Our web site: http://kmission.homestead.com
Email: vikkostov@hotmail.com
home phone 359 2 65 28 33
Viktor
and Teresa Kostov
Sofia, Bulgaria
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5-7)
Dear Friends,
We
appreciate your dedication to being co-workers in our ministry through your
prayers and support. Special thanks to
those who specifically prayed for our travel and entry in the country and that
we quickly find a place to live: these
requests were answered 100%!
We’ve been in Bulgaria less than a month but it feels much longer. We have a few stories to tell. The verses from Philippians are definitely true in our circumstances: gentleness in Bulgaria is a major prophetic statement. So is peace in Christ in the face of pressure. Thank you for your petitions on our behalf.
The Lord moved in our circumstances in amazing ways during the last month. Regardless of a overwhelming schedule we do have a home--an apartment in a fine Sofia neighborhood with a lot of nearby stores and facilities and a park for the kids. It is the exact answer to our desires and our prayers and those of our partners. (Of course, we didn't ask for the stray dogs that come with the park and sometimes harass the boys) And--if you can believe this--it was the very first place we looked at! This I call "Holy Ghost efficiency." So we spent only two nights at the DOHI office--right after we came back from a trip around Bulgaria visiting churches and pastors.
Aside from
setting up camp--we bought home appliances and are still awaiting our
shipment--we also were able to do some ministry. I preached and taught at
my brothers church, spoke about God with several friends and strangers, and we
were able to lead a lady, whom we were giving a ride, to Jesus. There is
a great need for workers--the people here are hopeless and in need of a Savior.
ANSWERS TO
PRAYER AND FIRST CHALLENGES
We were
amazed at the new airport facility when we landed in Sofia and the service they
provided. A lady working for the
airport, as soon as she saw that we were with small kids, took us straight to
the front of the passport check line.
After passing through the line, we found that the airport was newly
remodeled, clean, and that there were plenty of carts for our bags! We
collected 5 out of 8 bags, then spoke to an airport official who tracked our
bags and promised to deliver them anywhere in the country! It just so happened
that we would be four hours away the very next day, and sure enough they
delivered the remaining three bags to us in Vidin! Amazing service – we’ve
never experienced such a hassle free and enjoyable entry into the country. And
this was also an answer to a specific prayer!
While
meeting many kind people, especially of the younger generation, there are
strongholds in the thinking that still prevail. The culture doesn’t welcome
families with small kids – for example, we tried to enter METRO (something like
a Costco), a new German chain store, and were blocked at the entrance and told
that children under the age of 10 are not allowed in the store! The explanation
we received was that “things” can fall on their heads! The childcare that they
offered us in exchange was a table, a tv/video near the entrance, and no
supervision. Although we made our protests clear, we realized that it’s the
worldviews that seemed incompatible. Needless to say, we will look for other
places to buy needed items in the future.
During our
travel around Bulgaria with DOHI, we meet with pastors in 8 cities. Our desire
was to see how youth ministry is happening in their respective churches and if
they felt the need and had the desire to send youth leaders to a training
seminar/conference. What we found was that (1) youth work is near to
nonexistent in these churches. The need and desire was great to send leaders to
be trained. Therefore, there is a niche to be filled. (2) Pastors were giving
priority to construction/church building projects. On the one hand, this makes
sense given the instability of churches in the past – often times pastors
finding themselves out on the streets having to find a new home for their
congregations. On the other hand, we were saddened by so much time, effort and
resources (which are all so rare in Bulgaria) being invested in structures and
not people.
VIKTOR’S
MINISTRY SCHEDULE
Getting on the road a day after we landed was a demanding
task that made adjusting quickly a “must.”
No time to feel jet lag. Here
are some of my responsibilities in the coming weeks:
Although my schedule may look a bit busy we still plan on finding some time to rest this summer. We’ve been on the run for quite a while now. All this is in the making and I definitely need your prayers for wisdom, strength, and anointing to go through with all the tasks in a timely manner and with results that God will be pleased with and glorified.
PRAYER
REQUESTS
We already
see the Lord clearing a path before us in the way of ministry. Please be in prayer for us that we
would be able to hear His voice, and do as we see Him doing. Pray for
wisdom for the planning of the training
seminar in Vidin and the VBS with the orphans in Belogradchik. Pray that
the Lord would provide a vehicle for us as it is hard to get around with
children and the ministry schedule demands a lot of traveling. Pray for
the religious freedom conference on July 2nd – it is less than one
month away and we are still looking for sponsors. Pray for Teresa as she
sets up to home school the boys and look for ways to connect with other mothers
with small children. Please, pray
that we find a time for a little vacation.
In His service,
Viktor and Teresa
To support us financially, please send checks to:
Door of Hope International S-15, PO Box 303, Glendale, CA 91209-9984
Visit our web site for our mission statement, our vision, and additional information: http://kmission.homestead.com