakenly made the reservation for a car company across town (thus the really good price on our vehicle).

Thirty minutes later and $35 dollars poorer, we arrived at the correct car company via a taxi. I know I should have taken a shuttle but it would have meant lugging all the girls and baggage up a flight of stairs, into a shuttle which would have travled 10 minutes to a different shuttle which would have taken 45+ minutes. I just didn't have the heart to transfer all those bags and girls two more times.

By 9:00ish, we were finally in our vehicle and now faced with another problem. My mapquest directions were from Dallas International across town. Those of you who know me, know how hopeless I am with directions. And now we enter into the grace, protection, and prayer part of the evening.

I left the busy car company in a foreign vehicle with no idea where I was headed. A Texaco up the street was no help. The neighboring 7-11 gave vague directions about I-35 South which I followed but all of the signs said I-35East South. Was this the right interstate? How should I know? I kept driving in search of my I-35 minus the "East". I drove until I realized that I was in a part of town that I didn't belong in. For those of you thinking I should have glanced at a map - totally helpless with maps - absolute gibberish - no idea what to do with them! The next gas station resulted in a variety of very kind individuals giving me directions. The problem with these kinds of individuals is that they actually understand how roads and maps work and they talk to people like me in a language that makes sense to them. What they don't realize is that, if that language made sense to me, I wouldn't be asking them for directions!

Armed with their directions, I set off again on the interstate (turns out 35E South and 35 South are actually the same (go figure). I was good for, say, 2 minutes, before I veered the wrong way and ended up on another highway. To be honest, there were a lot of confusing highway options. To make a long story short, I made a lot of wrong turns, we were hopelessly lost for over an hour, I was praying, we got directions from a homeless guy, two guys off the street, and finally ended up in another section of town where we definitely didn't belong. I saw two police cars and I was desperate for help. I was now hopelessly far away from I35 South. As I sat at a light, I looked to my left to see a grandfatherly type in his car and I rolled down my widow, 'Where is I35 sir?" He motioned to the on-ramp, "Your best bet is to take a left onto 45" was all he managed before the light turned green.

From the back of the van, I heard Lexi say, "Mommy, should we pray?" "Yes, honey, that would be a really good idea." At this point, I was very frazzled, I was aware that we were in a dangerous area of the city, I had no idea where we were going, and it was now almost 11:00 at night.

As Lexi finished praying, Sophia prayed, and then Jenna. Less than one minute (no exageration) from the end of Jenna's prayer, a big sign loomed in front of us that said simply, "WACO". God had lead us to I35 E South and we were on the right road. If you had been in the car tonight, you would know what I mean when I say, "God answers prayer". In the coming miles, there was a juncture that caused insecurity, had I gotten off of my beloved I35 E South? "Mommy" came Sophia's soft voice, "Should I pray again?". "Yes, honey, that would be great" I acknowleged. "Dear Jesus, please help Mommy to know if we are on the right road so we can get to the hotel safely." I make no exageration when I write that within a few seconds, the first sign confirming that we were still on the right road appeared. And from that point onward, every few miles, there was an I35 marker that confirmed we were still headed in the right direction.

God's grace and God's protection surrounded us today on a very long journey. He answered our prayers when we were truly lost. Tonight, as I write this blog, I compose to the sweet rhythm of of four cherubs safely tucked away in slumber. I am so grateful for that sound.

Today (Sunday), we will do two services in Waco while Jay does a service in LA and then flies to KC. Before we are together again as a family, 9 days will have passed. The girls and I will have spent a week at Texas teen camp, covered the miles by car to Oklahoma for services next Sunday, and then travel to KC.

Please pray for us - for God's grace and His protection to carry us through. As I end this blog tonight, I take a final bite of my Burger King whopper (purchased 5 hours ago as we left the car company) - it is the first Burger King I have had this trip back - it tastes good to be home.

Weight Gain

2007-05-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Dr. Pepper, soft pretzels with the coarse salt on top, hot dogs with relish and mustard, jelly bellies, tortilla chips with bean dip ... and I left the 7-11 with 3 packages of red licorice yesterday. Ahhh, the confessions of a missionary on furlough.

All of the foods that I lay awake and dream about in my bed in Bulgaria that just last week were an ocean away, literally a world away and today there are shelves and shelves of them, just around the corner. Who can resist? Who can be disciplined? Increasing the force of the temptation is the sinister small voice whispering that all of this beauteous bounty is mine now but it comes with an expiration date of 3 months. Why not indulge? Even as I type, my teeth sink into the soft cushion of a pull apart licorice stick, and a glass of Dr. Pepper sharing space with crushed ice is at my elbow.

Why not indulge? Because it is possible to add 30 pounds to your waistline in 3 months - we know this from personal experience. Why not indulge? Because one can spend their entire monthly salary at Taco Bell. Why not indulge? Because those shorts that I bought at GAP outlet last week are feeling a bit snug today.

Bulgaria has great fresh fruits and vegetables. I am not saying that we don't sneak a piece of cake or candy at home but quite honestly, the beautiful apples and the great mandarins are often just as tempting. First time visitors to Bulgaria rave over the tomatoes. I have often heard visitors say, "I had forgotten what a tomato is supposed to taste like." It isn't uncommon to make a meal of a Bulgarian shopska salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, baked peppers, and Bulgarian feta cheese) on a summer day. How difficult it will be this summer to opt for the Cobb salad in lieu of the Bacon Cheddar Chicken Grill burger!

In any event, Jay and I are trying to find a balance between discipline and indulgence. We have taken up jogging - a tortuous experience that I do not wish on my worst enemy! We have entered into a pact to make one meal a day salad only. While we may not loose any weight, we will be successful if we manage not to add any pounds.

The other side of the challenge comes with the wonderful potluck spreads that many churches lay out for the missionaries. Couple that with the sedentary activity of driving for twelve hours in a day to get to the service and you have an unbeatable recipe for an expanding waistline. Jogging, in spite of the medieval torture it represents may be our only hope this sumer.

Somebody remind me that a trim waist is sweeter than Shrimp Fettucine please!

Homesick

2007-05-27T21:49:00.001-07:00

Sophia cried herself to sleep last night. Homesickness has hit her first and early. She misses our dog, Wolly, her own bed, and maybe most of all, her friends at school and her teacher, Ms. Bistra. She knows that the rest of her friends will be going to caves this week for an outing and that is really hard on her to miss out on that.

As a parent it is difficult because we know that the experiences we are having are also educational and that this is great 'family time'. Still, it is hard to make transition, even for a short three month period. Sophia knows that her friend John will be gone for a year when she returns in the fall and that her friend Jana is moving away for good. Goodbyes are so difficult!

I found my heart missing Bulgaria as well. We went to Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle yesterday. As we walked along, our host, Brian took us into a little Italian store and then watched our response. It felt just like a store in Bulgaria. It was amazing - the atmosphere, the layout, the selection of cheeses - everything so different from the layout in an American grocery store. As I walked through that little store, my heart began to swell - it is so easy to miss home. As we continued to walk along, there were open air stalls with all of the fresh produce - again, so much like home. We ended our journey with a rest on the hills overlooking Puget Sound. Almost immediately, the girls had made friends with two little girls from Taipei and spent the next hour placing tag together.

The photo is at Puget Sound - the girls are posing with their friends Olivia and Bella who are sharing their bedrooms and toys with us until the end of May.

Sundays

2007-05-27T17:48:00.000-07:00

This is our second Sunday in America and we have spoken at our fourth church. It is quickly occuring to us that we will be deathly sick of our video within the month since we use it in every service.

We brought back dolls made by the Catholic charity and they are really hot sellers. We are using the money to help support the boarding school in Vidrare. We wish we would have brought back a lot more because our supply will be gone in just a few weeks! We put them out on display tables in the church entries and people give donations to take one home. Lexi is doing a tremendous job at being in charge of the table. She sets it up, takes it down, and handles the sales. She is so enthusiastic about it and it is just great!

On Sunday mornings, Jay speaks with the teens while the girls and I usually do the children's Sunday School. Lexi sings a song in Bulgarian for the kids, which is a big hit. We wanted all of the girls to sing but so far the other girls have been to shy.

Today in Sunday School I asked, "What is a missionary?" One little boy raised his hand and said, "A missionary is the person that writes those missionary books." Too funny.

Hey, this is cool!

2007-05-26T23:07:00.000-07:00

You know you are an MK (missionary kid) when you are enamored with:

The water & ice dispenser on the refrigerator. On the first morning in America, Jenna asked if we could take the refrigerator home to Bulgaria.

Water fountains. We can't keep the girls away from them! They line up and drink and drink and drink and drink and ... Automatic water that you can drink right there in the corridor of the church or the mall - somebody was really thinking.

You also know that you are an MK when you notice how nice the roads are. Lexi's comment on the first full day of life in Seattle was, "Wow Mom, these roads are really smooth!" What kind of an 11 year old notices the quality of roads? One who has spent her life dodging pot holes of course.

The Journey

2007-05-26T22:52:00.000-07:00

On May 17th, our family 0f 6 boarded a plane for Seattle, Washington. We got up at 4:30 AM and throughout the next 24 hours, we traveled in a taxi, 3 airplanes, a bus, and a van. By the time we made it to the home of our dear friends, the Recklings, it was 6:00 AM (according to our body clocks) on the next day. We were EXHAUSTED!!

There were some disappointments along the way. The girls were hoping for an airplane with individual t.v. screens but it wasn't to be. We were in an older airplane. And, the movies weren't really kid-friendly either. We made it though - thanks to books, paper, and markers.

One really funny thing ... our feet first hit American soil in the Chicago airport where we had a layover. The first words we heard coming off the plane were Bulgarian!! Many of the airport employees are Bulgarian. In fact, Chicago has the largest population of Bulgarians living outside of Bulgaria. We felt right at home.

So, our journey begins with Seattle - a place we have never been before.