My Torn ACL

I just wrapped up my third American doctor's appointment on my bum knee. I did go to the doctor in Bulgaria and that's a story, but I'll get there in due time. It is confirmed that I will need surgery to participate in my beloved kickboxing class again or travel without fear of re-injuring my knee. Sigh. I don't want surgery - I mean who really wants surgery. But the thought of other people helping me for weeks doesn't sit right. I'm very much used to doing things on my own or paying someone to do them like cut my grass because I loathe yard work. However, I do realize that this is a common surgery. It's not a life threatening surgery and things could have been so much worse. There are children with cancer, adults having back surgery, etc going through much more pain than me. I am thankful that this is very minor compared to those situations - this is just an inconvenience really.

I decided to document this journey so that anyone else going through ACL surgery can get an idea of how it all goes and how things developed for me.

It's the Small Moments

Life is a beautiful adventure.

Reflecting about some of the fun moments on the trip. The small moments where we all smiled, laughed, cried or were seeing something for the first time. Here are just a few:

• Running a few blocks in Stara Zagora to see fireworks. We made it to them about 30 seconds after they stopped going off. Rachael almost fell.
• Sending Jamie and Russ off to Greece with a goodie bag and some Bulgarian wine.
• Seeing a naked teenage boy playing on the beach at the Black Sea and doing some spicy dancing.
• Seeing a questionable "man" preach in Chirpan. We wanted to know where he had his eyebrows done.
• Knowing Jamie and I (the only single gals) were being promised for marriage for a goat or cow by Dinko. All in good fun though! It makes for some good laughs and embarrassed looks.
• Watching Russ try "Chicken Fantasy". You don't want to know what it was.
• Seeing Jamie almost cry over eating chicken off a bone. Peggy and Russ helped her eat it. It's all in the art of pushing around your food.
• Seeing lots of storks, poppies, lavender and roses all over the place!
• Peggy and Jameson discovering they are kindred spirits.
• Seeing a 2,500 year old coliseum, the Djumaya Mosque and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
• Learning how to order a long coffee with milk and realizing it is about 1/4 of the size of an American coffee. It was delicious - I just needed ten of them.
• Hearing the voices of all the children of Chirpan sing Hallelujah.
• Holding worship girl's hand.
• Receiving hugs from the three girls in Gita.
• Seeing a girl at the orphanage run up to Cassidy and Ben. She was the girl that place on their heart a willingness to adopt. All of their smiles could not be measured they were so big.
• Having to little girls in Pamukchii play with my freckles. 

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Ancient Roman theater in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Cassidy, Rachael and me at the Djumaya Mosque in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Love Story

Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss.

The last full day in Bulgaria, we went to a village where the name was so long I could not even begin to write it or pronounce it. This village was large and we passed out food bags to those in need and prayed over them.

During the children's festival, I was able to speak to a woman, Gari, that spoke good English. I asked how her and her husband met (this is one of my favorite things to hear). She told me that her husband sought her out because he heard about her from co-workers. He heard that she was a Christian and a sweet girl. They courted for a few months before getting married. It was such a sweet story. She then said she hopes God blesses me with a Godly man. Oh me too!

One of the sunsets while traveling from town to town.

A Stolen Heart

 Bless the Lord O' My Soul!

Today was probably the most emotional day with lots of ups and downs. First we had a children's festival in a village called Gita. When we arrived the pastor immediately called us over to see the new church site. The church is only nine months old and they were already setting ground and walls for a church. Awesome!

Next we started the children's festival. As always it was a little awkward at first. But these three girls - Bonika, Sabrina and Albina - gave me high fives after I gave them some bracelets. An idea popped in my head - could I teach them some of the old clapping games we used to do? It doesn't hurt to try! I began something really simple with them and they loved it! They were all smiles and giggles - oh, what a sweet sound! They stole my heart. We got Cassidy and Rachael to play as well. Then Ben swung them around all while they were still laughing. Towards the end of the festival, a few teenage girls join the clapping games and taught me a few they do with each other. Another neat thing that is international. I hated to leave Gita and the girls, but we had to go to Chirpan.

Me with Albina, Bonika and Sabrina.

A few miles down the road, we arrived in Chirpan. Chirpan is a Turkish Roma village. Stefko explained to us on the way that this was the worst village he sees. He said he bring them clothes, but winter or summer the children do not wear shoes and are barely clothed. Stefko does not know what they do with the clothes he brings. The village does not have running water - a life essential. He asked the city to run water out to this village and they refused. How can people conscientiously treat others this way? When we pulled up, children started swarming to us when we arrived. These children were positively beautiful! They had dark hair and skin but light hazel or green eyes. Simply breathtaking! Peggy noticed a child coming down the road holding a container with a snake. On the other side was a child clasping a live dove. Talk about some possible symbolism! Next we entered the church which is the largest of any of the other churches we have visited. Their first song was a Bulgarian version of "My Heart Will Go On." One of the later songs was sung in a Turkish Gypsy dialect. Wow - that was very neat to hear! Peggy and Cassidy began taking children's photos for Christmas Shoeboxes. The kids started flooding in so they took them outside the church for pictures. While they were outside - Ben began to sing his worship songs. He ends worship with one where we all sing "Hallelujah", then we sing "Slava na Boga", then the Roma "Slava na Aveska" which all mean "Praise the Lord". This is always a powerful song because both the Roma, Bulgarians and Americans can sing together. During the song all of a sudden we hear all the children's voices in unison singing "Slava na Aveska" with us. Oh! What a sweet and wonderful sound that was! I looked at Rachael - she was crying. I looked at Cassidy - she was crying. I was crying. It was incredibly powerful. Just amazing! This sweet sound out weighed the hard conditions.

Church and worship in Chirpan just after the children sang Slava na Aveska.

Later that night at debriefing, we tried to come up with ways to get water to the village. Ultimately though - they need the Gospel more at the moment. For such a large village, the church population was very small. I pray that their church community is able to grow! I pray leaders for the community are created with God's blessing.

Worshipping in Unison

He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane.

Saturday started out very rainy and cloudy. We were unfortunately unable to visit a village because we the lift up the mountain to the village would not operate. Instead we visited a mall, had coffee and hung out together. Sometimes these moments are wonderful because it builds our team's bond.

Saturday afternoon we visited a village called Diadovo and had our first children's festival. I'm very awkward with children - even when I was a child - so I did not now where I needed to be during the festival. Instead I stepped in to help Peggy Harrison with the children's shoebox pictures. I was able to help Dinko write the names and ages of all the children. I saw all the children from the village from ages 3 months to 14 years old. The 14 year old boys were twins - how cool! When finished with all the pictures, I kept the dry erase boards and markers with me. A young man approached me and started speaking in Bulgarian. I kept shrugging my shoulders (this ends up being a universal sign of "I don't know"). I recognized that he was the young man that helped me untangle necklaces earlier. He was nice and helpful. After saying a few Bulgarian phrases a few other guys joined us. The young man, Sumen, motioned to write something. I gave him the white board and a marker. He wrote his name and age in Bulgarian. The age I definitely could not understand, but a boy near us was able to translate to 17. We communicated a little while with all the guys until finally Dinko had to being translating. Such a sweet group of guys! They reminded me of my Gruppe.

Chirstmas Shoeboxes for Bulgaria

The worship service in Diadovo was ah-ma-zing! This village really knew how to worship. We started a little early and worshipped for one hour before beginning the main service. During worship - both Roma and Ben's music - the people would pile in the door. They were raising their hands together and holding each other's hands up. It was beautiful! This village had some soul!

Diadovo worshipping together and raising their hands in unison.

After the service, we all walked out to the vans. Ben came running out to tell me that one of the men suggested we get married. Of course, I got super awkward. He was handsome and I was flattered but it would not work. Stefan and Stephanie would not be an item.

Russ and the Diadovo Soccer Team

Hospitality at its Finest

Hallelujah, Slava na Boga and Slava na Aveska

This morning we visited the Black Sea. There were so many different races, ethnicities and languages in one place. I girl approached us to buy a ticket to a party train. We of coursed declined, but she did ask us if we were from the UK. We replied, "No, we are from the United States.". She was shocked and taken back. I kind of wonder if we were the first American's she has ever met.

That night we visited a village called Karnobat. During worship a little boy played air guitar like no one's business while Ben, Russ and Jameson were playing. He loved every minute of it.



Air guitar like no other!

The pastor and his wife hosted us after the service for a  full meal. I was overwhelmed by their hospitality! As soon as we walked in - the tears came flooding. I could not believe all the work put into this meal for us. We were supposed to be there serving them and they were serving us! There is an American military base near the village. This base employs most of the Roma villagers. This village is better off than most of the villages we visited. This by no means takes away the value of the meal provided to us! We were so thankful for the hot meal of chicken, shopska (aka house salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and white cheese), roasted potatoes, cinnamon bread, Danish wedding cookies and homemade baklava. Everything bite of it was delectably amazing! When dinner was finished and we returned to the vans, we equated that the meal was probably half of their monthly wages. Wow! We felt so humbled by their generosity. During the drive, Dinko told us that the American general on the base would come speak to the Romas and knows them all by name. He said this was so special to the Roma people because most Bulgarians do not acknowledge them. he said the Bulgarians think Romas are half human and half animal. This ignorance is so shocking to me. I wonder if this was what it was like between the blacks and whites during slavery. The positive note was the American general that is loving on these people. Why can't stories like this make the news instead of only bad things?

Shopska "House" Salad

Meal from the generous hospitality of the Karnobat'a Pastor's wife. It was delicious!

Two Sweet Girls in Pamukchii

If grace is an ocean, we are all sinking.

One of the first days we went to a village called, Pamukchii, which is near Stara Zagora. When we walked up I noticed a woman who was much darker than all the other Romas in the village. She was striking with her dark skin and hair. The worship music began playing shortly after we arrived. One of the leaders started singing and this woman started crying. She had her hands raised and singing and occasionally wiped teas from her eyes. I could tell instantly that this woman had a sweet heart. She may be a mercy giver - we do cry a lot.

In the same village of Pamukchii, a little girl about 8 or 9 grabbed the microphone during worship and began singing. She was great! She did not show off or over-sing the lyrics. She was just up there worshiping. I could tell that she is going to be a strong leader in that community. During worship it started raining. We were offered a woman's home as a place to hold the service. We later found out that the woman was the girl's mother. Faithful family! As we go to step into the home - which was a one room 15 x 15 foot area, I noticed that shoes were by the front door. I asked Dinko if I should removed my shoes. He replied, "No." I looked up and a woman was ushering me into her home. I felt awful that my shoes were so muddy. I walked in on my tip-toes hoping to eliminate as much of the dirt impact on her floor. However, I did muddy up her clean floor - and she did not complain one bit! Jaw hanging to the ground!

The service at Pamukchii was wonderful! I sat next to a sweet quiet little girl. I kept smiling at her because I did not know quite what to say. The girl that lead worship was sitting in the floor of her home looking up to Ben Nelson with eyes of wonder as he left worship. It was a beautiful moment to witness and I'm so thankful I was able to capture it in a photo. This little girl came to sit between me and the quiet girl. All I could do was smile at her too. Dinko asked for prayer requests at the end of the service. The mother of the worship girl asked for healing for her daughter's head - the very one I was sitting next to. As we prayed - I grabbed the hands of both little girls. They were both so precious! I pray healing for worship girl's head and guidance as she grows up in the community as a Christian leader. I pray they both continue to grow in their faith and stay protected from anything that may derail their path from the one God has laid out for them. As prayers finished, they continued to hold my hands and did not let them go until we were outside. What precious children of God! They stole my heart that day.


Worship girl looking up at Ben Nelson during worship.

Bulgarian Lesson and Dance

So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel - because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. - Genesis 11:8-9

The first full day in Bulgaria, we attend a worship service near Stara Zagora. First we had a English/Bulgarian lesson with some teenagers from the town. We were broken up into four groups. My group with Peggy and Jamie was the best :) The two girls and guys were the sweetest and very patient with us. But wow - my Bulgarian stinks and their English is so good! Mental note to learn some Bulgarian before next year. I kept trying to communicate in Spanish for some reason. I know more Spanish than I realized.

The girls on our team.

After the worship service, several children asked to perform a dance for us. They were amazing! They performed three or four dances to Bulgarian music and did such a good job. One of the first honors that we felt. We were there to serve, but were being served.