Sowing, Watering, and Reaping in Bulgaria

Spring/Summer 2015\ - Bulgaria article butterflyAbout two and a half years ago, Maria started attending the meetings in Pazardjik, Bulgaria, where we work. She attended church services faithfully. When we asked her if she would like to do the Bible course, The Master and His Disciple, every week we were thrilled when she accepted!

We began at the beginning of January 2013. On January 21st Maria asked Jesus into her heart as her personal Saviour during one of the studies. How we praised the Lord!

After that, we taught Maria about baptism as well as helping her in her spiritual battles and integration into the Pazardjik Church. We were so excited when she told us that she wanted to be baptized. Maria got baptized at Sofia Baptist Church on June 8, 2014.

Maria was confronted by her friends and acquaintances about her faith, but didn’t allow herself to be intimidated. Rather, she defended her faith in a very loving but firm way.  Her prayer life deepened. It was wonderful to see Maria spontaneously praying, especially for those who attended services.

We’ve been discipling Maria and equipping her so that she would be able to teach Bible courses to others, and blessed God when she enthusiastically offered to open her apartment for Bible Study. She now freely gives of her time to Nonka, a lady who has been attending the meetings faithfully in Pazardjik, and has made herself available to teach Nonka the same Bible course that she took with us!

Since November 2014, we’ve been teaching the primary lessons of The Master and His Disciple to Siika, Lilly, Vaska and Slavka, four ladies who also attend services in Pazardjik. How thrilled we were when Slavka accepted the Lord on January 28, 2015 while we were doing one of the Bible lessons with her—nearly two years after Maria made her profession of faithSpring/Summer 2015\ - Susie Maria Gisele pic!

We praise the Lord for all the joy there is in heaven in the presence of the angels of God over Maria and Slavka.

—Susie Frey and Gisèle Laplante have served in Bulgaria with Fellowship International in church planting ministry since 2008. They have also been instrumental in meeting many humanitarian needs through FAIR in this poverty-stricken country.