Part of the benefit of having a property in a town or village is the outreach to the immediate community. This year in the few weeks we have spent at the house in Northern Bulgaria we have had a chance to meet quite a few of the village residents. I remember Andre, the local Contractor, and have met many on his work crew. We were able to give some work to Philip, the electrician, and met his son (also Philip). On village day, Philip Jr. was keen to hang out with a few of us with his friend as we watched the festivities.

Across the street is the shop, watched over by Ginka. In the spring the owner, probably feeling sympathy for us, brought us a gift of a blade sharpener for our scythe. "A small gift" he said. Usually a friend we have met many times, Rumiana works in the shop. Her husband Marin is the village plumber, and reads the water meters for the local water company.

On village day I took a look inside the dilapidated orthodox church - looked after in recent years by Teodora. She was pleased to chat and show us the building. When her husband died 5 years ago Teodora determined that she would take the church on as her project, including ringing the bells every day, rain or shine, at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. With an invitation to come and visit her home, and after being given her phone number I was on my way again.
Prayers go up all the time for the village. As I walked from the train station I would pray through the narrow lanes for the people in the houses. One day, before the team arrived, a friend brought two other friends, one of whom blew the Shofar in the centre of the village. We went and pronounced a blessing over the town as the trumpet of the Lord was sounded.

Each encounter is an opportunity to intercede for the village. We have friends there!

You don't have to be able to do the same as everyone else on the team to be part of the team. Everyone has their place. I firmly believe that everyone has a gift to bring. Not everyone who travels with us can sing or play an instrument. Not everyone has to be able to do "front line ministry" - such as praying and laying hands on people. Oh, wait.... most people do that. But you don't have to have experience. Training is provided. Just come to serve the church and reach the lost, and God will direct you.

On one trip, we had a wonderful friend travelling with us who came to intercede. She prayed all the way round! That alone is a vital part of ministry. Its worth the trip for that. But God had given Sharon a mission on the mission. Before leaving He had her buy a new bible to give to someone on the journey. She was convinced God had said there was a particular person, and that God would show her who it was to go to. We travelled a lot on that trip. Everywhere we went, Sharon asked the Lord, "Here?" "No." "This person?" "No!"

Eventually, of course, its time to leave. We got to the airport, the Bible still in hand. Had she heard wrong? Did she not hear when God had said, "Give it to this one" at one of our many stops? Jane and I decided that most likely we would have just picked someone and made sure we gave away that Bible before leaving. Through passport control and on to the plane. Sharon got a great blessing - it doesn't happen often; she was bumped to business class! Nice reward for her faithfulness. We were glad for her. On the journey home Sharon sat by a nice woman who chatted with her.  She began to talk about her spiritual hunger, and questions she had about God. Who he is. If he is. Then came the word: "Give her the Bible!" All that way. All those towns and people. Sometimes you gotta keep waiting for the right time....