Kostov Missionary Newsletter—February 2004

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Dear friends and partners in mission,

Doing the words of Jesus maybe a challenge but is our only way to show our love for Him and to remain steadfast in this life and be ready for the life to come.  We feel that this is our main focus here and the main struggle in the lives of many believers.  ^“But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”  (1 John 2:6-7)

 In this issue:

·        December 2003—Christmas orphan work

·        January 2004—Conference: independent living for orphans

·        February 2004—Prophetic conference in Silistra, North Eastern Bulgaria

·        Prayer needs and praise reports

December 2003

CHRISTMAS ORPHAN OUTREACHES

December found us busy visiting the three orphanages that God has given us favor in: Belogradchik on Dec. 19, Novo Selo on Dec. 20, and Russe on Dec. 22, 2003. It’s a very special feeling to arrive at an orphanage and see all the children waiting for you outside on the sidewalk or peering through the windows. Their days are void of excitement, filled with loneliness and so every visit is welcomed. Even more so at Christmas when they know that we will be arriving with hands full of good things for each and everyone of them! We had a blessed time with all the children and enjoyed most the fellowship time after the program had concluded; when we could each get together with two or three kids and get to know them even better than before. That was probably the best gift we could give and receive!

Because of the generous giving of Door of Hope International and our friend Janet Orlin, we were able to spend an evening with these children/youth singing worship songs, sharing God’s message of hope and salvation through a skit, and handing out presents and candy. We also purchased meat and soda for all the children for their Christmas dinner and stocked their kitchens with many kilos of canned peas, meat, rice, beans, and lentils. In Russe, we passed out Bibles to all the children/youth and left Bibles for the children of the orphanage workers.

We would love to have you take a look at the new photos on our website from the Christmas outreaches to the orphanages in Belogradchik, NovoSelo and Russe:   www.kmission.netfirms.com/christmas2003

January 2004

THE BRIDGES OF LIFE PROJECT

The conference “Independent Living” (the second of four conferences) was held on January 31^st in Vidin, NW Bulgaria. Twenty youth, ages 16-20, attended from the State Residential Institutions of Belogradchik and Novo Selo, along with their Directors and supervisors. Other invited guests included local and regional government agencies, community members and NGO’s. Guests were requested to give their opinions from their working knowledge of what opportunities are available to these youth to enable them to fully integrate into society AND/OR to share their hopes for future endeavors toward equipping these youth for independent living. By the end of the day, it was very clear that high tensions exist between the S.R.I.’s and the local government agencies AND that little is currently being done to assist these abandoned youth in their inevitable exit from institutional life. Our hope is that through this project, we will be able to raise the awareness of the need for cooperation and team-building between the communities that care and support these youth (and the youth themselves)!

February 2004

PROPHETIC CONFERENCE IN SILISTRA AND VISIT TO THE ORPHANAGE IN RUSSE 5-9 FEBRUARY, 2004

Our team of 8 (Yavor, Stuart, and myself being the speakers) traveled to Ruse to minister to the kids in the third orphan home of our Father’s Heart ministry.  This was our third visit (and this week Yavor and I will travel there again).

During the time of the church conference in Silistra we had 7 teaching, preaching and prayer sessions.  The church we ministered in was a relatively large congregation—there was about 150 people for the Sunday service.  After the conference, the pastor wrote to us to let us know that many people were touched by the Holy Spirit and testified that the prophetic words we delivered to individuals were in line with the lives of those believers.  The main themes were: the need for a change in the church, repentance from living a cheap gospel, following Jesus radically and in practical ways, and being truthful in relationships.  The Holy Spirit worked in the life of the church as a body and in individuals and in the lives of the team members as well. One of them, Juli, a former drummer in a Christian band and our photographer said:  “I know in part that something is happening in my life…It is a fundamental change in me toward Christ’s Christianity.”  Our team enjoyed the hospitality of the church members and the leadership.  We plan another event in September of 2004.

NEW DIRECTION – DISCIPLESHIP AND FORMING A MINISTRY TEAM

We feel that God is leading us to change our view of ministry regarding discipleship.  We will be focusing on discipleship training of Christians who would be willing to participate in one form or another in our ministry and who would like to be serious about following Jesus Christ.  This has two new implications: (1) we will lay out the cost and the need for commitment at the onset and (2) our meetings will be more focused toward the specifics of our ministry—forming a missionary and prophetic ministry and team, and forming contacts and relationships with outside churches and ministries.  I also launched a new web site in Bulgarian meant to serve the Christian community by resources and teachings on issues of the prophetic in the church and doing church as “relationships”.  The web site also promotes our conference/seminar ministry and will encourage missions.

NOVO SELO SHOE DRIVE

Thanks to a donation from Door of Hope International we were able to purchase 60 pairs of winter boots for the children/youth living in the Novo Selo orphanage. We arrived at the orphanage in the evening hours of January 31^st to hand out the boots and remind the children how much they are loved by God and by His people who live far away in another country. This, for sure, is a hard concept for the children to understand ordinarily; however, when a real material need is met, the understanding gives birth in the heart. The children, not to mention the Director and supervisors of the orphanage, were very thankful for the new boots. We want to thank God for the generosity of His saints toward these abandoned and orphaned youth.   

 Prayer needs

• Budget challenges – The expansion of the orphan ministry in Belogradchik, Novo Selo and Russe has an approximate annual budget of $3,500 (excluding VBS expenses). We ask that you would pray for the meeting of this budget (less than $1,200 per orphanage per year) which covers the monthly costs of transportation, bible study supplies, and small salaries for some of our youth workers.
• VBS: This summer we are hoping to hold three vacation bible schools – one in each of the three homes we are now working in. The cost will be approx. $1,000 per VBS. Please pray that these funds would come in!
• Leadership – We need to find a committed believer in the city of Russe to help us with the ministry to the orphans that began in December, 2003. This individual would need to be able to travel to the orphanage on a weekly or bi-weekly basis and lead a small team of volunteers in organizing bible studies, worship and fellowship times with the youth in the home in Russe.
• Giving his life to God — Melen is a young man in his twenties who attends the church gathering in Kula, lead by Viktor’s brother Yavor. Though he has attended regularly and received much counsel and prayer, he has not been able to fully commit his life to Christ and leave his life of homosexuality behind. We ask that you would pray for him: for conviction of heart and mind, for strength to choose abundant life and freedom, and for the ability to remain in that choice.

Praise reports

• Discipleship group (6 individuals) in Vidin and another group (2 individuals) in Sofia take off – following Jesus in practical ways and with radical commitment
• Media coverage of our orphan work in Vidin was significant.  Besides interviewing me and Yavor during the Bridges of Life conference, a camera crew took a trip to the orphanages and showed a longer story about our work there in the evening news.  Both Yavor and his wife Maria, who is also on the ministry team, were interviewed and Yavor was in an early morning talk show on the regional TV station.  The interesting thing is that we did not seek any of this media coverage ourselves!

Thanks to all of you who pray for us and support us in our work for Jesus in Bulgaria!

Viktor, Teresa and the boys                                                                     Sofia, Bulgaria

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Please, visit our website for more photos and information:  http://kmission.netfirms.com.  We are grateful to all of you who pray for our work and give generously.  The work we do is possible due to the sacrificial giving of God’s people.  To support us financially, mail checks to:  Door of Hope International S-15 PO Box 303, Glendale, CA 91209-9984.  To use your credit card click here.  To subscribe to our e-mail newsletter write to vikkostov@hotmail.com with the text “send prayer letter” in the subject line or in the body of the message.  To unsubscribe write: “stop prayer letter.”