Celebrating Progress and Community in Bulgaria

This is Vula’s niece Christine Aardema. When Auntie Vula arrived this year, my husband Dean, daughter Kendall and I were all waiting for her. We hardly wasted any time before heading to Bulgaria to see our people in the villages there. In the two years it had been since my family had been to Bulgaria, it was easy to see some wonderful changes. The people of Pamukchii looked healthy and happy. As our loving Father prepares a heavenly home for us, the earthly homes that have been built help to bring dignity to the people there, and show them the love of the Father. Our time of worship, prayer and encouragement was sweet, and the children were delighted with the treats we had brought for them. It’s possible they enjoyed the bananas most of all! We played over/under with beach balls and the smallest little boy couldn’t put the ball between his legs, so the boy behind him in line pushed, and the boy in front of him pulled, but he was too small. All the kids started laughing, with the little guy laughing the hardest. Very sweet. It was very exciting to see the electric substation which is starting to be connected and will provide electricity to all fourteen homes there.

We also worshipped at the church in Yastrebevo on Sunday, and it was wonderful to visit with people we have known now for so many years. We’ve seen prayers for healing answered, children grow up, and the whole community lifted.
Because the children of Yastrebevo continue to get educated, they are able to now find jobs. Some of them are working outside of the country, and while we would like to see them staying in the community, we are grateful they are working.

The highlight was reuniting with Gopi and Raina and their girls, our partners in ministry there, and hearing all that God was doing. Anyone who knows them loves them, and prayers are always appreciated for the work that God is doing here.

-Christine

Pamukchii families and homes

Yastrebevo church